Position Rank and Title: Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies

School/Department Name: Planning, Policy, and Environmental Studies
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 30, 2025 (Applications accepted until filled or closed)

Position Description

The School of Planning, Policy, and Environmental Studies at San José State University is pleased to announce a search for an Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies beginning in August 2026. We welcome applicants from all fields of environmental studies who apply an environmental justice lens to their work, including ecology, racial ecologies, marine/coastal studies, natural history, wildlife conservation, environmental education, public/environmental health, natural resource analysis, environmental economics, and environmental law and policy. Successful applicants’ teaching and research will highlight the ways in which environmental change affects underserved communities. Their teaching load will include courses in the Environmental Studies lower division introductory courses (e.g., ENVS 1, ENVS 10), upper division and graduate level core courses (e.g., ENVS 110, ENVS 200), and the development of a new course in their area of specialization. A record of effective teaching, scholarly professional achievements and impactful service is essential for tenure and promotion.

The School of Planning, Policy, and Environmental Studies is home to nationally recognized and accredited interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs that include four undergraduate and four graduate degrees. Our curriculum equips students with the knowledge, skills, and networks necessary to create sustainable, resilient communities. Anchored in shared values, research, and partnerships, we create innovative yet practical solutions and thought leadership that utilize the San Francisco Bay Area as a unique living lab and address the existential challenges facing human and natural environments. The Environmental Studies programs focus on topics ranging from wildlife conservation to renewable energy. A link to our programs can be found at https://www.sjsu.edu/envs/.

The School of Planning, Policy, and Environmental Studies 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

PhD in Environmental Studies or a related field, by the August 17, 2026
A strong background in quantitative or qualitative research methods
Evidence of or potential for teaching effectiveness in environmental studies
Evidence of or potential for a productive research program in environmental studies
Demonstrated commitment to School, College, and university service
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.

Key Responsibilities

Primary academic assignment responsibilities include teaching lower division, upper division, and graduate level Environmental Studies courses and, if desired, the development of a new course in the applicant’s area of specialization.
Advising majors and minors, supervising undergraduate and graduate student research and projects, and engaging in departmental and College of Social Science service. Applicants must be willing to supervise at least two new graduate Master of Science students each year
Oversee a clearly defined research program that will produce peer-reviewed publications and that seeks external funding to support research and department activities.
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 [departments may specify length of items below (e.g. 2 pages)]:

letter of interest
curriculum vitae
SJSU Institutional Excellence Statement Guidelines(dedicated statement or addressed in letter of interest) (2 pages max.)
statement of teaching interests/philosophy
research plans
three letters of reference

Inquiries may be directed to the School Director: Katherine Cushing (katherine.cushing@sjsu.edu).

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 a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. SJSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check 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.

Equal Employment Statement

San José State University prohibits discrimination on the basis of Age, Ancestry, Caste, Color, Disability, Ethnicity, Gender, Gender Expression, Gender Identity, Genetic Information, Marital Status, Medical Condition, Military Status, Nationality, Race, Religion, Religious Creed, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Sex Stereotype, and Veteran Status. This policy applies to all San José State University students, faculty, and staff as well as University programs and activities. Reasonable accommodations are made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose.

Campus Security and Fire Safety Notification

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Annual Security Report (ASR) is also now available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Security-Report.pdf. The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and Sexual Assault prevention information, and information about drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains statistics of Clery crimes for San José State University locations for the three most recent calendar years. A paper copy of the ASR is available upon request by contacting the Office of the Clery Director by phone at 408-924-1501 or by email at clerycompliance@sjsu.edu.

Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Annual Fire Safety Report (AFSR) is available at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Fire-Safety-Report.pdf. The purpose of this report is to disclose statistics for fires that occurred within SJSU on-campus housing facilities for the three most recent calendar years, and to distribute fire safety policies and procedures intended to promote safety on Campus. A paper copy of the AFSR is available upon request by contacting the Housing Office by phone at 408-795-5600 or by email at uhs-frontdesk@sjsu.edu.

Environmental Studies

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