"Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences"

Fairfield University is a co-educational, comprehensive Jesuit university with a 200-acre campus located along the scenic shoreline community of Fairfield, CT. The University is comprised of approximately 3,500 undergraduate and 1,200 graduate students pursuing degrees within 5 schools: The College of Arts and Sciences, The Charles F. Dolan School of Business, The School of Engineering, The Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, and School of Education and Human Development. As an expression of our Jesuit, Catholic mission and identity, Fairfield embraces a liberal humanistic approach to education, encouraging critical thinking, cultivating free and open inquiry, and fostering ethical and religious values.

Job Description:

The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Fairfield University invites applications for a full-time, visiting assistant professor position during the 2026-2027 academic year, pending final budgetary approval. Candidates should have scholarly interests in the field of behavioral or cognitive neuroscience, and a commitment to excellence in undergraduate teaching.

Successful applicants will be able to demonstrate a commitment to excellence in undergraduate teaching. The teaching load is 4 courses per semester. Courses will include an introductory level neuroscience course, as well as elective courses to support the behavioral neuroscience curriculum. Courses may include Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience, Hormones & Behavior, Sensation & Perception, Human Neuropsychology, General Psychology, or others in the candidate’s area of expertise.

Applicants are expected to have completed a Ph.D. in psychology, neuroscience, or a related field, but strong ABD candidates who expect their degree by Fall 2026 will also be considered.

The department consists of 17 full-time faculty representing a range of specialties and is housed in a well-equipped facility in the Bannow Science Center. There is a vibrant culture of undergraduate student-faculty research that is supported by departmental and university resources, and a growing institutional emphasis on the health sciences. The department offers two majors: behavioral neuroscience and psychology. The behavioral neuroscience program has experienced rapid growth since it launched 5 years ago, and the psychology major remains one of the largest majors in the Meditz College of Arts & Sciences.

Salary and benefits for the position are highly competitive. Fairfield University is a Jesuit Catholic university, consistently ranked as a top comprehensive university in New England, located in the scenic shoreline community of Fairfield, CT, one hour from New York City along Long Island Sound. Our five Colleges and Professional Schools enroll approximately 5,300 undergraduate and 1,400 graduate students.

Application Instructions: To ensure full consideration, please click “Apply Now” and submit the following required documents. Review will begin on January 30th and continue until the position is filled.

• a cover letter outlining your qualifications for the position
• a curriculum vitae
• a teaching statement, including a list of courses you are most qualified to teach (maximum 2-3 single-spaced pages)
• evidence of your teaching effectiveness (e.g., course syllabi, student or peer evaluations, etc.)
• three letters of recommendation (ask your references to email their letters of recommendation to: PsychologySearch@fairfield.edu)

Please direct questions to Dr. Jessica Karanian, Search Committee Chair, at jessica.karanian@fairfield.edu.

Fairfield University provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Category: Academic - Faculty Non-Tenure Track