Pool for Part-time Lecturer, Physics and Astronomy

Department Of Physics and Astronomy

Faculty Employment Opportunity

Job# 534579

Work type: Instructional Faculty - Temporary Faculty Location: Sonoma
Categories: Temporary, Part Time, Instructional Faculty - Temporary Faculty
Unit 3 CFA - California Faculty Association

Department of Physics & Astronomy
Temporary Faculty Position (Lecturer)

Guided by our core values as a university: diversity, sustainability, community engagement, and adaptability, Sonoma State University (SSU) offers an education that fosters intellectual, social, and personal growth. SSU is a public liberal arts and sciences university. As the only member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges in the state of California, we are committed to preparing students for a life of active citizenship and public service. We have a vibrant campus life characterized by a lively co-curriculum that fosters broad based intellectual and artistic opportunities in which the campus as a whole is actively engaged. Faculty members are committed to facilitating spaces in which all can grow by building on our scholars' assets as they explore new knowledge. These efforts include fostering creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, experimentation, empathy, and communication. We strive to create a diverse, equity-minded, and inclusive campus environment. Faculty are expected to collaborate thoughtfully with our staff and scholars, which means we value the full range of everyone's assets in terms of languages, abilities, cultures, and ways of knowing. We are fully committed to the rights of scholars, staff, and faculty. We are especially interested in candidates who are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Sonoma State University's beautiful 274-acre campus is located in Sonoma County wine country, an hour north of San Francisco. The campus offers the ideal setting for teaching and learning and access to a community of rich cultural, environmental, and recreational opportunities. Founded in 1960, SSU is one of the 23 campuses of the California State University System. As members of the largest public higher educational system in the nation, we provide accessible, high-quality education. Sonoma State University is a federally-designated Hispanic Serving Institution, as such we are committed to achieving the goals of equal opportunity and endeavors to employ faculty and staff reflecting the linguistic, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the region and state.

The Department

The Department of Physics and Astronomy's mission is to provide excellent education to the diverse Sonoma State University student population through general education, support courses, and a strong major program with demonstrable quality of instruction and vibrant scholarship that first and foremost integrates student involvement in an inclusive environment.

Our program includes teaching three different, but aligned populations of students: the preparation of our majors for a broad array of pathways to careers in industry, research, and teaching; the training in the processes of physics of students in aligned STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields; and providing the student body with a rich set of General Education courses to serve as a lasting impression in how science works as part of our SSU tradition as a public Liberal Arts institution. We incorporate research-based instructional practices and inclusive pedagogy that supports our students' sense of belonging in in STEM.

Central to the education of the majors, and enriching the experience of the other two populations, is our goal to conduct student-centered authentic research directed by our faculty and incorporated in our degree programs via our intermediate and advanced laboratories, our special studies programs, and culminating in a senior Capstone research experience, which is frequently aligned with issues of sustainability. Our final goal is centered upon sharing the processes and discoveries of physics and astronomy in ways that involve the broader campus and community and reflect our core values.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to see the department's web page at:

http://www.phys-astro.sonoma.edu

Duties of the Position

The Department of Physics and Astronomy within the School of Science and Technology (SST) at Sonoma State University (SSU) is seeking highly motivated instructors to teach a variety of undergraduate courses in physics and/or astronomy, on a temporary basis. The Department offers a range of lower and upper division classes, as well as many introductory lecture and laboratory courses, which are a primary need. In addition, the department also seeks candidates to teach General Education (GE) classes in areas including but not limited to physics, astronomy, oral communication, and critical thinking. Candidates should specify courses for which they would like to be considered. This is a recruitment for an applicant pool to fill part-time temporary assignments on an as-needed basis. Courses are taught in-person on the Sonoma State University Campus. Teaching loads are typically part-time.

Professional Qualifications

To be recommended for appointment, the candidate must have:

A degree in Physics or Astronomy or a related field, with a Ph.D. or M.S. degree preferred. A Ph.D. is required to teach majors courses with numbers greater than or equal to 300. Demonstrated record of excellence or superior potential in teaching undergraduate physics and/or astronomy. Demonstrated ability in teaching physics/astronomy to students with a diverse range of backgrounds and preparation.

Rank and Salary

Full-time is a 15-unit workload per semester. Actual salary is dependent upon the number of units assigned, educational preparation, and availability of funds subject to any CSU system faculty contract salary increases.

• Salary commensurate with degree level and experience.
• Anticipated Hiring Salary Range: $4,530 - $6,056 per full-time month.
• The full-time (15 units per semester) monthly base salary range indicated above is prorated to the number of units worked and are paid in six monthly payments for each full semester.
• Selection as a candidate in the applicant pool, does not guarantee employment. Temporary Faculty appointments are made on a part-time, temporary basis and contingent upon department needs and funding.
• Temporary Faculty appointments are made on a semester-by-semester basis.
• Relocation expenses will not be provided for temporary faculty appointments.
• Expenses incurred to attend an interview for temporary faculty positions are not reimbursed by the University.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, go to jobs.sonoma.edu and click on the Staff & Faculty Career Opportunities link. Find and select the faculty position you are applying for to view the description and select Apply Now. If you have not previously applied, you will be prompted to create an account. You can use this account to apply to multiple positions. Once you have submitted the application, a confirmation email will be automatically sent to you. Please do not send materials to facultysearch@sonoma.edu. If you encounter difficulties during the application process, please email facultysearch@sonoma.edu.

Please submit:

• Application letter - Required
• Curriculum vitae - Required
• Contact Information for 3 References - Required
• A list of courses the applicant feels qualified to teach, may be from experience or by referring to the list of department courses available at: https://phys-astro.sonoma.edu/degree-programs - Required
• Teaching Philosophy - Optional
• Student Evaluations - Optional

Application procedures for temporary faculty already teaching in the department:

• Temporary Faculty with three-year contracts do not need to reapply.
• Temporary Faculty who had a paid appointment during the prior academic year with your department (either one or both semesters); this includes Lecturers on the Re-Employment list are not required to apply through the Recruitment Pool unless they would like to be evaluated to teach additional courses, not currently designated as qualified to teach.

Sonoma State University hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. All offers of employment are contingent upon presentation of documents demonstrating the appointee's identity and eligibility to work, in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act. Sonoma State University does not facilitate the process of applying for an H1B Visa for temporary positions.

CSU Out of State Policy - Sonoma State University, as part of the CSU system, is a State of California Employer. As such, the University requires all employees upon date of hire to reside in the State of California. As of January 1, 2022 the CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits the hiring of employees to perform CSU-related work outside the state of California.

Contact Information

Questions concerning the application process may be directed to: facultysearch@sonoma.edu

Questions concerning this position may be directed to:

Scott Severson - scott.severson@sonoma.edu

The ADA Coordinator is also available (hraccomodations@sonoma.edu) to assist individuals with disabilities in need of accommodation during the hiring process.

Other Information

The university is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, or protected veteran status.

This position is 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.

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