Department of Social Work
College of Health and Human Development
Assistant Professor (Tenure-Track)
Fall 2026

The Department of Social Work at California State University, Fullerton, invites applications for a tenure‐track assistant professor position with appointment to begin in Fall 2026. Centrally located in Southern California, CSUF is a major regional university serving Orange County, metropolitan Los Angeles, and the expanding Inland Empire. CSUF serves as an intellectual and cultural center for Southern California and a driver of workforce and economic development.

California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) is an equal opportunity employer and a minority-serving institution with a Hispanic-Serving Institution designation. CSUF is firmly committed to increasing the diversity of the campus community and the curriculum and fostering an inclusive environment within which students, staff, administrators, and faculty thrive. Candidates who can contribute to this goal through their teaching, research, advising, and other activities are encouraged to identify their strengths and experiences. Individuals advancing the University’s strategic diversity goals and those from groups whose underrepresentation in the American professoriate are particularly encouraged to apply. CSUF is committed to retaining all faculty and has established affinity groups you can join to support your success.

CSUF is committed to retaining all faculty and has established affinity groups you can join to support your success. The Department of Social work is committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in social work education, policy, and practice based on equal opportunity and respect. The Department of Social Work understands that the pursuit of social justice is informed by the past and also requires a focus on “the here and now” and “the not yet,” addressing contemporary injustices while proactively anticipating and addressing future challenges and needs. As such, the department promotes advocacy to empower those in greatest need and uses a person-in-environment approach, which acknowledges the nature of discrimination, oppression, and unjust policies and practices at the individual and systemic levels.

Position
Our advanced generalist curriculum features policy and practice courses across three areas of foci: Child Welfare, Community Mental Health, and Aging. We are recruiting one tenure-track faculty member with expertise in Social Welfare and/or Public Policy or Social Welfare Policy Practice who can support one or more elements of our program. While teaching social welfare policy courses is the primary goal of this announcement, applicants with experience teaching social science research are also encouraged to apply.

We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate through their teaching, research and/or service that they can contribute to the diversity and excellence of our community. CSUF faculty are committed teacher/scholars who bring research and creative discovery to life for students in classrooms, labs, studios, and individually mentored projects. They teach broadly in the curricula of their departments, advise students, and serve on departmental and university-wide committees. This person will also be responsible for producing research and seeking external funding commensurate with the requirements for tenure. The successful candidate will also be expected to contribute to and participate in the life and development of the department, advise students, serve on committees, and participate in the broader university and disciplinary communities.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in social welfare/social work or related field. ABD’s may apply but must show evidence that the degree will be completed by the time of appointment;
• Evidence of the ability to conduct independent research;
• Commitment and willingness to seeking external funding; and
• The ability to work effectively and collegially with a culturally diverse group of students, staff, faculty, and community.

Preferred Qualifications

• Research and/or teaching experience in Social Welfare and/or Public Policy or Policy Practice
• Master of Social Work Degree from a CSWE accredited institution.
• Two years post-MSW social work practice experience;
• Previous university-level teaching experience;
• Record of publication commensurate with career status

Application
A complete on‐line application must be received by electronic submission to be considered. To apply, please visit http://hr.fullerton.edu/careers/Faculty.php, choose full-time faculty, search for position 550950, and provide the following required materials:

