Job Details

Assistant Professor in Applied Psychology, Tenure-Track

Position Number: 7279703
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Position Type: Liberal Arts - Psychology

Assistant Professor in Applied Psychology, Tenure-Track

Position Type:
Assistant Professor in Applied Psychology, Tenure-Track

Position Type:
Fixed Term (Fixed Term)

Salary Range:

$88,526-$98,272

Purpose:

The Department of Psychology at Santa Clara University, a Jesuit, Catholic university, seeks applicants for a full-time tenure-track position in Applied Psychology (Open Area). Specifically, we seek a teacher-scholar whose research engages with psychological processes, outcomes, or interventions relevant to the lives and experiences of underserved or marginalized populations, including but not limited to Latine, Black or African American, or Indigenous or Native communities; LGBTQIA+ populations; disabled or neurodivergent individuals; unhoused populations; immigrants or refugees; and others affected by structural inequities. We welcome applicants who employ a wide range of theoretical perspectives, methodologies, and epistemological approaches, including qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, participatory, and community-based approaches.

SCU is a welcoming and inclusive community of teaching scholars, grounded in the University's fundamental values. These values-including academic excellence, social justice, and community engagement-are infused with a culture of care that emphasizes the dignity of all. The University draws on the many resources of the greater Bay Area, including Silicon Valley, where we are located. SCU is home to faculty and students of many religious and spiritual traditions and secular worldviews, and the University's Jesuit identity emphasizes intellectual freedom, pluralism, ethics, and social responsibility.

The successful candidate will join a collaborative department that values mentorship, collegiality, and shared responsibility for student success. The Psychology Department includes 14 continuing full-time faculty. Faculty expertise spans a wide range of subfields, including educational, social, cultural, personality and affective science, clinical, developmental, behavioral analysis, cognitive neuroscience, health, cognitive, and neuropsychology. With the largest major in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), we serve over 550 undergraduate majors and offer more than 50 different courses.

A defining strength of the department is its strong culture of undergraduate research mentorship. Faculty actively engage students in faculty-led research across all stages of the research process, frequently resulting in presentations and peer-reviewed publications. This model is designed to broaden access to research experiences for students from diverse backgrounds.

The successful candidate will start on September 1, 2027 and be expected to teach, engage in scholarship, and offer service for the department, college, University, and profession. SCU is on the quarter system and tenure-stream faculty typically teach six courses per year (two each quarter), assuming they are actively engaged in scholarship.

The College of Arts and Sciences is currently conducting a cluster hire in the area of Inequality & Social Justice. If the person hired for this position has research and teaching interests that are aligned with this program, they may be included in the Fall 2027 cohort. Participants in the cluster hiring program join a cohort of faculty whose work centers inequality and social justice and receive mentoring, frequent peer-support sessions, and access to an interdisciplinary intellectual community that supports their scholarly and creative work.

The position comes with generous benefits (scu.edu/hr/benefits), including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, and University contributions toward retirement. Recognizing the high cost of housing in the local area, there are two University housing assistance programs: Rental assistance to ease the transition into the local housing market, and housing purchase assistance for tenure-stream faculty.

Required Qualifications

1) Ph.D. in Psychology or a related field by appointment start date of September 1, 2027.

2) Experience with high-quality, evidence-based teaching and mentoring practices for undergraduate students.

3) Demonstrated potential for effective and inclusive teaching and mentoring of a diverse undergraduate student population.

4) Demonstrated engagement with community-based research and/or research meaningfully involving undergraduate students in multiple stages of the research process.

Responsibilities.

Tenure-track faculty at SCU are teaching scholars who are expected to balance teaching, research/creative work, and service. This is an in-person position. More specifically, duties include but are not limited to the following:

Teaching
The successful candidate will teach lower- and upper-division courses in the psychology major and the University Core Curriculum, including General Psychology, Statistics and Methods, and upper-division courses in the candidate's area of expertise. Course assignments are made in consultation with the department chair and are designed to balance departmental needs with faculty strengths and professional development. Santa Clara University operates on the quarter system, with a typical teaching load of two courses per quarter, assuming active engagement in research.

Class sizes typically range from approximately 15 to 45 students, depending on the course. While courses do not have graduate teaching assistants, instructors may work with peer educators-high-performing former students who have previously completed the course-who can assist with in-class activities and support student learning.

High-quality teaching is a central priority at Santa Clara University, and faculty are expected to engage meaningfully with students both inside and outside the classroom. Teaching effectiveness is evaluated using the department's Teaching Effectiveness Standards and Evaluation (TESE) framework, which emphasizes instruction that is respectful, challenging, inclusive, engaging, and evidence based.

