Geological Sciences, Assistant Professor

  • California State Polytechnic University Pomona
  • Pomona, California
  • Mar 07, 2024
Education and Training Public Health Sciences and Laboratory

Job Description

Tenure Track Faculty Position

Assistant Professor
Geological Sciences

College of Science

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona invites applications for a tenure track faculty position at an Assistant Professor rank in the Department of Geological Sciences. Cal Poly Pomona is one of three polytechnic universities in the 23-campus California State University system and among 12 such institutions nationwide. Since its founding in 1938, Cal Poly Pomona students participate in an integrative experiential learning education that is inclusive, relevant, and values diverse perspectives and experiences. With a variety of degree programs in the arts, humanities, sciences, engineering, and professional disciplines, the university is well known for its learn-by-doing approach and Teacher Scholar Model .

The university is noted for its scenic and historic 1,400-acre campus, which was once the winter ranch of cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg. We acknowledge that Cal Poly Pomona resides on the territorial and homelands of the Tongva and Tataavium people who are the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar. The university’s nearly 30,000 students are taught and mentored by the campus’s more than 1,400 faculty as part of 54 baccalaureate and 29 master’s degree programs, 11 credential and certificate programs, and a doctorate in educational leadership.

Highly regarded among its peer institutions, Cal Poly Pomona is No. 3 in the U.S. News and World Report rankings of top public regional universities in the west and was named the No. 28 best value college in the nation by Money Magazine. Cal Poly Pomona, a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, stands as a national leader in promoting social mobility , and was placed among the 25 top institutions in the country in awarding bachelor’s degrees to minoritized students by Diverse Issues in Higher Education .

The Cal Poly Pomona campus is located less than 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles at the intersection of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. It is within an hour’s drive of beaches, mountains and deserts. For additional information about the university, please visit www.cpp.edu , and for more about faculty life, please see YourLife@CPP.

Student Population. California residents comprise the majority (96%) of applicants to undergraduate programs at Cal Poly Pomona, and 41% of new students were transfers in Fall 2022. 57% of Cal Poly Pomona students are first generation, 70% receive financial aid, and 44% qualify as Pell-eligible. The university enrolls a diverse student body that identifies as 53% Latinx, 22% Asian, 14% White, 3% Black, 2% International, 4% two or more races, 3% unknown and less than 1% Native Hawaiian or Native Pacific Islander and less than 1% Native American Indigenous. Thirty-nine percent of the student body were STEM majors with the top enrolled programs including psychology, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, biology and computer science.

Inclusive Excellence and Student Success. We aspire to be the model inclusive polytechnic university in the nation. We have a strong commitment to inclusive excellence and to educational experiences that leverage the diverse perspectives and experiences needed to succeed and thrive in a diverse society.

*As a part of the application for faculty positions, all candidates must submit a Student Success Statement that demonstrates their commitment and record of contributions to diversity and equity through their teaching, scholarship, or service by speaking to at least two of the inclusive excellence criteria below.

Candidates should explain how they have engaged in the criteria below in their pedagogy, scholarship, and/or service, as well as the level to which these efforts have been consistently incorporated into their work.

Inclusive Excellence Criteria:
Incorporates the contributions and struggles of historic ethnic minority groups or other disadvantaged communities into their teaching, scholarly work, and/or service contributions; Adopts teaching strategies that support the learning and success of students from diverse student populations; Mentors and engages diverse student populations in discovery, scholarship, and creative activities; Engages students in problem-based projects and learning that address the needs of diverse communities; Possesses knowledge of challenges and barriers for underrepresented students and faculty within the discipline and uses it to inform their work in specific ways; Mentors and assists diverse student populations interested in pursuing graduate education; Engages in community-responsive action research or service with diverse student populations and communities; Has experience in or demonstrates a commitment to adopting experiential learning activities and pedagogy with diverse student populations and communities; and Has expertise in or demonstrated commitment to teaching, scholarship and/or service that contributes to access, diversity, and equal opportunity in higher education
College of Science: The College’s mission is to educate, mentor, and inspire students through scientific inquiry and hands-on learning. It offers 15 undergraduate degree programs and six Master’s degrees across seven academic departments that include: Biological Sciences, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Computer Science, Geological Sciences, Kinesiology & Health Promotion, Mathematics & Statistics, and Physics & Astronomy. Our Center for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (CEMaST) supports K-16 education locally and nationally to increase STEM success and participation for all. The College of Science has approximately 150 full-time faculty, 40 staff, and 4,500 active majors. Our commitment to the teacher-scholar model results in our college being the largest recipient of extramural grant funding on campus. We encourage a broad range of applicants who are committed to enhancing a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to an inclusive campus environment.

