Department of Biological Science
College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Assistant Professor
Fall 2027

The Department of Biological Science at California State University, Fullerton, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Cell or Molecular Biology with an appointment to begin Fall 2027.

Position
We seek a candidate with a strong research background in any area of Cell or Molecular Biology, including, but not limited to, virology, plant molecular biology, or cancer biology, and clear potential for excellence in teaching and mentoring. The successful candidate will be expected to maintain an active and externally funded research program that involves undergraduate and master's students. Teaching responsibilities will include Introductory Cell and Molecular Biology, in addition to upper-division and graduate-level courses in the candidate's area of expertise. The successful candidate will also be expected to contribute to and participate in the life and development of the department, advise students, serve on committees, and participate in the broader university and disciplinary communities. Preference will be given to candidates with relevant prior teaching experience using student-centered learning approaches and a demonstrated ability to support the success of a diverse student population, including first-generation and historically underserved students. The Department of Biological Science is committed to excellence in teaching in our classrooms and in our research laboratories and values faculty research as scholarship and as a means to engage and train students.

Required Qualifications

• A strong background in Cell and Molecular Biology and a Ph.D. in a relevant discipline from an accredited university.
• Relevant postdoctoral experience that demonstrates the ability to develop an externally funded, independent research program in an area of Cell or Molecular Biology that involves undergraduate and Master's students.
• A strong commitment to and demonstrated potential for effective teaching using student-centered, active learning, and inquiry-based approaches. Teaching responsibilities will include undergraduate and graduate-level cell and molecular biology lecture and laboratory courses.
• The ability to communicate with and effectively mentor an ethnically and culturally diverse campus population.

Preferred Qualification

• 2+ years postdoctoral experience.

Application
A complete online application must be received by electronic submission to be considered. To apply, please visit http://hr.fullerton.edu/workforce/careers.html , choose full-time faculty, search for the position 561521, and provide the following required materials:

• Cover letter in which you describe your motivation to teach at CSUF and live and work in Southern California, and respond to the qualifications for the position.
• Curriculum vitae.
• Graduate transcripts (unofficial copies are sufficient for initial review).
• Statement of teaching and mentoring philosophy:
  • Describe your unique perspective and experience with student-centered, active teaching and learning techniques in the classroom and research laboratory, demonstrating a commitment to supporting the success of a diverse student population, and including relevant mentorship (academic and/or non-academic) experiences.
• Statement of research plans:
  • Describe your short and long-term research program goals, including plans for seeking external funding, how your plans align with CSUF opportunities and resources, and how undergraduate and graduate students will participate and contribute to these goals.
• Three documents that provide evidence of your experience or commitment to teaching and research:
  • One document that addresses teaching (e.g., curriculum development, syllabus) and two that address research (e.g., peer-reviewed publications, funding applications). Submit these three documents as a single pdf.
• A list of three references with relevant contact information:
  • Letters of recommendation will be requested later in the application process. 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 will be able to verify that each letter has been received by CSUF by logging back into your applicant portal.
• Candidate statement on commitment to inclusive excellence (no more than 500 words):
  • Inclusive excellence is a strategic framework that recognizes the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in achieving organizational success and high-quality learning and teaching. It's a way of thinking and acting that integrates these values into all aspects of an institution, from curriculum and pedagogy to recruitment and hiring. Essentially, it means that excellence is not just about achieving high standards, but also about ensuring that all members of the community have the opportunity to thrive and contribute (Williams et al., 2005).
  • With the Inclusive Excellence Statement, we aim to learn about the applicant's perspective on their past and present contributions to and future aspirations for promoting and engaging with a diverse student population. This statement should showcase the candidate's professional experience, intellectual commitments, and/or willingness to teach and create an academic environment supportive of all students, including but not limited to those of diverse ages, abilities, cultures, ethnicities, gender identities, languages, religions, and sexual orientations.
  • Cal State Fullerton serves a student body that reflects the rich cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic mosaic of Southern California. Please provide concrete examples of how you, as a faculty member, will support our students in one or more of the following areas, which fall under the areas of awareness and understanding, experience and commitment, and future plans.
  • Your contributions (past, present, or future) to embedding perspectives that are reflective of the student population into your teaching and/or scholarship.
  • Your experience in service activities that are reflective of a diverse student population.
  • Your experience and commitment to mentoring and providing opportunities to a diverse student body inside and outside the classroom environment.
  • Your experience integrating creative activities that are inclusive of the identities of our student body and communities.

