Department Summary

We are currently seeking and hiring Faculty Field Liaisons (FFLs) to serve in our BASW and MSW Programs (on-campus and online). We desire colleagues and team members who are qualified, motivated, committed, enthusiastic, and detail-oriented, and who have a passion to educate social work students. This is an opportunity to join a dynamic, mutually-supportive faculty and an academic program that has earned a reputation for excellence over its 50+ year history within the California State University system. The School of Social Work offers MSW (on-campus, hybrid/online, and advanced standing) and BASW degree program options, and additional training and certificate programs such as those in Title IV-E Child Welfare, Public Behavioral Health, Mental Health, Adult and Aging Services, and the Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPSC). Both our MSW and BASW programs are fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The School of Social Work at San José State University recently reached its 50thAnniversary and is currently the largest social work program by enrollment in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our Transcultural Perspective is at the heart of our mission; we are committed to social justice and to addressing the changing needs of diverse communities through education, research, and service. Please visit our School of Social Work website (www.sjsu.edu/socialwork) and the SJSU catalog (https://catalog.sjsu.edu/) for more details about our programs and curriculum.

Brief Description of Duties

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

A Faculty Field Liaison (FFL) position is equivalent to approximately 50% to 100% time (depending on interest and availability) in the BASW and/or MSW program. There are variations depending on whether the FFL is teaching BASW or MSW generalist or specialized year MSW field courses, as well as in online or on-campus formats. FFLs hired in the on-campus program are eligible for benefits; those hired in the online program are not eligible for benefits. Supervised by the Field Education Director, an FFL is responsible for supervising and directing cohesive and progressive educational experiences of students in field instruction. The liaison process implements the following goals:

1. To develop and support a mechanism by which the School of Social Work can meet its primary responsibility for the students' education.
2. To provide an educational context by which the School can nurture the development of professional leadership through student governance, educational experiences, and practice in the field.
3. To provide a structure that has a preventive function regarding a student's educational problems, with the goal of equitable resolution of barriers in his/her learning.
4. Build a respectful partnership with community partners, agencies, and student stakeholders.

An FFL, as a faculty member of SJSU and the School of Social Work, is one of the key personnel who contributes to the overall education, training, and professional development of our students in the context of the field practicum and its integral part of our overall curriculum. FFLs work a variety of schedules to accommodate the needs of the School and students, but generally during weekday office hours. As an FFL, attendance at field education program meetings is required and support of School-related events is expected.

• Work collaboratively with the School in its education and training of students, specifically with the Field Education office;
• Perform faculty and teaching duties, including advising, posting of office hours and contact information, completing all necessary procedures for hiring, evaluation, and other duties; leading field seminars, overseeing and grading student field assignments, and assigning and reporting final grades;
• Ensure maximum productive learning opportunities for the student.
• Assist with curricular design and improvements;
• Be available and attend Field office events;
• Attend bi-monthly supervision with the Field Education Director;
• Attend mandatory Field Faculty Meetings once a month;
• Complete In-Place documentation and obtain signatures from FIs and students in a timely manner.
• Address agency partnership concerns, complaints, and challenges;
• Adherence to the School of Social Work policies and procedures regarding grading, Notice of Concern, Fitness for Profession, and Professional Standards Committee;
• Address and manage student and agency concerns in a timely manner, and complete all necessary administrative tasks associated with resolution;
• Visit the agency a minimum of 1 to 2 times each academic year; more if needed. At the time of the agency visit, the Faculty Field Liaison will meet with the student, review records, process recordings, InPlace documentation completion, and/or other materials produced by the student, and meet with the Field Instructor. The three meet to evaluate the student’s progress and for the resolution of differences or to clarify expectations.
• Work collaboratively with agencies and respective Field Instructors(FIs), including the instruction, supervision, evaluation of the student; consult with the FI and student in the development of the learning contract goals, expectations, and assignments; maintain an ongoing relationship with the Field Instructor and student for the purpose of evaluating the student's progress and the quality of the field instruction;
• Assure that the placement provides the appropriate educational experiences, which will meet CSWE accreditation standards, the BASW and MSW Program standards, and proper implementation of academic policies and curriculum, and assist in the solution of problematic situations, which may arise.
• Ensure that students complete University onboarding requirements, waivers, and Driving/Home Visit policy and other University Risk Management obligations;
• Work with the School and the Field Education office to anticipate, assess, and resolve problems regarding field education, internships, and/or students;
• Respond to student, faculty, and Field Office inquiries in a timely manner.
• When working with first-year students, prepare and assist with the final year placement process; Provide ongoing feedback to the Director of Field Education concerning the quality of agency placement and students' performance in the field, and monitor and updating data about agencies.
• In collaboration with the Assistant Field Education Director and/or the Field Education Director, assist in the review process of potential field placement sites. Tasks may include gathering information from agency representatives, visiting the field placement site, and making approval or rejection recommendations to the Field Education Office.
• To participate in orientations, trainings, seminars, and other BASW and MSW Program events in the capacity of planner, group leader, and facilitator in support of the School to enable students to become self-directed professionals and to understand the BASW and MSW Programs’ curricular goals, purpose, and mission;
• Other duties consistent with the roles of a faculty member.
• The candidate must demonstrate awareness and experience 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.
• Faculty shall organize all their classes within the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS).
• All classes must be offered and meet as scheduled throughout the entire semester or term, in the mode assigned and listed in the schedule of classes (i.e., asynchronous, synchronous, bichronous, in-person, or hybrid).

