Vacancy Announcement

Faculty Tenure-Track Position Starting Fall 2027

Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Cal Poly Humboldt is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) that strives to foster an equitable and inclusive community that supports our students of diverse backgrounds. Cal Poly Humboldt is committed to achieving the goals of equal opportunity and endeavors to employ faculty of the highest quality committed promoting excellence for all students. 

DESCRIPTION:

Cal Poly Humboldt and the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry invite applicants for a full-time, academic year, tenure-track faculty position with an emphasis in Biochemistry. This position will also partner with the new Health and Medical Sciences program as a student advisor and advisor to the program.

DEPARTMENT:

The Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry is an active undergraduate program certified by the American Chemical Society. Our Department serves 100+ majors in Chemistry & Biochemistry and the College of Natural Resources and Sciences. Biochemistry is a growing major within the department. The majority of our students participate in course-based and faculty-mentored research. We house modern instrumentation including: LC-MS, GC-MS, HPLC, 400MHz FT-NMR, UV-Vis Spectrophotometers, Luminescence Spectrofluorometer, Dynamic Light Scattering, Flash Chromatography, FT-IR, Atomic Absorption Spectrometer, Incubator shakers, Biosafety Cabinet, and High Speed and Ultracentrifuges. The College of Natural Resources and Sciences includes a core facility with rtPCR, fluorescence and UV-visible plate reader, SEM and TEM electron microscopes and a CIRM funded stem cell shared resource facility to house a cell culture suite, fluorescence activated cell sorter, confocal microscope and cryostat. For more information about our department and facilities, please visit: https://www.humboldt.edu/chemistry

PROFESSIONAL DUTIES:

Candidates should be committed to teaching excellence and to building a strong research record. Instructional assignments may include: General Chemistry I & II, Biochemistry I, II & III or Introductory Biochemistry. Additional teaching will include Brief Organic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry I and II, and electives in Medicinal Chemistry, Forensic Chemistry, or Biomaterials Biosensors and Bionanotechnology, depending on the expertise of the faculty member.  Instructional assignments will be consistent with the programmatic needs of the department and students.

The primary professional responsibilities of instructional faculty members are: teaching, research, scholarship, creative activity, and service to the University, profession and to the community. These responsibilities include: advising students, participation in campus and system-wide communities, maintaining office hours, working collaboratively and productively with colleagues, and participation in traditional academic functions. Probationary faculty are typically provided ongoing mentorship to be a successful member of the faculty. During the first two years of the probationary period, teaching responsibilities will be reduced by approximately one course each semester. The reduced teaching load supports the establishment of research, scholarship and/or creative activities required for retention, tenure, and promotion.

Cal Poly Humboldt also continues to build unique and innovative learning opportunities for students, bridging multiple disciplines across the spectrum. This position will partner and support both our recent Biochemistry BS (2024) and the new Health and Medical Sciences program. Cal Poly Humboldt is a leader in “learning communities” that build relationships between students, faculty, staff, administrators, and the community. These communities incorporate environmental and social responsibility.

RANK, SALARY AND BENEFITS:

We seek to fill this position at the Assistant Professor rank; however, rank and salary are dependent on the appointee’s qualifications and experience. The Assistant Professor Classification annual salary range for this position is $74,652 - $158,688; the anticipated starting annual salary is $80,000-$85,000.

Cal Poly Humboldt provides an excellent benefits package for faculty. Information about benefits plans can be found at:  https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/careers/benefits/Documents/employee-benefits-summary.pdf

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

An earned Ph.D. or equivalent in Biochemistry or Chemistry with experience in biochemistry, biotechnology, medicinal chemistry, or a related field from an accredited college or university is required at the time of appointment. If ABD, degree requirements must be completed by date of appointment.

The successful candidate must demonstrate the following:

• Record of training or experience in the field of Biochemistry;
• Excellence in, or clear potential for, university-level teaching and creating a student-centered learning environment;
• Evidence of, or clear potential for, conducting and publishing original research on Biochemistry in peer-reviewed journals;
• Training or experience sufficient to teach general chemistry I and II;
• Training or experience sufficient to teach biochemistry I, II and III, including gene regulation and expression;
• Training or experience in laboratory-based instruction in biochemistry and chemistry;
• Experience teaching, or demonstrated preparation to teach, large-enrollment courses;
• Record of, or potential for, involving students in research and scholarly activity.
• Demonstrated experience working effectively with diverse student and/or research populations;
• Demonstrated knowledge and familiarity addressing issues of concern facing students from diverse backgrounds in higher education; and
• Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with colleagues in academic, research, or professional settings.

Preferred qualifications for this position include:

• Training or experience in organic chemistry sufficient to contribute to instruction in that area;
• Training or experience relevant to one or more upper-division electives, such as Medicinal Chemistry, Forensic Chemistry, Natural Products Chemistry, and Biosensors, Biomaterials and Bionanotechnology;
• Experience with or knowledge of pre-professional pathways (e.g., medicine, optometry, pharmacy, clinical laboratory science , etc.) and/or biotechnology industries;
• Expertise in modern biotechnology and bioinformatics applied to biochemistry;
• Postdoctoral, clinical, and/or industrial experience; and
• Experience developing laboratory hands-on learning experiences.

Working in the state of California is a condition of employment for this position. Pursuant to the California State University (CSU) Out-of-State Employment Policy (effective January 1, 2022), hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside of the state of California is prohibited. The employee must be able to accept on-campus instruction, as assigned, and come to campus when needed. The CSU also prohibits hiring and retaining employees working permanently from a business location outside of the United States.

At the time of appointment, the successful candidate, if not a U.S. citizen, must have authorization from the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to work in the United States. For information on the University policy on support for non-immigrant probationary faculty visa acquisition, please visit the Faculty Immigration Resources page: https://www.humboldt.edu/academic-personnel-services/faculty-immigration-resources

Evidence of degree(s) is required at time of hire.

