Department of Political Science
Division of Politics, Administration & Justice
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Assistant Professor
Fall 2025

The Department of Political Science in the Division of Politics, Administration & Justice at California State University, Fullerton, invites applications for a tenure‐track Assistant Professor position in Political Science with an appointment to begin Fall 2025.

California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) is a minority-serving institution, affirmative action, and equal opportunity employer. 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 has been severe and longstanding are particularly encouraged to apply.

CSUF is committed to retaining all faculty and has established affinity groups you can join to support your success.  

Position
The Political Science Department seeks a candidate whose primary field of teaching and research is political behavior. Preference will be given to candidates whose scholarly and teaching interests focus on the role of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or other historically marginalized groups and/or minoritized populations; electoral behavior; political polarization; or democratic backsliding within the United States, in isolation or comparatively.

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.

The primary responsibilities of the position will include teaching core courses in political behavior at both the undergraduate and graduate level, and the development of various courses in the faculty’s area(s) of specialization. Faculty generally teach three classes per semester; a reduced teaching load is provided for the first two years. This faculty member will also be responsible for producing scholarship commensurate with the requirements for tenure and will be expected to contribute to and participate in the life and development of the Department and Division, advise students, serve on committees, and participate in the broader university and disciplinary communities.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in political science at the time of appointment with an emphasis in political behavior or a related field.
• Ability to teach political behavior in the United States, either in isolation or comparatively.
• Demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching a diverse student population.
• A strong record of scholarly accomplishments appropriate to the level of appointment.
• Experience and commitment to being collaborative and a good colleague.
• Ability to balance excellent teaching, scholarship, and service.
• Demonstrated commitment to working effectively with students from intersecting marginalized social groups.

Preferred Qualifications

• Research and expertise in the role of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or other historically marginalized and/or minoritized populations
• Expertise in electoral behavior; or
• Expertise in political polarization; or
• Expertise in democratic backsliding.
• Experience teaching a diverse student population.

Application
A complete online 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 the position 542013, and provide the following required materials:

• cover letter in which you respond to the required qualifications
• curriculum vitae
• research statement describing area of research and current/future research agenda. Please limit to two pages.
• teaching statement describing teaching approach and philosophy. Please limit to one page.
• candidate statement on commitment to inclusive excellence
  • This statement provides the candidate’s unique perspective on their past and present contributions to and future aspirations for promoting diversity, inclusion, and social justice in higher education and/or their professional careers and their future aspirations in doing so. The statement shall address the following criteria:
    1. The candidate can demonstrate knowledge of barriers for underrepresented students and faculty in higher education.
    2. The candidate has experience in and is committed to engaging in service with underrepresented populations in higher education.
    3. The candidate has experience in and is committed to teaching and/or mentoring underrepresented students in a higher education environment.
    4. The candidate has experience integrating underrepresented populations and communities into scholarly and creative activities.

• a list of three references with relevant contact information
  • Semi-finalists must submit three letters of recommendation. Please have these ready for the referents to submit. On the References page of the online application, enter information and email addresses for three referents who will provide a confidential letter of reference for your application. At the appropriate time in the search process, they will receive a request via email along with information on uploading the letter. You can verify that CSUF has received each letter by logging back into your applicant portal.

Please direct all questions about the position to: Shelly Arsneault at sarsneault@fullerton.edu or call 657‐278‐2456.

Application Deadline
To be assured full consideration, all application materials must be received by September 30, 2024. The anticipated appointment date is August 2025.

The College and Department
The Department of Political Science provides students with an education that is grounded in theory and evidence-based research.  We prepare our students for law school or graduate school, government employment on the local, state and national levels, foreign service, teaching, business, journalism, or leadership in civic and political activities.  The Department of Political Science is situated within the Division of Politics, Administration & Justice, a multi-disciplinary Division that provides faculty excellent opportunities for collaboration with colleagues from Public Administration and Criminal Justice. The Division is housed within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (H&SS) with programs and departments that offer students the breadth of a traditional liberal arts education in the humanities and social sciences while preparing them to be members of a global society participating in a wide range of professions or advanced academic or professional study.

H&SS is the largest college at CSUF, offering 23 undergraduate degrees, 38 minors, and 15 graduate degrees. Our mission is to educate students to be culturally, globally, socially, historically, and environmentally astute, civically responsible alumni able to navigate an increasingly complex and interconnected world. Three primary initiatives in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences - CoJET, Passage to the Future, and IBII - showcase our core pillars of civic engagement, social justice, and global awareness. Our faculty-based Collective for Justice, Equity & Transformation (CoJET), consists of H&SS faculty fellows whose expertise addresses equity, diversity, justice, community and organizational transformation. Faculty teaching our Passage to the Future courses help position our students for future success by helping them connect H&SS experiences and knowledge to career paths. The Institute of Black Intellectual Innovation (IBII) is a cross-campus and community-minded initiative to institutionalize the support and inclusion of Black people, culture, creative arts, and intellectual history at California State University, Fullerton and throughout Orange County.

Compensation
The Assistant Professor (Academic Year) classification salary range is $5,925 to $12,594 monthly (12 monthly payments per academic year). The anticipated hiring range is $6,990 to $7,130 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
We are growing! The Division of Politics, Administration, & Justice has hired a number of new tenure track faculty within the past 5 years, with more on the horizon. Join us and help shape the life and development of the Department and Division.

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/.

CSU Policies
The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and must 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 the application status of applicants or the 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 based on 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.