Working Title: Dean, College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics
Classification Title: Administrator IV
Posting Details
Priority Application Deadline (Posting will remain open until filled): Monday, March 23, 2026 @ 11:55pm PST
Position Summary
The Dean is part of the Provost’s Academic Affairs Leadership Team and serves as the chief academic and administrative officer and spokesperson of the College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics in support of student success, academic excellence, community success, and inclusivity.
The primary responsibilities of the Dean are to provide leadership and manage the programs and activities of the College as one of the academic units of California State University, Sacramento. To this end, the Dean facilitates and supports faculty development and productivity in teaching, scholarly and creative activities, and service to the institution and the community; represents the college and assists in partnerships with regional community colleges, school districts and education initiatives; coordinates and supports the development and evaluation of instructional program offerings and student support systems; and assists departments and centers of the College in accreditation efforts. The Dean’s leadership and management responsibility includes fostering an inclusive learning and working environment in the College and implementing proactive programs and initiatives in support thereof.
The Dean has primary responsibility for external funds development, gifts, grants, and contracts that support the breadth of activities of the College, and provides leadership in building strong relationships with, and generating support in, the greater community for the benefit of the College and University. The Dean also oversees development of annual budget requests and administers the College’s budget. The Dean is responsible for personnel matters, including coordinating and supervising the administrative duties of department chairs, staff and program directors, and for making independent recommendations on all College appointment, retention, tenure, and promotion requests. The Dean is responsible for implementation of the University’s and Division Academic and Strategic Plans in the College.
The Dean is supported by an Associate Dean and staff in the Dean’s Office. The Dean works in partnership with all other units on campus to fulfill the mission of the University. The Dean provides a communication link between other campus administrators and the College’s department chairs and program directors, and coordinates long-range planning for the College. The Dean serves as an advocate for the diverse needs of the College in support of the mission of the University, particularly at the University and CSU System-wide levels. The Dean is a university administrative officer and performs these and other duties as assigned by the Provost/Sr. Vice President for Academic Affairs.
FLSA: Exempt (Not eligible for overtime compensation)
Anticipated Hiring Range: $17,000 per month - $20,000 per month; commensurate with the candidate's education, experience, skills, and training.
CSU Classification Salary Range: $10,106 per month - $32,441 per month
Best-in-class Benefits: Click here to learn more
CSU Total Compensation: Click here to learn more
Recruitment Type: Regular (At-Will)
Work Hours: Monday - Friday; 8:00 am - 5:00 pm including other hours as needed. Work hours may include evening and weekends, dependent on department needs. Position works on-site.
The College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics (NSM) offers degree programs, research opportunities, internships, and strong student support. We prepare graduates to achieve lifetime career success, contribute to knowledge, and help solve societal problems. Our faculty, students, and graduates promote regional progress through professional activity and community collaboration.
The College offers strong academic programs in Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Geography, Geology, Mathematics & Statistics, and Physics & Astronomy. All of our programs emphasize hands-on experiences and interaction with professors. Students have access to state-of-the-art instruments and unique facilities in both classwork and independent research projects. https://www.csus.edu/college/natural-sciences-mathematics/
Required Qualifications
Education/Experience
- Possession of an earned doctorate and eligibility for a senior faculty appointment within the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics or equivalent relevant experience that demonstrates commitment to academic excellence.
- Experience with shared faculty governance and collaborative decision-making that values diverse voices and perspectives;
- Strong teaching experience and record of research or scholarly activity in one or more of the disciplines in the College, with openness to innovative approaches to education;
- Experience with personnel and fiscal resource management with ability to think strategically and implement new initiatives;
- Experience with assessment of program learning outcomes and interest in implementing improvements that enhance student success;
- Experience with and commitment to interdisciplinary programs and scholarship that connects different fields of knowledge;
- Five years of administrative experience in a university setting, including experience as a department chair or equivalent leadership role.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
- Leadership ability to articulate and support the mission of the College while advocating for programs and initiatives;
- Commitment to fostering inclusive environments where diverse faculty, staff, and students can thrive, with willingness to learn and implement equity-minded practices;
- Strong written and oral communication skills with the ability to engage multiple stakeholder groups effectively;
- Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills with ability to work collegially and collaboratively across differences;
- Ability and commitment to generate external funds through grants, partnerships, and other revenue streams, with willingness to develop expertise in this area;
- Commitment to excellence in teaching and learning, with interest in undergraduate and graduate education approaches that prepare students for success;
- Knowledge and experience with accreditation processes including disciplinary accrediting agencies;
- Evidence of community involvement and leadership in areas such as student recruitment, alumni relations, and fundraising;
- Commitment to maintaining a welcoming and inclusive work environment with diverse colleagues and constituents including faculty, students, staff, and members of the community.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
- Ability to complete the background check process.