APPLICATION:

Qualified candidates should submit the following materials through PageUp:   

• Letter of Application (maximum of 2 pages);
• Curriculum Vitae;
• Statement of Teaching Philosophy, including how it relates to supporting students who have been historically marginalized and/or minoritized;
• Statement of Planned Biochemistry-Related Research Program with Undergraduates (maximum of 5 pages, not counting references);
• Teaching Evaluations, if available;
• Graduate Transcripts (unofficial copies are sufficient for initial review); and
• Names and Contact Information for Three (3) Professional References.

Additional application materials may be requested at a later time.

Questions concerning the application process may be directed to: aps@humboldt.edu

Questions concerning this position may be directed to: Jorge Monteiro, Search Committee Chair, jorge.monteiro@humboldt.edu

Please refer to the requisition job number on all correspondence and inquiries regarding this position.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT:

As an institution, Cal Poly Humboldt is committed to eliminating the equity gap in all student populations with dynamic, student-centered practices and policies that fully engage the campus community. The ideal candidate will share Cal Poly Humboldt’s commitment to helping its racially and socioeconomically diverse students succeed in their degree and career objectives.

We value the ability to serve students from a broad range of cultural heritages, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, ability, and orientations. Therefore, we prioritize applicants who demonstrate they understand the benefits diversity brings to a professional educational community. The successful candidate will be an equity-minded individual committed to collaborating with faculty, classified staff, administration, and students who are also committed to closing equity gaps.

Cal Poly Humboldt sits on the traditional homelands of the Wiyot people in what is currently called Arcata, CA. The Wiyot people call the area Goudi’ni (over in the woods). The Cal Poly Humboldt campus in Northern California is in close proximity to several thriving Native American tribes and communities. Cal Poly Humboldt currently has the largest percentage of Native American students in the CSU system and has over 30 Native American faculty and staff many from local area California Indian tribes. Cal Poly Humboldt is home to a number of leading Native American programs including the Indian Tribal Education and Personnel Program (ITEPP) and the Indian Natural Resource, Science and Engineering Program (INRSEP). There are also many opportunities at Cal Poly Humboldt to conduct research, teaching and community work on Native American history and cultures in Special Collections at the Cal Poly Humboldt library. The Humboldt Room in the Library has fantastic resources for tribally focused archive materials from the region. Cal Poly Humboldt strives to build a supportive and inclusive Native community and engages with Native communities through various initiatives and opportunities like the annual California Indian Big Time and Indigenous People’s Week and a chance to network with other faculty and staff as part of the Cal Poly Humboldt Council of American Indian Faculty and Staff. For more information, please visit: www.humboldt.edu/nasp

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

This position is open until filled. First consideration will be given to completed applications received no later than November 2, 2026, applications received after screening has begun will be considered at the discretion of the university. Early response is encouraged.

See more photos at Cal Poly Humboldt’s Flickr page. 

It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide complete and accurate employment information. Evidence of required degree(s), certification(s), or license(s) will be required prior to the appointment date. A background check (including a criminal records check, employment verification, and education verification) must be completed satisfactorily as a condition of employment with the CSU. Certain positions may also require a credit check, motor vehicle report, and/or fingerprinting through Live Scan service. Adverse findings from a background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.

 All CSU employees are obligated to respond to and report incidents of sexual harassment and sexual violence. Compliance with the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA) and CSU Executive Order 1083 Revised July 21, 2017 (EO 1083) is a condition of employment.  CSU employees in positions with duties that involve regular contact with children or positions which supervise such employees are designated as Mandated Reporters under CANRA and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in EO 1083.  Upon appointment to this position, the successful candidate(s) will be notified of and required to acknowledge their CANRA reporting status.

New employees hired by the CSU for the first time who first become CalPERS members on or after July 1, 2017 are subject to a 10 year vesting period for retiree health and dental benefits.

Cal Poly Humboldt is a Title IX/Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected status. If accommodations need to be made during the recruitment and interview process, please contact Human Resources at (707) 826-3626 or hr@humboldt.edu

Education Code 89521 Requirements: 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

At Cal Poly Humboldt, bold hearts and open minds shape the future.

Cal Poly Humboldt is part of the 23-campus California State University system. The University has a comprehensive arts and sciences curriculum, which is recognized nationally for its high academic quality. Founded in 1913, Cal Poly Humboldt began as a small college for teachers. Today Humboldt has grown into a comprehensive university with rigorous science and liberal arts programs. Designated a polytechnic in 2022, Cal Poly Humboldt provides hands-on, impactful educational opportunities that lead to meaningful, measurable outcomes for the individual, for the state, and the world. Cal Poly Humboldt is proud to have nearly 6,000 students of all backgrounds spread across 61 majors, 13 graduate programs, and 4 credential programs — all of whom contribute passion and creativity within their fields and set the stage for a future grounded in equity and sustainability. Hands-on learning, inspired teaching, groundbreaking research, and thought-provoking creative activity happen daily at Humboldt. Finding a better future is a task for the bold, open, down-to-earth, and visionary. Cal Poly Humboldt strives to cultivate these qualities in leaders, innovators, and scholars in every field.

Cal Poly Humboldt’s main campus is located in Arcata, California, in the northwestern part of the state along the coast, situated among redwood trees in an area that offers unmatched scenic beauty, moderate climate and opportunities for outdoor activities. The surrounding Humboldt County locale has a population of around 130,000. The community offers an excellent range of businesses, services and cultural activities/performances. The local schools are ranked in the top performance percentiles, both nationally and in the state. Additional information about Cal Poly Humboldt can be found at: http://www.humboldt.edu