Department of Geological Sciences: The department offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology, subdivided into Emphasis Areas of Geology, Geophysics/Earth Exploration, and Environmental Resources, as well as a Master of Science degree in Geology. The Department faculty currently consists of five tenured professors and numerous adjunct faculty, several of whom have industry ties. The Geology faculty currently provides high quality instruction and career preparation to about 90 undergraduate majors and 33 M.S. candidates. Through hands-on learning methods, faculty-mentored research, and exposure to current technology, our students acquire skills applicable to careers in the Geosciences and related disciplines. The department’s programs provide a global perspective for problem solving, decision making and leadership roles in a changing world. Learning is balanced between lecture, laboratory, research, and field experiences. For more information, see the Department website: http://www.cpp.edu/~geology/

Position description: The department is seeking new faculty (as Assistant Professor) specializing in applied geophysics. The successful candidate will have a strong commitment to excellence in teaching and research. Teaching responsibilities will typically consist of a mix of geoscience courses at the lower division, upper division, and graduate levels, and will include core classes in Geophysics and other specialty courses in the candidate’s area of expertise. The successful candidate is expected to engage undergraduate and graduate students in scholarly activities and will be encouraged to develop an extramurally funded research program. Established ties to research institutions, industry, or government agencies are beneficial. The applicant is also expected to produce scholarly publications, assist in curriculum development, advise students, serve on department, college, and university committees, and engage in professional activities. We seek candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community and are committed to teaching in an inclusive environment.

Minimum requirements include:
  • A PhD or equivalent from an accredited university in Geology, Geophysics or directly related field (Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position.)
  • Demonstrated commitment to inclusivity and equity. Evidence should be provided in a Student Success Statement that responds to the prompt above - “Inclusive Excellence and Student Success”
  • College or university teaching experience as a teaching assistant at a minimum
  • Demonstrated potential to establish an active research program with students that broadens our current disciplinary expertise.
  • Experience with data collection and analysis using geophysical instrumentation.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:
  • University teaching experience as the instructor of record with evidence of excellence in teaching.
  • Experience supervising undergraduate and graduate students in research.
  • Publication record appropriate for experience level of the candidate.
  • Ability to use at least some of the department’s existing geophysical and remote sensing instrumentation, which includes a LaCoste and Romberg gravimeter, terrestrial LiDAR, seismic refraction equipment with two dataloggers and 24 geophones, ground penetrating radar, a Gem Systems magnetometer, and three broadband Guralp CMG-6TD seismometers, DJI Phantom 4 RTK.
  • Experience in writing proposals for external funding.
  • Interest in developing intradepartmental and cross-campus collaborations.

Conditions of Employment:

The person offered this position is required to pass a background check.

Application Process:

A completed application will consist of
  • Cover letter in which you describe your interest in the position, relevant experience, and how you meet the minimum and preferred qualifications;
  • A Student Success Statement (up to 2 pages, single-spaced) that responds to the prompt above - “Inclusive Excellence and Student Success” and addresses at least two of the inclusive excellence criteria listed (please indicate the criteria numbers in your Statement).
  • Curriculum vitae;
  • Teaching Philosophy statement (2-page max);
  • Research Statement (2-page max);
  • The names and contact information for at least three individuals that can serve as references;
  • Unofficial transcripts

Finalists for the position will:
  • be required to provide official transcripts for highest degree before the on-campus interview;
  • be required to provide three letters of reference dated within the last two years;
  • Final candidates being interviewed are expected to give a research presentation and an interactive teaching demonstration with students and faculty.

The position is open until filled. First consideration will be given to completed applications received no later than November 1, 2023.

Please direct inquiries to Stephen Osborn ( sgosborn@cpp.edu ) or Nick Van Buer (njvanbuer@cpp.edu).

Applications accepted only via PageUp -online application portal-for University hires.

Salary range for 9-month, Academic Year Appointment: $84,000 - $86,000

Equal Opportunity Employer
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The university seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce as a reflection of our commitment to serve the people of California, to maintain the excellence of the university, and to offer our students richly varied disciplines, perspectives, and ways of knowing. Cal Poly Pomona subscribes to all state and federal regulations and prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity/gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability, genetic information, medical condition, and covered veteran status. The university hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. As required by the Clery Disclosure Act, the university prepares a public annual security report.

Advertised: Sep 20 2023 Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close:

Closing Date/Time:

Job Address

Pomona, California 91768 United States View Map