Position Rank and Title: Assistant Professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies

Department Name: College of Social Sciences / Department of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications, experience, and rank as established by the CSU Salary Schedule. Anticipated hiring academic year annual salary range: $88,000 – $92,000.

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 2027

Application Deadline: September 22, 2026. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled or closed.

Position Description

The Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) program in the Department of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences at San José State University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies with expertise in Indigeneity, artificial intelligence, media studies, and Indigenous technologies and futurisms. We seek a teacher-scholar whose research, teaching, and community-engaged work examine the implications of emerging technologies for Indigenous peoples: including sovereignty, data governance, cultural knowledge, representation, ethics, and justice. Located in Silicon Valley, SJSU is uniquely positioned to bring Indigenous Studies into direct conversation with artificial intelligence, digital media, data systems, and emerging technologies, and this position offers the opportunity to help shape rights-based, community-accountable approaches to technology while strengthening NAIS curriculum, research, and public engagement.

Successful candidates will be grounded in Native American and Indigenous Studies and engage one or more related areas, such as Indigenous approaches to artificial intelligence, Indigenous data sovereignty and governance, Indigenous media and digital cultures, Indigenous technologies and futurisms, ethical and community-accountable technology design, digital repatriation and cultural heritage technologies, or the social, legal, and political implications of AI for tribal and urban Indigenous communities. A history of working with tribes, Indigenous organizations, urban Indigenous communities, or Indigenous-led technology, media, cultural heritage, or data initiatives is strongly desired.

The Department of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences is part of the College of Social Sciences, which is committed to equitable and inclusive teaching and learning. The College sees faculty and student success as inextricably linked and strives to provide culturally sustaining and academically affirming approaches to supporting and engaging students and faculty. We provide opportunities for faculty development around asset-based, holistic student success and support scholarship of engagement that addresses issues that affect our campus and community. In all of our endeavors, we strive to build leadership capacity and foster a culture of support and belonging for faculty, staff, and students.

The Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Department and San José State University value institutional excellence and are committed to advancing equity through research, teaching, and service. We enroll more than 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 Institutional 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. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Institutional Excellence Statement Guidelines.

Required Qualifications

• An earned doctorate in American Indian Studies, Native American Studies, Indigenous Studies, Ethnic Studies, Science and Technology Studies, or another relevant interdisciplinary field from an accredited institution (or equivalent) at the time of application. If ABD, degree requirements must be completed by the date of appointment.
• Potential for effective teaching, or teaching experience in Native American and Indigenous Studies or related fields
• Record of, or potential for, research, scholarship or creative activity in Native American and Indigenous Studies and technologies such as sovereignty, self-determination, settler colonialism, or decolonization.

Preferred Qualifications

Priority will be given to candidates who possess one or more of the following:

• Demonstrated experience working with tribes, Indigenous communities, organizations, or Indigenous-led projects involving technology, media, data, cultural heritage, education, governance, or public policy.
• Evidence of the ability to communicate Native American and Indigenous Studies epistemological frameworks and the ethical implications of emerging technologies for Indigenous peoples.
• Demonstrated expertise in pedagogical approaches to artificial intelligence, Indigenous data sovereignty, Indigenous technologies, Indigenous media, digital cultures, or Indigenous futurisms.
• Evidence of research, teaching, creative activity, or community engagement addressing the ethical, cultural, political, legal, or social implications of emerging technologies for Indigenous peoples.
• Demonstrated ability to apply critical, Indigenous, decolonial, and culturally sustaining methodologies
• Demonstrated ability to develop new NAIS curriculum and build interdisciplinary, cross-departmental collaborations related to AI, media, technology, data governance, or Indigenous futurisms.
• Research background and community-practice experience in decolonizing methodologies.

Key Responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate courses in Native American and Indigenous Studies and develop new curriculum related to Indigeneity, artificial intelligence, Indigenous technologies, media studies, data sovereignty, digital cultures, and Indigenous futurisms.
• Maintain an active research, scholarly, creative, or community-engaged agenda appropriate to a tenure-track appointment and aligned with Native American and Indigenous Studies.
• Advise and mentor students and develop cross-departmental, community, and institutional partnerships.
• Faculty shall organize all assigned courses within the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS).
• Participate in shared governance, usually in department, college, and university committees and other service assignments.
• 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.

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:

• letter of interest (no more than 2 pages)
• curriculum vitae
• institutional excellence statement (dedicated statement, no more than 2 pages)
• statement of teaching interests/philosophy (no more than 2 pages)
• statement of research (no more than 2 pages)
• three references with contact information

Pursuant to California Education Code 89521, applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.

Inquiries may be directed to the Search Committee Chair, Kerri J. Malloy, at kerri.malloy@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 background and reference checks (including criminal records and prior employment) are required. SJSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background and reference checks reveal disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background and reference checks 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.