Asst. Professor - Psychology jobs in Santa Maria, CA

PSYCHOLOGY AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT - The Psychology and Child Development Department in the College of Liberal Arts at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, seeks applications for two full-time, academic-year, tenure-track Assistant Professors in Social Psychology to begin September 16, 2024. 

The ideal candidate will have a strong commitment to teaching excellence, university-level teaching experience, and evidence of professional activity that keeps them abreast of knowledge and development within their discipline. Preference will be given to candidates with research specialization in health, diversity, sustainability, and/or aging. 

The successful candidate will teach undergraduate courses in Social Psychology and Multicultural Psychology. The candidate may also teach courses in Health Psychology, Research Methods, and/or upper-division courses on select topics in social psychology (e.g., Applied Social Psychology, Environmental Psychology, Psychology of Prejudice, Psychology of Gender). New courses within the candidate’s area of specialization may also be proposed. 

Although Cal Poly is primarily a teaching university, our faculty are expected to balance teaching with an active program of research/professional development (including publication), student supervision and advising, and participation in service activities at the department and college/university level. The typical teaching load is three 4-unit courses per quarter, with a reduction in course load in each of the first two years to help new faculty establish an active program of research and professional development. Cal Poly strongly values diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), especially in the classroom and among its areas of study. Applicants must provide evidence of current professional activity in the field of social psychology.

The College of Liberal Arts (CLA) sees diversity as central to its mission and is committed to fostering an equitable and inclusive environment within the college and university. We value our diversity of complex and intersecting identities, while striving to maintain an environment that is socially just, equitable, respectful, and inclusive. The successful applicant should be able to clearly demonstrate how they have infused these values and student learning objectives into their work. They should be prepared to present clear examples of how they would infuse these areas into their work as a faculty member. 

At California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, we believe that cultivating an environment that embraces and promotes diversity is fundamental to the success of our students, our employees, and our community. Bringing people together from different backgrounds and experiences fosters the innovative and creative thinking that exemplifies Cal Poly’s values of free inquiry and reflection on impacts of cultural context, mutual respect, civic engagement, and social and environmental responsibility. Cal Poly's commitment to DEI informs our efforts in recruitment, hiring and retention. California Polytechnic State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. 

Salary

Anticipated Hiring Range: $81,888 - $87,550/year, $6,824-$7,296/month 

(Note that hiring level will be commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate.) 

Required Qualifications 

•  Ph.D. in social psychology or a related field by the time of appointment. 
•  Evidence of scholarly achievement in candidate’s area of specialization. 
•  Ability to teach lower- and upper-division undergraduate courses in social psychology. 
•  Demonstrated effectiveness in college or university-level teaching. 

Preferred Qualifications

•  Research on topics in health psychology, sustainability, diversity or aging. 
•  Ability to teach Multicultural Psychology, Health Psychology, Environmental Psychology, or Psychology of Aging. 
•  A research program that provides opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in research. 
•  A commitment to broadening the scope of psychology to include traditionally underrepresented groups, as demonstrated through research, mentoring, teaching, and/or course content. 

Special Conditions

The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. 

Following a conditional offer of employment, a background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate may start work with Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may result in the withdrawal of the offer of employment. Note: Cal Poly cannot deny an applicant a position solely or in part due to a criminal conviction history until it has performed an individualized assessment and linked the relevant conviction history with specific job duties in the position being sought. 

Please note: Current employees who are offered positions on campus will be required to undergo a background check for any position where a background check is required by law or that Cal Poly has designated as sensitive. Sensitive positions are those requiring heightened scrutiny of individuals holding the position based on potential for harm to children, concerns for the safety and security of people, animals, or property, or heightened risk of financial loss to Cal Poly or individuals in the university community. 

For health and well-being, Cal Poly is a smoke & tobacco-free campus. The university is committed to promoting a healthy environment for all members of our community. 

In accordance with the California State University (CSU) Out-of-State Employment Policy, the CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California and prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU related work outside of California. At Cal Poly, tenure-line faculty are expected to establish an on-campus presence.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The successful candidate will join 21 tenure-track faculty, over 20 part-time lecturers, 650 undergraduate students and 30 masters students in Psychology and Child Development. The department's website is http://psycd.calpoly.edu. 

ABOUT THE COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY

California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) is a comprehensive polytechnic university with a strong commitment to its Learn by Doing philosophy. Cal Poly is a very selective, highly ranked public university on the California Central Coast. Salaries are competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications. The university provides substantial and comprehensive benefits for spouses/domestic partners and qualifying dependent children under 26. 

Cal Poly's College of Liberal Arts offers 17 highly selective Bachelor of Arts programs and 5 Master's degree programs with 250 full-time faculty and nearly 3,000 undergraduate majors. Our distinguished faculty is actively engaged in teaching, scholarship, and service. Cal Poly is among the most selective universities nationwide; student quality is high, with applications significantly exceeding admissions. 

HOW TO APPLY

Interested applicants should complete the required online faculty application at http://jobs.calpoly.edu/ and submit to Job #531999 

Please attach to your electronic application the following materials: 

1. Cover letter - In the cover letter, the applicant should also address the feasibility of conducting a research program within the context of a primarily teaching-oriented undergraduate program. 

2. Current curriculum vita. 

3. Statement of demonstrated commitment to DEI in teaching, scholarship, and/or service describing past experience, contributions to DEI efforts, the impact on students, faculty, staff and/or your field, and a description of how you will demonstrate a commitment in these areas in teaching, research, and/or service at Cal Poly. 

4. Statement of teaching philosophy. 

5. Writing sample indicative of area of scholarship. 

6. Unofficial transcripts showing highest degree earned. 

Please be prepared to provide three professional references with names and email addresses when completing the application. Cal Poly will directly solicit letters from the individuals listed by applicants. Official sealed transcripts showing highest degree earned will be required prior to appointment.

Projected Start Date: 09-16-2024 

Review Begin Date: October 23, 2023. Applicants with complete files by the Review Begin Date will be given full consideration.

For questions about the position, please contact Dr. Carrie Langner via email at clangner@calpoly.edu.