Position Rank and Title: Assistant Professor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

School/Department Name: Department of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Science

Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications, experience, and rank as established by the CSU Salary Schedule. Anticipated hiring academic year annual salary range: $86,000 -$90,000.    

Faculty employee benefits are very competitive for the higher education sector.  See the CSU Employee Benefits Summary for details about the CSU’s excellent benefits package.

Target Start Date: August 2025

Application Deadline: November 1, 2024 (Applications accepted until filled or closed)

Position Description

The Department of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program at San José State University is pleased to announce a search for an Assistant Professor of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies beginning in August 2025. We seek someone with an area of specialization in Trans Studies with an emphasis on intersectional analyses. Possible secondary areas of specialization within this focus include queer of color critique, Trans futures, carceral studies, ongoing institutions and practices of Trans activism, disability studies, or fat studies. Potential courses taught include Introduction to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Introduction to Transgender Studies, and Queering Gender, Race, and Class.

Housed in the Department of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program at San José State is one of the oldest such programs in the country. Committed to intersectional and interdisciplinary scholarship and teaching based on feminist frameworks, WGSS curricula investigates how gender and gender identity, race, class, sexuality, and nation shape lives. The program emphasizes the importance of an intersectional understanding of gender as integral to social and political structures of power. The goal of the WGSS program includes integrating the academic and experiential, thereby contributing to social change and justice. Learn more about the department and programs: https://www.sjsu.edu/siss/index.php.

The Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences department is part of the College of Social Sciences, which is committed to equitable and inclusive teaching and learning. The College sees faculty and student success as inextricably linked, and strives to provide culturally-sustaining, and academically-affirming approaches to supporting and engaging students and faculty. We provide opportunities for faculty development around asset-based, holistic student success, and support scholarship of engagement that addresses issues that affect our campus and community. In all of our endeavors, we strive to build leadership capacity and foster a culture of support and belonging for faculty, staff, and students.

The Department of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program, and San José State University value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can only be fully realized by faculty, students, and staff who share our commitment to these values. SJSU enrolls more than 36,000 students, many of whom are historically underserved, and around 45% are first-generation and 38% are Pell-recipients. SJSU is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) Serving Institution. The university’s commitment to social justice extends from its vibrant, inclusive campus to an international network of over 275,000 alumni. As such, San José State is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty so our disciplines, students, and the community can benefit from multiple ethnic and gender perspectives.

Successful candidates will demonstrate evidence of a commitment to equity and inclusion through their research, teaching, and/or service. We ask that all applicants include a Diversity Statement with their application package. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Diversity Statement Guidelines, along with information about how these statements will be evaluated.

Required Qualifications

• A Ph.D. in Women’s, Gender, and/or Sexuality Studies or related field with a research focus on Trans Studies
• Ph.D. completion by the appointment start date
• Evidence of scholarly output
• Applicants should demonstrate an awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching, and other comparable experience.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience teaching Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the undergraduate level
• Knowledge of curriculum development in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
• Experience with program development
• Strong record of teaching excellence, teaching experience, and a record of service
• Willingness to examine and participate in professional development around one’s instructional, relational, and pedagogical practices to more effectively engage and support historically underserved students.
• Demonstrated understanding of how historical patterns of exclusion within higher education influence student participation and outcomes.
• A demonstrated commitment to working collaboratively, including across disciplines.
  
  

Key Responsibilities

• Teaching and developing undergraduate courses in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and other courses in the department commensurate with experience.
• Participating in General Education and program assessment.
• Mentoring and advising students.
• Maintaining an active research agenda.
• Participating in shared governance, usually in department, college, and university committees and other service assignments.
• Demonstrating awareness of and experience in understanding the needs of a student population of great diversity – in age, abilities, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, economic background, primary language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and academic preparation – through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies, and advising.
  
  

Other Duties

Note that all San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, some faculty duties may lead to designation as a Campus Security Authority (CSA). CSAs are required to complete Clery Act training and to immediately report Clery incidents to the institution.

Faculty employees must complete CSU employee training as assigned and required based on their role (e.g., Data Security, FERPA, Preventing Discrimination and Harassment, Title IX, Health and Safety). The President may recommend or require compliance with safety measures that decrease the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission or illness and allows the core mission and activities of the campus to continue.

Application Procedure

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

• letter of interest
• curriculum vitae
• diversity statement
• statement of teaching interests/philosophy
• research plans
• three reference letters

Inquiries may be directed to the Search Committee Chair: Dr. Tanya Bakhru, Program Coordinator and Professor of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies tanya.bakhru@sjsu.edu

Conditional Offer

The work for this faculty position may only be performed in the State of California and requires establishing an on-campus presence. Employment is contingent upon US residence and proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. SJSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current employee who was conditionally offered the position.

San José State University: Silicon Valley's Public University

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley — one of the most innovative regions in the world — San José State University is the founding campus of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system and the first public university in the West. Recognized as a leading transformative educational institution, San José State is an essential partner in the technological, economic, cultural, and social development of Silicon Valley, the Bay Area, and California. SJSU is a top-200 school nationally in research funding and second highest in research productivity in the CSU system. Cutting-edge research, world-class scholarship, student-centered learning, diverse communities, and commitment to social justice, allow SJSU to provide life-changing opportunities and advance the public good locally and globally.

Equal Employment Statement

San José State University prohibits discrimination on the basis of Age, Ancestry, Caste, Color, Disability, Ethnicity, Gender, Gender Expression, Gender Identity, Genetic Information, Marital Status, Medical Condition, Military Status, Nationality, Race, Religion, Religious Creed, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Sex Stereotype, and Veteran Status. This policy applies to all San José State University students, faculty, and staff as well as University programs and activities. Reasonable accommodations are made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose.

Campus Security and Fire Safety Notification

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Annual Security Report (ASR) is also now available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Security-Report.pdf. The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and Sexual Assault prevention information, and information about drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains statistics of Clery crimes for San José State University locations for the three most recent calendar years. A paper copy of the ASR is available upon request by contacting the Office of the Clery Director by phone at 408-924-1501 or by email at clerycompliance@sjsu.edu.

Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Annual Fire Safety Report (AFSR) is available at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Fire-Safety-Report.pdf. The purpose of this report is to disclose statistics for fires that occurred within SJSU on-campus housing facilities for the three most recent calendar years, and to distribute fire safety policies and procedures intended to promote safety on Campus. A paper copy of the AFSR is available upon request by contacting the Housing Office by phone at 408-795-5600 or by email at uhs-frontdesk@sjsu.edu.