Biological Sciences, Assistant Professor

Tenure Track Faculty Position

Biological Sciences Department

College of Science

 The Biological Sciences Department at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) invites applications for a tenure-track ASSISTANT PROFESSOR position in Mycology, beginning in the Fall semester 2024. The area of specialty is open. Possible research areas include but are not limited to fungal biology, fungal pathogens, fungal interactions with humans, plants, or animals, fungal symbiotic systems, fungal applications in biotechnology or environment, and systematics and evolution of fungi. The successful candidate will have the potential for excellence in undergraduate teaching and for developing an externally-funded research program that will involve undergraduate and Master's students. Teaching responsibilities may include general mycology, medical mycology, or plant microbe interactions, undergraduate and graduate courses in the candidate’s area of expertise, and could involve teaching introductory biology, microbiology, and other courses in biology. The applicant will be expected to assist in curriculum development, advise students, serve on department, college, and university committees, and engage in professional activities.

 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.

The College: The College of Science’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 has approximately 145 full-time faculty, 45 staff, 4,700 majors, and enrolls over 35,000 students each semester. The College of Science is committed to the teacher-scholar model and is the largest recipient of extramural 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.

The Department: Our 30-member Biological Sciences faculty offers a Master's program and a Bachelor’s program to over 1,400 students in Biology, Biotechnology, and Environmental Biology.  The faculty in this Department follow the teacher-scholar model, have diverse expertise, and are involved in a wide variety of both basic and applied research. Our faculty are funded by numerous external agencies such as the NIH, NSF, and USDA, to run student- centered laboratories, and engage in myriad progressive pedagogical techniques to offer a robust learn-by-doing experience for our students who are mostly under-represented minority (URM) and First-Generation (FG) students.  In addition, our location in Southern California positions our faculty as ideal collaborators with plentiful nearby Universities such as California Institute of Technology (Caltech), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); etc. A focus on teamwork and cooperative activities is well developed. For more information, see the Department website: http://www.cpp.edu/~biology/ .

We demonstrate academic quality, relevance, and excellence through teaching, learning, scholarship, and creative activities with student-centered faculty in an evidence-based culture. The department of Biological Sciences, and Cal Poly Pomona as a whole is committed to being the model for an inclusive polytechnic experience that inspires creativity and innovation, embraces local and global challenges, and drives social mobility. 

Minimum requirements for this position include: 

Ph.D. in biology, microbiology, botany or a related field from an accredited university.  Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position.

Postdoctoral research experience or equivalent.

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”

Potential to establish an externally funded active  research program with undergraduate and/or master’s students.

Background and experience necessary to perform and teach new/cutting edge techniques in the classroom and in research settings at the undergraduate and Master’s levels .

Demonstrated potential to contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through research, teaching, service and a commitment to working in an inclusive environment.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:

• University teaching experience.
• Experience or familiarity with techniques that promote student engagement and success.
• Evidence of conducting scholarly research activities with undergraduate and/or graduate students.
• Evidence of securing past external funding.
• Experience with contemporary/ cutting edge technologies in one’s field.
• Evidence of independence and initiative in research.
• Experience or other demonstrated potential to develop courses in one’s field.

Conditions of Employment:

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

Application Process:

A completed application will consist of a:

• Cover letter in which you describe your background and interest in teaching, research and service. In your cover letter, please address the duties, qualifications and preferred qualifications stated in our position description;
• Curriculum vitae;
• Teaching Philosophy Statement (maximum 2 pages), including how you apply a learn-by-doing philosophy;
• Research Statement (maximum 3 pages), including proposed plan of research and how you would involve undergraduate and Master’s students;
• 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 .
• Reprints of three representative publications;
• The names, titles, addresses, and contact information of at least three individuals who can speak to the candidate’s potential for success in this position .

Semifinalists for the position will be required to provide three letters of reference. (Referees will receive a link from PageUp to upload letters.).  Finalists will be required to provide official transcripts before the final interview, and if the terminal degree was not completed at the interview stage, a job offer is contingent on receiving an official transcript showing highest degree earned.

The position is open until filled. First consideration will be given to completed applications received no later than November 10, 2023.

Please direct inquiries to the Chair of the Mycology Search Committee ([email protected] ). All applications should be submitted via PageUp.

Salary range for 9-month, Academic Year Appointment: $83,000-$84,500

 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 .