Assistant Professor in Dietetics and Nutrition

Position Rank and Title: Assistant Professor

School/Department Name: Department of Nutrition, Food Science, and Packaging

Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications, experience, and rank as established by the CSU Salary Schedule. Anticipated hiring academic year annual salary range: $93,000-$99,000.

Faculty employee benefits are very competitive for the higher education sector. See the CSU Employee Benefits Summary for details about the CSU’s excellent benefits package.

Target Start Date: August 17, 2027

Application Deadline: December 1, 2026 (Applications accepted until filled or closed)

Position Description

The Department of Nutrition, Food Science, and Packaging at San José State University is pleased to announce a search for an Assistant Professor in Dietetics and Nutrition beginning in August 2027. We welcome teacher-scholars whose work applies emerging technologies to questions in nutrition, dietetics, and health. Relevant areas may include digital health, artificial intelligence and machine learning, nutrition informatics, health data science, computational or precision nutrition, mobile and wearable technologies, technology-supported nutrition care or education, and other related applications. We welcome work spanning clinical, community, public health, foodservice, behavioral, population, and educational contexts.

The Department of Nutrition, Food Science, and Packaging at San José State University is a dynamic, interdisciplinary academic community committed to preparing students for professional leadership in nutrition, dietetics, food science, food management, and packaging through high-quality teaching, applied research, experiential learning, and engagement with community and industry partners. Established in 1911, the department was the first nutrition department in the California State University system and today offers a B.S. in Nutritional Science with concentrations in Dietetics, and Applied Nutrition and Food Sciences; a B.S. in Packaging; M.S. programs in Nutritional Science and Packaging; the Spartan Accelerated Graduate Education (SAGE) Scholars Program in Nutritional Science and Packaging; an ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics; and a Dietetic Internship. A distinctive strength of the department is its Packaging program, one of only a small number of packaging degree programs in the United States, which combines science, engineering, design, and business and benefits from SJSU’s location in Silicon Valley and strong connections with the medical device, pharmaceutical, food, technology, and packaging industries.

The department provides students with hands-on learning through laboratories, applied research, internships, professional experiences, and community-based activities, while fostering a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative environment in which faculty, staff, and students work across disciplinary boundaries. Recent student accomplishments in academic, professional, and culinary competitions reflect the department’s emphasis on student achievement and professional preparation. Faculty joining the department will have opportunities to contribute to innovative undergraduate and graduate education, mentor a diverse student population, develop interdisciplinary and applied research programs, collaborate with colleagues and external partners throughout Silicon Valley and the greater Bay Area, and help shape the continued growth of programs addressing evolving challenges in nutrition, food systems, health, and sustainable and innovative packaging. Additional information about the department, its programs, faculty, facilities, and activities is available at https://www.sjsu.edu/nufspkg/.

The Department of Nutrition, Food Science, and Packaging and San José State University value institutional excellence and are committed to advancing equity through research, teaching, and service. We enroll more than 40,000 students, many of whom are historically underserved; approximately 45% of our undergraduate students are first-generation college students and 38% are Pell Grant recipients. In addition, we are both a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI). SJSU aspires to create holistic learning environments that facilitate both individual and collective transformation. We seek teacher-scholars who cultivate inclusive, empowering spaces for mutual learning, skill-building, and knowledge exchange for all students. Our commitment to lifelong learning supports meaningful connections among faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the broader communities we serve.

We invite all applicants to include a Statement of Institutional Excellence (or incorporate it into your cover letter) to share how your lived and professional experiences will contribute to the SJSU community—particularly in relation to student success. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Institutional Excellence Statement Guidelines.

