Tenure-Track Faculty Position Announcement
Department: Biology
Faculty Hire Number: #26-26
Rank: Assistant Professor
Effective Date of Appointment: August 20, 2026 (Subject to Budgetary Approval)
Anticipated Hiring Range: $83,349 to $92,610 (Dependent upon qualifications)
CSUN’s Commitment to You:
CSUN is committed to achieving excellence through teaching, scholarship, learning, and inclusion. Our values include a respect for all people, building partnerships with the community, and the encouragement of innovation, experimentation, and creativity. CSUN strives to cultivate a community in which a diverse population can learn and work in an atmosphere of civility and respect. CSUN is especially interested in candidates who make contributions to equity and inclusion in the pursuit of excellence for all members of the university community.
As a Hispanic-serving Institution (HSI), inclusiveness and diversity are integral to CSUN’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and engagement. As of Fall 2025, CSUN enrolls 36,960 students, where 57.5% are Latinx, 18.4% are White, 8.5% are Asian-American, 5.5% are Black/African American, 0.1% are Native American, and 0.1% are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.
For more information about the University, visit: http://www.csun.edu
About the College:
For more information about the College of Science and Mathematics, see: https://www.csun.edu/science-mathematics/college
About the Department:
For more information about the Department of Biology, see: https://www.csun.edu/science-mathematics/biology
Position:
The Department of Biology at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) is seeking a tenure-track faculty member in Biology/Science Education at the rank of Assistant Professor.
Ph.D. in any area of Biological Education, Science Education, or Biology, and a track record of publication in biological education or science education are required. Post-doctorate experience and/or evidence of working with TK/12 teachers/students is required. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to effectively work with students from diverse backgrounds.
Primary teaching responsibilities will include general biology, science content courses for pre-service teachers, as well as undergraduate and graduate courses in their specialty, as in-person courses. Scholarly activities will include developing an innovative program (including independent and collaborative projects) in biological or science education involving undergraduate and graduate students at CSUN. The successful candidate must actively pursue extramural funding to support his/her/their educational research as well as participate in department, university, and community service.
In addition to teaching, the position requires weekly office hours, attending faculty meetings, participation in assessment of student learning, and service to the department, college, and university. Given CSUN’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and engagement in a diverse environment, the successful candidate will help the Department achieve equitable academic outcomes for all students through teaching, student mentorship, scholarship, and service.
Required Qualifications:
- Ph.D. in Biological Education, Science Education, Biology, or a closely related field from an accredited institution
- College or University-level or TK-12 teaching experience, in-person instruction
- Research experience in biological education or science education
- Experience mentoring undergraduate and/or graduate students
- Experience in writing and submitting grant applications
- At least one first-authored publication in peer-reviewed Biological Education or Science Education journals.
- Ability to teach pre-service teacher science content courses and/or introductory biology courses
- At least one year of experience as a postdoctoral researcher, or a faculty member here or at another institution, or a life science industry researcher, or a TK-12 classroom educator.
- Effective communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience working with in-service K-12 educators.
- Demonstrated experience teaching either a pre-service teacher science content course or introductory biology courses.
- Evidence of developing, or potential to develop, an independent, externally funded research program that is feasible for success at CSUN and engages both undergraduate and graduate (MS) student researchers
- Evidence of effective engagement, or potential to engage, with a diverse student body
- Experience using, or demonstrated potential to use, culturally responsive pedagogy that leads to equitable outcomes for all students
- Experience creating, or the potential to create, a student-centered learning environment, including active learning
- Research/Lab experience that includes working with students from diverse backgrounds
- Experience adopting inclusive approaches to mentoring
- Evidence of effective collaboration with colleagues in teaching, research, and/or service activities
Application Deadline:
Preferred application deadline is March 13, 2026, and applications received after this date may be considered on an as-needed basis. However, the position will remain open until filled.
How to Apply:
Candidates should apply by completing the CSUN online application. To apply and for more detailed information on the application and hiring process, please visit this link: www.csun.edu/careers
Applicants must submit to the website in the section above (1) a cover letter (maximum two pages), (2) curriculum vitae that lists all peer-reviewed primary research publications (maximum 5 pages), (3) statement of research interests (maximum two pages), (4) statement of teaching philosophy and experience (maximum 2 pages), (5) names and contact information for three references who can address the candidate’s teaching, research, and service qualifications. Although we do not request a separate diversity statement, candidates should highlight their experience and philosophy for working in a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment in their research and teaching statements. In later stages of the search process, applicants may be requested to provide additional materials, including letters of recommendation, professional work samples, and/or work produced through student mentoring.
At the time of appointment, the successful candidate, if not a U.S. citizen, must have authorization from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to work in the United States. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States.
Please note: California State University, Northridge (CSUN) is currently not sponsoring applicants for H-1B employment that are subject to the $100,000 fee established by the “Presidential Proclamation: Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” issued on September 19, 2025. Applicants are responsible for determining the applicability of the fee.
General Information:
In compliance with the Annual Security Report & Fire Safety Report of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, California State University, Northridge has made crime-reporting statistics available online here. Print copies are available by request from the Department of Police Services, the Office for Faculty Affairs, and the Office of Equity and Diversity.
The person holding this position may be 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 as a condition of employment.
A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or the continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.
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 and prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside of California.
CSUN is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination based on race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, and disability. Our nondiscrimination policy is set forth in the Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose by contacting Dr. Virginia Vandergon at 818-677-6362 or virginia.vandergon@csun.edu.
