Before completing his doctorate, Bradford began his academic career by working as a research assistant at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation in 1972–74, where he assisted in editing Thomas Jefferson's account books. In 1973, he was appointed assistant professor in history at the United States Naval Academy. He remained at the Naval Academy until 1981, when Texas A&M University appointed him to its history faculty. Bradford has also taught at the University of Maryland in 1974–81; MARA Institute of Technology/Texas International Education Consortium in Malaysia in 1987–88, the Air War College in 1997–98, and the University of Alabama in 1996–97. In addition, Bradford has led numerous study abroad programs in the British Isles, Italy, France, and Germany. Active in a number of professional organizations, he served as executive director of the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic, 1996–2004, and was elected president of the North American Society for Oceanic History to serve from 2008. He has served in a wide variety of editorial and advisory roles, including being Book Review editor of the Journal of the Early Republic, 1979–97. Since 1999, he has been series editor for the U.S. Naval Institute Press's "Library of Naval Biography" and since 2000, series co-editor of "New Perspectives on Maritime History and Nautical Archeology" with the University Press of Florida.
Honors and awards
Texas A&M Bush Excellence Award for Faculty in International Teaching, 2007.
Quarterdeck and Bridge: Two Centuries of American Naval Leaders, edited by James C. Bradford. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 1997.
Eagle, Shield and Anchor: Readings in American Naval History, edited by James C. Bradford. New York, N.Y.: American Heritage Custom Pub. Group, 1994.
Raising a Crab: America's Navy, edited by James C. Bradford. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 1993.
Crucible of Empire: The Spanish–American War and Its Aftermath, edited by James C. Bradford. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 1993.
Admirals of the New Steel Navy: Makers of the American Naval Tradition, 1880–1930. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 1990.
Captains of the Old Steam Navy: Makers of the American Naval Tradition, 1840–1880, edited by James C. Bradford. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 1986.
Guide to the Microfilm Edition of the Papers of John Paul Jones, 1747–1792. Alexandria, Va.: Chadwyck-Healey, 1986.
The Papers of John Paul Jones, microform, edited by James C. Bradford. Cambridge, UK; Alexandria, VA: Chadwyck-Healey, 1986. 10 microfilm reels; 35 mm.
Command under Sail: Makers of the American Naval Tradition, 1775–1850, edited by James C. Bradford. Annapolis, Md.: United States Naval Institute, 1985.
Anne Arundel County, Maryland: A Bicentennial History, 1649–1977, edited by James C. Bradford. Annapolis: Anne Arundel Bicentennial Committee, 1977.