Grounded in Jesuit educational values, teaching at SCU is informed by Ignatian pedagogy and the principle of cura personalis-educating the whole person. Faculty are supported in this work through robust teaching development opportunities (through Faculty Development), including regular pedagogical workshops, teaching and technology grants, communities of practice, teaching mentors, and a scholarship of teaching and learning faculty group. Teaching Expectations and Academic Policies at SCU can be found here.

Research
The successful candidate will develop an active program of scholarship at Santa Clara University that aligns with the Psychology Department's clearly articulated standards for tenure and promotion. These standards, which are shared transparently with candidates invited to campus, emphasize quality, trajectory, and (inter)disciplinary context rather than rigid numerical benchmarks.

Because psychology spans a wide range of subfields and methodologies, scholarship is evaluated within sub-discipline norms, recognizing differences in research approaches, timelines, and indicators of impact. Peer-reviewed work is central, and the department values diverse forms of scholarship, including empirical, theoretical, applied, methodological, and community-engaged research.

Faculty are expected to engage undergraduates meaningfully in multiple stages of the research process, and scholarly products that include student collaborators (e.g., publications, conference presentations, grants) are viewed as a positive indicator of the teaching-scholar model.

In evaluating scholarship, the department takes a holistic and contextualized approach, valuing collaboration, transparency of contribution, and work that advances social justice and community engagement. The department also supports the use of open science practices that promote transparency, rigor, and ethical scholarship where appropriate.

SCU offers significant, structured support to early-career faculty as they develop their programs of research. New faculty are assigned mentors, welcomed into a cohort learning community, and supported through faculty retreats, workshops, and ongoing professional development opportunities. Pre-tenure faculty receive intentional mentoring that includes regular check-ins, clear and transparent milestones toward tenure, and access to both departmental and cross-campus mentors.

Service

Provide effective service to the Department of Psychology, the College of Arts and Sciences, the University, and the profession through contributions beyond teaching and scholarship. Service activities may include committee work, participation and leadership in professional organizations, and community-engaged activities related to one's professional expertise or role at the University and profession. Service expectations are commensurate with rank and experience and are allocated using transparent and equitable processes. The department is attentive to the disproportionate service burdens often placed on faculty from historically marginalized groups and is committed to sustainable service expectations that support faculty success.

Santa Clara University acknowledges that it is located on the unceded, traditional lands of the Ohlone and Muwekma Ohlone peoples and honors their enduring presence and sovereignty. This acknowledgment reflects the University's commitment to justice, equity, and inclusive community engagement.

SCU is committed to the recruitment, retention, and success of faculty whose identities, perspectives, and lived experiences enrich the intellectual life of the University. Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity employer. For a complete copy of Santa Clara University's nondiscrimination policies, see the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX website (https://www.scu.edu/title-ix/equal-opportunity/eo-policy/ and https://www.scu.edu/title-ix/tix/title-ix-policy/).

Application Procedure:

The following application materials must be submitted online in the Workday job portal for an applicant to be considered:

1. A single PDF file of a cover letter or personal statement that includes:

a. A projected research agenda

b. A statement of teaching philosophy

c. The applicant's experience and skills in working with people of diverse cultures and identities and

d. How the candidate, through their research and/or teaching, would contribute to the mission of SCU.

2. A current curriculum vitae;

3. At least one example of representative scholarship;

4. A brief teaching portfolio (e.g., sample syllabi, 1-2 sample assignments, and teaching evaluations (if available) from any courses taught);

5. Unofficial graduate school transcript(s); and

6. The names and emails of three references that may be contacted by the search committee chair should the candidate advance to later stages of the application process.

Submission deadline is October 1, 2026

Telecommute

Santa Clara University is registered to do business in the following states: California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Illinois. Employees approved to telecommute are required to perform their work within one of these states.

EEO Statement

Equal Opportunity/Notice of Nondiscrimination

Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, parental status, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy or related conditions, reproductive health decisionmaking, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. For a complete copy of Santa Clara University's equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies, please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX website at https://www.scu.edu/title-ix/.

Clery Notice of Availability

Santa Clara University annually collects information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. To view the Santa Clara University report, please visit the Campus Safety Services website. To request a paper copy please call Campus Safety at (408) 554-4441. The report includes the type of crime, venue, and number of occurrences.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Consistent with its obligations under the law, Santa Clara University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants who wish to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact the Department of Human Resources ADA Team at hraccommodations@scu.edu or by phone at (408)554-5750. Please note: This contact information is intended for accommodation requests only. Resumes or inquiries about application status sent to this inbox will not be reviewed or forwarded. For resumes or questions regarding application status, please contact hrservicedesk@scu.edu.

Work Authorization:

A foreign national who is appointed to a tenured or tenure-track faculty position is eligible for visa sponsorship assessment by Santa Clara University together with its legal counsel.

To view the full job posting and apply for this position, go to https://wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recruiting/scu/scu/job/Santa-Clara-CA/Assistant-Professor-in-Applied-Psychology--Tenure-Track_R7664