Assistant Professor

Position Rank and Title:

Assistant Professor

School/Department Name:

Psychology

Compensation:

Commensurate with qualifications, experience, and rank as established by the CSU Salary Schedule. Anticipated hiring academic year annual salary range: $ 86,000 - $ 90,000. 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, 2026

Application Deadline:

October 15, 2025 (Applications accepted until filled or closed)

Position Description

The Department of Psychology at San José State University is pleased to announce a search for an Assistant Professor in Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology beginning in August 2026. The area of specialization within I/O Psychology is open. Required qualifications for the position include a Ph.D. in I/O Psychology or related field by the date of appointment, demonstrated scholarly productivity in I/O Psychology, the ability to teach and mentor at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a multicultural population. Desired qualifications include an interest in pressing organizational needs, such as generative artificial intelligent (AI) systems, the ability to take an active leadership role in the master’s program in I/O Psychology, and consulting experience.

The vision of the Psychology Department is to provide high-quality education in psychology that fosters the development of students so that they will make contributions to society. We value a student-centered approach that emphasizes teaching, research, and applied training. The Department offers a BA in Psychology, MA in Research and Experimental Psychology, MS in Clinical Psychology, and MS in I/O Psychology. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, SJSU is currently ranked as the #4 Best Public University in the nation by the Wall Street Journal and has been named the #1 Most Transformative University in the nation by Money Magazine every year since 2020.

The Department of Psychology in the College of Social Sciences and San José State University value inclusive excellence and are committed to advancing equity through research, teaching, and service. We enroll nearly 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 Inclusive 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 and inclusive education. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Institutional Excellence Statement Guidelines.

Required Qualifications

• A Ph.D. in Psychology with an emphasis on I/O Psychology (or a related field) by date of appointment.
• Demonstrated scholarly productivity in the scientific study of I/O Psychology.
• Commitment to, and demonstrated potential for, teaching and mentoring excellence at the undergraduate level and within the master’s program in I/O Psychology.
• 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:

• Interest in pressing organizational needs, such as generative artificial intelligent (AI) systems.
• Ability to take an active leadership role in a master’s program in I/O Psychology.
• Consulting experience.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a collegial atmosphere of shared governance.

Key Responsibilities

• Teaching responsibilities for this position will include undergraduate Psychology coursework and graduate coursework in I/O Psychology (e.g., Introductory or Advanced I/O Psychology, Intermediate or Advanced Statistics), the candidate’s area of specialization, graduate courses as needed by the I/O master's degree program, and undergraduate service courses as needed by the department (e.g., Introductory Psychology, Writing in Psychology, Statistics, Research Methods).
• The candidate will be expected to develop a program of research in I/O Psychology and to pursue both internal and external funding. The candidate must maintain a productive research program, which may consist of collaborative research across the University, with other academic institutions, or other external agencies. Student mentoring is valued in our department, and a successful candidate will mentor and support undergraduate and graduate students of diverse backgrounds.
• The candidate should be prepared to take an active role in the master’s program in I/O Psychology, which may include serving as Program Coordinator, instructor, mentor, and advisor to graduate students.
• 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.

Application Procedure

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

• Letter of interest (≤ 1000 words)
• Curriculum Vitae
• SJSU Institutional Excellence Statement Guidelines (dedicated statement or addressed in letter of interest)
• Statement of teaching interests/philosophy that describes the role faculty play in student success (≤ 1000 words)
• Statement of research plans (≤ 1000 words)
• Name, contact information, and professional relationship for three references. Reference letters may be requested at a later stage of the search.

Inquiries may be directed to the Department Chair, Dr. Evan Palmer (evan.palmer@sjsu.edu).