Preferred Qualifications
- Entrepreneurial mindset with understanding of and enthusiasm for supporting the varied goals of college faculty and innovative academic programs;
- Champion of undergraduate and graduate research with experience developing robust student support programs and mentorship initiatives;
- Passion for Liberal Arts education and its transformative power in developing critical thinking and engaged citizenship;
- Knowledge of federal and state laws pertaining to the preservation or implementation of Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.
- Experience leading in unionized environments with expertise in collaborative approaches to collective bargaining and employee relations;
- Strategic visionary with ability to build on existing strengths while creating bold, forward-thinking plans for the College’s future;
- Experience in Community Engagement, Service Learning, and/or Global Education with innovative approaches to connecting academic work with real-world impact;
- Technology leadership with demonstrated understanding how to leverage emerging technologies to enhance instruction, research, and student engagement in meaningful ways.
Documents Needed to Apply (2)
Failure to upload required documentation may result in disqualification.
Applicants will respond to the following supplemental question:
- As Dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Sacramento State, you will set the vision for an inclusive and innovative community dedicated to excellence in the sciences and mathematics. The College plays a vital role in advancing research, experiential learning, and workforce preparation in fields such as biological sciences, chemistry, physics, astronomy, geology, mathematics, and statistics, serving the needs of the region and the state. Please describe your experience leading systemic efforts to advance inclusive excellence in higher education. In your response, address how you have built trust across diverse constituencies; strengthened teaching, research, and student success in STEM disciplines; removed barriers to access, retention, and degree completion for underrepresented groups; supported the recruitment and advancement of diverse faculty and staff; and embedded equity, evidence-based decision-making, and innovation into strategic planning and resource allocation. Include examples that demonstrate sustained impact.
About Sacramento State
Sacramento State is located in the heart of California’s capital city, five miles from State Capitol. The lush, 300-acre campus is situated along the American River, close to numerous bike trails and other recreational areas. Sacramento, also known as the “Farm-to-Fork Capital,” is one of the most ethnically diverse and livable cities in the country, with a population of half of a million. Sacramento State proudly serves as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), and is recognized by the California Legislative Assembly as a Black-Serving Institution. The university enrolls around 31,000 students from the Greater Sacramento Region, throughout California, across the nation, and around the world. Our 1,800 faculty and 1,500 staff are committed to meeting our mission:
“As California’s capital university, we transform lives by preparing students to lead, serve, and succeed. Sacramento State will be a welcoming, caring, and inclusive leader in education, innovation, and engagement.” As the regional hub of higher education, Sacramento State is dedicated to learning and student success; teaching, research, scholarship and creative activity; justice, diversity, equity and inclusion; resource development and sustainability; dedicated community engagement, and wellness and safety.
As evidenced by the values embedded in our Hornet Honor Code, Sacramento State is committed to creating an inclusive environment where all faculty, staff, students, and guests are welcome and valued. Our commitment is more than simply ensuring that our campus is free from bias and discrimination, but is one devoted to celebrating many diverse identities, life experiences, and perspectives that enrich our community, teaching and learning.
To learn more about why you should join the Hornet Family, please visit the Why Sac State? page.
Equal Employment Opportunity
California State University, Sacramento is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, genetic information, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or disability. Sacramento State hires only those individuals who are lawfully authorized to accept employment in the United States.
It is the policy of California State University, Sacramento to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified persons with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment. If you need a disability related reasonable accommodation as part of the application and/or interviewing process, visit https://www.csus.edu/administration-business-affairs/human-resources/benefits/reasonable-accomodation.html.
The University is committed to creating an education and working environment free from discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. For more information on mandatory training for new employees, visit https://www.csus.edu/administration-business-affairs/human-resources/learning-development/support/csu-learn.html.
Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act Notification:
Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, the current Annual Security Report (ASR) is available for viewing at https://www.csus.edu/clery .
The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and sexual assault prevention information, and drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains statistics of Clery Act crimes for Sacramento State for the last three (3) calendar years. Paper copies are available upon request by emailing the Clery Director at clery@csus.edu.
Under the Clery Act, this position may be designated as a Campus Security Authority (CSA) depending upon the role on campus and/or job duties. If this position is identified by the Director of Clery Compliance as a CSA position, you will be notified via email and will be assigned the appropriate training in CSU Learn.
Background Check Disclaimer
A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with California State University, Sacramento. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current California State University, Sacramento employees who apply for the position.
Out of State Employment
Sacramento State, as part of the CSU system, is a State of California Employer. As such, the University requires all employees (up)on date of hire to reside in the State of California.
As of January 1, 2022 the CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits the hiring of employees to perform CSU-related work outside the state of California.
Eligibility Verification
Candidate must furnish proof of eligibility to work in the U.S. California State University, Sacramento is not a sponsoring agency for staff and management positions (ie. H-1-B Visa).
Note to Applicants:
Possession of the minimum qualifications does not guarantee an interview unless required by collective bargaining agreement.