Required Qualifications

• Professional, responsible, and dependable;
• Has an MSW from a CSWE-accredited program; additional certification, i.e., LCSW, PPSC, etc., preferred;
• 2 years of post-MSW social work experience; prior supervisory and/or teaching experience required; 5 years post-MSW experience preferred;
• Ability to interface with students in-person as well as online and interact in an online community environment;
• Good communication and people skills;
• Basic computer and software knowledge and skills (i.e., MS Office or Google Suite);
• Skills with and/or ability to learn computer systems and software, and multimedia skills (i.e., PeopleSoft, Canvas, InPlace, Qualtrics, Financial Transaction Services, Google Applications);
• Ability to work in teams and independently;
• Ability to prioritize and manage volume of work;
• Ability to interact and collaborate effectively and professionally with university, community, and agency personnel;
• Applicants should demonstrate an awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a multicultural population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching, and other comparable experience.

Campus Security Authority

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, the faculty coach member in this position is subject to ongoing review for designation as a Campus Security Authority (CSA). Individuals designated as Campus Security Authorities are required to immediately report Clery incidents to the institution and to complete Clery Act training as determined by the University Clery Director. Questions regarding CSA designation and training can be sent to the Clery Director at clerycompliance@sjsu.edu.

Compensation

Salary range placement is determined by qualifications and experience. The rates shown below by range are the anticipated salary from the applicable Faculty Salary Schedule - 2322 to be paid per WTU in Special Session programs (a typical course is 3 WTUs). As the salary schedule indicates, compensation may be reduced if enrollment targets are not met.

L-A / Range 2: $2279 per WTU
L-B / Range 3: $2497 per WTU
L-C / Range 4: $3146 per WTU
L-D / Range 5: $3977 per WTU

Application Procedure

To apply for this position, please email a cover letter describing your interest to socialwork@sjsu.edu with “Faculty Field Liaison” in the subject line. Attach the following documents:

• CV or resume;
• Cover letter including a brief description of your interest in the position, teaching philosophy, and relevant professional experience;
• List of at least three (3) or as many as five (5) references

To receive full consideration, applications should be received by April 24, 2026. An additional application through the CSU system will be required after the initial review process. Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled. However, to receive full consideration, applications should be received by the due date. Applications received after the first screening date will be considered at the discretion of the university.

Conditional Offer

Work for this position is for a special session, online program, exempt from the requirement that all SJSU work is to be performed in California; however, this exemption may not be transferred to any other SJSU position or employment. Employment is contingent upon US residence and proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Proof of immunization against COVID-19 or proof of a medical or religious exemption and compliance with testing protocols is required for employment. Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. CSU 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 CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.

Appointment is contingent upon budget and enrollment considerations and subject to order of assignment provisions in the collective bargaining agreement between California State University and California Faculty Association. These provisions state the “Order of Work,” or the order in which available courses must be assigned to faculty, starting with tenure line faculty and ending with new lecturer appointees.

San José State University: Silicon Valley's Public University

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley — one of the most innovative and diverse 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. The 2020 #1 Most Transformative University in the nation according to Money Magazine, San José State is an essential partner in the 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, combined with world-class scholarship, student-centered learning opportunities, and experiential and interdisciplinary programs, allows SJSU to provide transformative opportunities that advance the public good locally and globally.

San José State enrolls more than 36,000 students — many are historically underserved, and around 45% are first-generation and 38% are Pell-recipients. SJSU is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) Serving Institution. The university’s commitment to social justice extends from its vibrant, inclusive campus to an international network of over 275,000 alumni. As such, San José State is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty so our disciplines, students, and community can benefit from different and divergent cultural and identity perspectives.

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. 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.

Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act and Campus Housing 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 also available for viewing 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.