Please direct all questions about the position to: [email protected] or call 657-278-3614.

Application Deadline
To be assured full consideration, all application materials must be received by September 27, 2026. The anticipated appointment date is August 16, 2027.

The Department
The Department of Biological Science, with 23 active full-time faculty members, has long been committed to an educational program that includes extensive involvement of undergraduate and graduate students in research. Over 50% of our majors are from underrepresented groups with 51% Hispanic/LatinX, 2% Black and 5% multiethnic. Approximately 47% of our students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and 30% are the first in their family to pursue a college degree. In addition to the General Biology pathway, the Department has undergraduate concentrations in Molecular Cell Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Marine Biology, and Plant Biology. The Department offers a research-based Master of Science in Biology.

We have several active, externally-funded training programs that support student research and contribute to the diversity of STEM fields. The Department is an active participant in the system-wide CSU Biotechnology Program ( https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/research/csubiotech ). The Department also fosters several research oriented programs, including the Bridges to Stem Cell Research (BSCR) Program, Cancer Research Education Program (CREP), Creating Opportunities through Mentorship and Partnership Across Stem cell Science (COMPASS) Program, Project Eager, McNair Scholars Program, Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Training (MHRT) Program, The CSU-STEM Pathways and Research Alliance (SPaRA) , Neurocognitive Aging and Analytics Research Education (NAARE) Program, The MSTEM Star Program, Building Bridges to the Professoriate (BB2P), Research Careers Preparatory (RCP) Program, and Undergraduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (U-RISE) Program ( https://www.fullerton.edu/uroc/research-opportunities/index.html ).

The Department and College are well-equipped with modern research instruments and laboratory facilities that include fluorescence microscopes, a confocal microscope, a flow cytometer, a greenhouse, an herbarium, animal housing facilities, a Raman spectrophotometer, and other shared equipment. Each tenured and tenure-track faculty member has dedicated research space, and new faculty members are supported with start-up funds. Annual departmental research funding is approximately $6.5 million from internal and external sources, and collaborative and interdisciplinary research is encouraged. Further information about the department is available at https://www.fullerton.edu/biology/ .

The College
The College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM; http://www.fullerton.edu/nsm/ ) is dedicated to the principle that teaching and research are intricately mixed and that undergraduate and M.S. graduate research, when properly approached, is an integral part of teaching. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to partner with the transdisciplinary Centers for Applied Biotechnology Studies (CABS, http://cabs.fullerton.edu ), Catalyst ( http://www.fullerton.edu/catalyst/ ), Titan Supercomputing Center (TSC, https://tsc.fullerton.edu/ ), and the Arboretum and Botanical Garden ( https://arboretum.fullerton.edu/ ) to support teaching and research.

The University
California State University Fullerton (CSUF) is the largest university in the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system, serving the Southern California region, particularly Orange County. With 57 undergraduate and 52 graduate degree programs, including doctorates in education and nursing practice, CSUF has graduated over 300,000 students since its establishment in 1957. The university's economic impact on Orange County exceeds $2 billion and supports over 15,000 jobs. Notably, nearly 80% of CSUF alumni reside within close proximity to the campus. Recognized for its commitment to diversity, CSUF ranks third nationally for the number of bachelor's degrees awarded to underrepresented students.

California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) is an R2 public University and a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution. CSUF is an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to enhancing the opportunities and experiences of a diverse campus community through its curriculum, and by fostering an inclusive environment, as described in the Strategic Plan ( https://planning.fullerton.edu/_resources/pdfs/Fullerton%20Forward%202024-2029%20-%20CSUF%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf ). Candidates committed to advancing these strategic goals, and those from groups underrepresented in the American professoriate, are particularly encouraged to apply.

Compensation
The Assistant Professor (Academic Year) classification salary range is $6,221 to $13,224 monthly (12 monthly payments per academ