Required Qualifications

• An earned Doctoral degree in Nutrition or a closely related field is required for appointment.
• Current Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential or evidence to be credentialed by August 17, 2027.
• Evidence of or potential for university-level teaching effectiveness in dietetics, nutrition or closely related areas.
• Record of scholarly publications or strong potential for a productive scholarly agenda.
• Applicants should demonstrate an awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching, and other comparable experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Priority will be given to candidates who possess one or more of the following:

• Expertise or an emerging research program in health technology, artificial intelligence, digital health, nutrition informatics, health data science, computational nutrition, or related applications to nutrition and dietetics, particularly work that advances ethical, equitable, and evidence-based uses of technology.
• Professional work experience related to dietetics and nutrition in areas such as clinical nutrition, foodservice, or nutrition education.
• An active, well-articulated research agenda with potential to secure external funding and develop interdisciplinary collaborations.
• Demonstrated ability or potential to mentor undergraduate and graduate students in academic, research, and professional development settings.
• Commitment to reflective and inclusive teaching practices, including adapting in-person and online instruction to engage and support historically underserved students.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and teach introductory and advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in nutrition and dietetics, which may include Lifecycle Nutrition, Nutrition Metabolism, Medical Nutrition Therapy, Research Methods, Biostatistics, and courses aligned with the candidate’s area of expertise; contribute, as appropriate, to integration of emerging technologies into nutrition and dietetics curricula.
• Develop and maintain an active scholarly agenda, including pursuing external grant funding, disseminating scholarship through publications and professional presentations, and engaging in interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Participate in curriculum planning, development, assessment, and revision to meet program needs and support the success of a diverse student population.
• Advise and mentor undergraduate and graduate students in academic, professional, and research development including research design, data analysis, academic writing, grant applications, and scholarly dissemination.
• Collaborate with nutrition and dietetics professionals and community partners to support field experiences, graduate student projects, and curriculum development.
• Participate in professional organizations related to nutrition/dietetics and related fields.
• The candidate will participate in shared governance, usually in department, college, and university committees and other service assignments.
• Faculty shall organize all their classes within the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS).
• The candidate must demonstrate awareness and experience in understanding the needs of a student population of great diversity – in age, abilities, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, economic background, primary language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and academic preparation – through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies, and advisement.

Other Duties

Note that all San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, some faculty duties may lead to designation as a Campus Security Authority (CSA). CSAs are required to complete Clery Act training and to immediately report Clery incidents to the institution.

Faculty employees must complete CSU employee training as assigned and required based on their role (e.g., Data Security, FERPA, Preventing Discrimination and Harassment, Title IX, Health and Safety). The President may recommend or require compliance with safety measures that decrease the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission or illness and allows the core mission and activities of the campus to continue.

Application Procedure

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

• letter of interest (maximum 2 pages)
• curriculum vitae
• institutional excellence statement (dedicated statement or addressed in letter of interest)
• statement of teaching interests/philosophy (maximum 2 pages). We encourage applicants to identify courses they feel well qualified to teach.
• research plans (maximum 2 pages). We encourage applicants to explain how their research connects to Health Technology.
• Three references with contact information.

Inquiries may be directed to the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Giselle Pignotti at giselle.pignotti@sjsu.edu.

Pursuant to California Education Code 89521, applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.

Conditional Offer

The work for this faculty position may only be performed in the State of California and requires establishing an on-campus presence. Employment is contingent upon US residence and proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Satisfactory completion of background and reference checks (including criminal records and prior employment) are required. SJSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background and reference checks reveal disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background and reference checks may affect the continued employment of a current employee who was conditionally offered the position.

San José State University: Silicon Valley's Public University

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley — one of the most innovative regions in the world — San José State University is the founding campus of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system and the first public university in the West. Recognized as a leading transformative educational institution, San José State is an essential partner in the technological, economic, cultural, and social development of Silicon Valley, the Bay Area, and California. SJSU is a top-200 school nationally in research funding and second highest in research productivity in the CSU system. Cutting-edge research, world-class scholarship, student-centered learning, diverse communities, and commitment to social justice, allow SJSU to provide life-changing opportunities and advance the public good locally and globally.

Advertised: September 29, 2026 (9:00 AM) Pacific Daylight Time

Applications close: Open until filled