School of Education

 

Faculty Employment Opportunity - Tenure Track

Starting August 2027

 

The University

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 22 campuses of the California State University System. As members of the largest public higher education system in the nation, we provide accessible, high-quality education.

The Department

The School of Education (SOE) at Sonoma State University prepares students to become leaders and advocates for social justice, support diverse learners, and make a transformative impact in TK–12 schools and beyond. We guide and support educators in developing a justice-centered stance while drawing upon the cultural wealth of the communities we serve. We are committed to partnering with local schools and agencies to collectively address the most pressing educational challenges and inequities.

Housed within the College of Education, Counseling, and Ethnic Studies (ECES), our programs integrate theory, clinical practice, community leadership, and advocacy to strengthen educational systems and communities. Our interdisciplinary programs cultivate the critical consciousness and collective leadership skills needed to navigate and contribute to an ever-changing, pluralistic, multilingual, and multiracial democracy.

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

https://soe.sonoma.edu/ 

Duties of the Position

• Teach social science methods, educational foundations, and teacher education courses through a critical, justice-oriented, and Ethnic Studies framework.
• Prepare teacher candidates to develop equity-centered, culturally and linguistically sustaining pedagogies that draw upon the knowledge, histories, identities, and cultural wealth of the communities we serve.
• Teach graduate courses in the M.A. in Education program and contribute to interdisciplinary course offerings across credential and graduate programs.
• Maintain an active program of research, scholarship, and/or creative activity related to the candidate’s areas of expertise.
• Supervise and support teacher candidates in clinical practice, including candidates in traditional student teaching, teacher residency, and intern pathways in a variety of urban, suburban, and rural areas of Northern California.
• Advise and mentor credential and graduate students, including serving on and/or chairing graduate committees.
• Participate in service and shared governance within the School of Education, College, University, profession, and broader educational community.
• Develop and maintain collaborative partnerships with local schools, districts, county offices of education, and community organizations to support teacher preparation and educator development.
• Contribute to the development, coordination, assessment, and continuous improvement of Sonoma State’s teacher education programs, including accreditation and California Commission on Teacher Credentialing requirements.
• Contribute to recruitment, retention, and support of a diverse educator workforce, particularly educators prepared to serve the culturally, linguistically, and racially diverse communities of the North Bay and throughout California.

Faculty Responsibilities

In addition to teaching and scholarship, faculty are expected to engage in service to the University, profession, and community.  These responsibilities include:  advising students, participation in campus and system-wide communities, maintaining office hours, working collaboratively and productively with colleagues, and participating in traditional academic functions.

Sonoma State is committed to the Teacher/Scholar model and places an emphasis on faculty support of undergraduate research and other professional opportunities for students.

Faculty are also expected to foster our commitment to the CSU Graduation Initiative 2025 through excellent teaching, advising, and mentoring. Potential applicants are encouraged to review the University’s Reappointment, Tenure, and Promotion Policy.  During the first two years of the probationary period the instructional assignment will be reduced by two courses per academic year for probationary faculty members, in order to assist in establishing their programs of research, scholarship, and/or creative activities, and carrying out other activities that would support them in meeting the requirements for retention, tenure, and promotion. All faculty are required to have the ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment.

Required Qualifications

To be recommended for appointment, the candidate must have:

• Earned doctorate (Ph.D. or Ed.D) in education or closely related field, with expertise in social science education and/or educational foundations by time of appointment.
• Experience teaching, mentoring, advising, or otherwise working effectively with first-generation college students and/or students from historically underserved and marginalized communities.
• A minimum of three years of successful teaching experience in TK–12 public schools or an equivalent educational setting.
• A demonstrated commitment to advocacy, leadership, scholarship, teaching, and/or program development that advances educational equity and supports historically underserved or marginalized communities.

Preferred Qualifications

Preference will be given to candidates who demonstrate one or more of the following:

• Experience in bilingual/ multilingual/ plurilingual education, including experience teaching, supervising, coaching, or providing professional learning in bilingual or dual-language educational settings.
• Expertise in preparing teachers to serve multilingual learners and communities
• A current or previously held Multiple Subject (elementary) or Single Subject (secondary) Teaching Credential, or comparable teaching certification or authorization.
• Experience with teacher residency programs or other clinically rich, partnership-based approaches to teacher preparation.
• Bilingual or multilingual proficiency, particularly in languages represented in California’s TK–12 schools and communities.
• Experience teaching, advising, mentoring, or providing leadership at a Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) or other institution serving a highly diverse student population.
• Teaching, scholarly, professional, and/or community-based expertise in critical and justice-oriented approaches to education, such as Ethnic Studies, critical race theory, queer theory and LGBTQ+ studies in education, culturally sustaining pedagogy, decolonial perspectives, or anti-racist and anti-bias education.
• Experience preparing educators to teach effectively and equitably in racially, culturally, linguistically, and socioeconomically diverse TK–12 schools and communities.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) literacy, including the critical, ethical, and equitable use of AI in teaching, learning, and/or educator preparation.

Rank and Salary

Service credit depends upon academic preparation and professional experience. The anticipated salary range for this position is: $74,000 to $85,000.

Required Application Materials

• Cover Letter including research interests and teaching philosophy, maximum 3 pages
• Curriculum Vitae
• Unofficial transcripts (Official transcripts will be required of the selected candidate)
• Contact information for three references

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.

Application Deadline

First consideration will be given to applications received by November 30, 2026. The position will remain open until filled.  Early response is encouraged.

Contact Information

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

Questions concerning this position may be directed to: Rhianna Casesa at casesa@sonoma.edu

Please refer to the requisition job number on all correspondence and inquiries regarding this position.

 

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

Our Commitment

Sonoma State University is a federally-designated Hispanic Serving Institution, as such we are committed to achieving the goals of equal opportunity and we endeavor to employ faculty and staff reflecting the linguistic, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the region and state.

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.

Sonoma State University is committed to creating a community in which bias and intolerance have no place.  It is our expectation that all students, faculty, and staff work together to honor this commitment and hold each other accountable to create an open and inclusive environment.

We are committed to facilitating spaces in which all can grow by building on our students’ assets as they explore new knowledge. These efforts include fostering creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, experimentation, empathy, and communication. The successful candidate will be one who can collaborate with faculty, staff, administration, and students to achieve these goals. We are especially interested in candidates committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Equal Opportunity & Mandated Reporting

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. Mandated Reporting: This position may be 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.

Employment Eligibility & Conditions

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. A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current employees who apply for this position.

Sonoma State University hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. Due to a recent change in policy, SSU is unable to sponsor new H-1B employment visas at this time. All offers of employment are contingent upon the presentation of documents demonstrating the appointee’s identity and eligibility to work, in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act.

Education Code 89521

Applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.

Annual Reports & Safety Information

Sonoma State University's Annual Security Report includes summaries of institutional policy relating to campus safety, drug and alcohol use, sexual assault, and other matters. The report is published in compliance with the Clery Act and includes three years of certain crime statistics that occurred in Clery Act defined geography. A paper copy of the report may be requested in person by emailing the Clery Compliance and Safety Office at clery@sonoma.edu.

 

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