1. A letter of interest relating your experience to the qualifications
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Teaching statement
4. Research statement
5. Candidate statement on commitment to inclusive excellence (no more than 500 words):
   • Inclusive excellence is a strategic framework that recognizes the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in achieving organizational success and high-quality learning and teaching. It's a way of thinking and acting that integrates these values into all aspects of an institution, from curriculum and pedagogy to recruitment and hiring. Essentially, it means that excellence is not just about achieving high standards, but also about ensuring that all members of the community have the opportunity to thrive and contribute (Williams et al., 2005).
   • With the Inclusive Excellence Statement, we aim to learn about the applicant’s perspective on their past and present contributions to and future aspirations for promoting and engaging with a diverse student population. This statement should showcase the candidate's professional experience, intellectual commitments, and/or willingness to teach and create an academic environment supportive of all students, including but not limited to those of diverse ages, abilities, cultures, ethnicities, gender identities, languages, religions, and sexual orientations.
   • Cal State Fullerton serves a student body that reflects the rich cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic mosaic of Southern California.  Please provide concrete examples of how you, as a faculty member, will support our students in one or more of the following areas, which fall under the areas of awareness and understanding, experience and commitment, and future plans. 
     1. Your contributions (past, present, or future) to embedding perspectives that are reflective of the student population into your teaching and/or scholarship.
     2. Your experience in service activities that are reflective of a diverse student population.
     3. Your experience and commitment to mentoring and providing opportunities to a diverse student body inside and outside the classroom environment.  
     4. Your experience integrating creative activities that are inclusive of the identities of our student body and communities.

6. A list of three references with relevant contact information
   • Reference phone calls will occur for finalists. On the References page of the online application, enter information and email addresses for three referents who can discuss the applicant’s qualifications.

Please direct all questions about the position to Dr. Gordon Capp, Faculty Search Committee Chair at gcapp@fullerton.edu or call (657) 278-2403.

Application Deadline
Application review begins immediately. To be assured full consideration, all application materials must be received by October 1, 2025.  Position is open until filled.

The College and Department
The College of Health & Human Development (HHD) is one of the eight Colleges on the campus of Cal State Fullerton. The mission of the College of HHD is to provide exemplary education, research, and community outreach related to human health, development, and lifelong well-being. Emphasis is placed on both theory and evidence-based practice, with special attention to the development of critical thinking, leadership, and professional skills needed in a global society.

The mission of the Social Work Program at California State University, Fullerton is to educate emerging and committed professionals for social work practice with vulnerable, marginalized, and underrepresented populations. We are committed to developing competent, ethical, and effective social workers who will promote integrity in the profession and provide leadership in advancing social work knowledge, promoting scientific inquiry and evidence-based practice, addressing social problems, and advocating for social justice. We engage communities and organizations in an effort to educate developing professional social workers while offering the wider community relevant expertise and assistance. We believe in the inclusion of individuals and groups from socially, culturally, and economically diverse environments, with special sensitivity to the multicultural communities of Orange County and the Southern California region. We also educate students toward a greater understanding of social work, human rights, and social justice from a global perspective.  

The Department of Social Work offers a master’s degree in social work (MSW), with areas of focus in child welfare, community mental health, and aging. The Department facilitates two MSW programs: a two-year model and a three-year model. For a description of the programs and courses, see http://hhd.fullerton.edu/MSW/.

Compensation
The Assistant Professor (Academic Year) classification salary range is $6,221 to $13,224 monthly (12 monthly payments per academic year). The anticipated hiring range is $6,908 to $7,047 per month. 

Salary offered is commensurate with experience and qualifications. In addition, the California Equal Pay Act prohibits employers from paying its employees less than those of the opposite sex and/or another race or ethnicity for substantially similar work (https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/california_equal_pay_act.htm). 

Summer research grants, moving expenses, start‐up funds, and a reduced teaching load may be available.

CSUF Benefits
An excellent comprehensive benefits package includes health/vision/dental plans; spouse, domestic partner, and dependent fee‐waiver; access to campus child‐care; and a defined‐benefit retirement through the state system and optional tax sheltering opportunities. For a detailed description of benefits, please visit https://hr.fullerton.edu/total-wellness/.

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.

Additional Information
The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083, revised July 21, 2017, as a condition of employment.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be formally offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect application status of applicants or continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who self‐disclose.

Notice of Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender or Sex and Contact Information for Title IX Coordinator (http://www.fullerton.edu/titleix/about/notice.php).

In accordance with the California State University (CSU) Out-of-State Employment Policy, the CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California. It requires hiring employees to perform CSU-related work within the State of California. 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/Staff Visas and Permanent Residency page: https://hr.fullerton.edu/risk-management/faculty-staff-visas-permanent-residency/default.php