"Assistant Professor - Astronomy (Tenure Track)"

Assistant Professor - Astronomy (Tenure Track)

Under the direction of the Dean of Instruction, Math and Sciences, and working closely with the Physical Sciences department, this position is responsible for providing high-quality classroom, laboratory, and planetarium instruction to a diverse student population at both the Pittsburg and Brentwood campuses.

Los Medanos College boasts a 30′ planetarium housing a Goto Chronos mechanical star projector and a Warped Media full-dome video system, a telescope deck on the roof of our science building with multiple 8″ Celestron telescopes, and a Unistellar Odyssey Pro smart telescope that can bring a dark-sky equivalent to our suburban campus. All our face-to-face classes on the Pittsburg campus are taught in the planetarium, enabling use of an immersive environment on a regular basis.

We seek a colleague who is deeply committed to equitable student success, who uses evidence-based, student-centered active learning strategies, and who is enthusiastic about continuously improving their teaching practice. The successful candidate will demonstrate a passion for engaging non-science majors, for creating meaningful and inclusive learning experiences, and for contributing to the intellectual life and governance of the college.

Inquiries: Please contact Leetha Robertson, Sr. Administrative Assistant-Office of Instruction, lrobertson@losmedanos.edu

Position Status: Tenure- Track
EEO Job Category: Faculty & Other Instructional Staff
Employee Group: Full-Time Faculty
Department: L5008-Physical Science

Duties and Responsibilities: In addition to contractual duties, all full-time faculty are expected to participate actively in their disciplines, department activities, and the general intellectual life and governance of the college. Part of the teaching assignment may be in the evening and/or online. Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• advancing equitable student learning through dedicated, exemplary instruction in accordance with established course outlines;
• participating in the assessment of student learning outcomes for courses and programs; developing and implementing student learning outcomes assessment processes for courses and programs;
• collaborating in the development and revision of curriculum and in program review;
• engaging in department program improvement initiatives;
• participating in department, division, and college committees;
• participating in professional development activities, both departmental and college-wide;
• maintaining current knowledge in the subject matter area and effective teaching/ learning strategies;
• maintaining appropriate standards of professional conduct and ethics;
• informing students of course requirements, evaluation procedures and attendance requirements;
• preparing and grading class assignments and examinations and informing students of their academic progress;
• maintaining attendance, scholastic, and personnel records and submitting them according to published deadlines;
• posting and holding sufficient and regular office hours in accordance with prevailing policy;
• participating in College's shared governance processes.

Minimum Qualification-Education/Experience: Understanding of and sensitivity to the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, sexual orientation and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, staff and faculty. Master's in physics, astronomy or astrophysics OR Bachelor's in physics or astronomy AND Master's in engineering, mathematics, meteorology or geophysics OR the equivalent. If you believe you have the background, you can upload a master's degree equivalency form in the attachment section of the employment application. OR a California Community College Credential in Astronomy.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Experience developing and presenting original planetarium shows and telescope viewing sessions for teaching diverse student populations and the local community
• Demonstrated experience using evidence-based, student-centered, active learning techniques in teaching astronomy without math to students with diverse educational backgrounds who are not science majors to produce effective student learning and equitable student success.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous professional growth in both content knowledge and pedagogy.
• Enthusiasm for contributing to the college community through committee work, outreach, and student engagement.

Job Open Date: 09/29/2025
Job Close Date: 11/14/2025
Open Until Filled: No
Employment Begins: Fall 2026
# of Months: 12