California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and the Department of Biological Sciences invite applications for a tenure-track, assistant professor position in Global Change Biology, beginning in the 2022-2023 academic year. The area of specialty is open, but candidates who address large-scale questions and who specialize in computational, modeling, or data-mining approaches are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will have the potential for excellence in undergraduate teaching, for developing an externally-funded research program that will involve undergraduate and Master's students, and for collaborating with faculty in a diverse set of fields, including ecotoxicology, marine conservation, remote sensing, and restoration. Teaching responsibilities may include ecology, global change biology, or introductory biology courses, as well as undergraduate and graduate courses related to the candidate's area of specialty, such as ecoinformatics, landscape ecology, remote sensing, or GIS.  

Cal Poly Pomona is one of two polytechnic universities in the 23-campus California State University system and among 11 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. 2 in the U.S. News and World Report rankings of top public regional universities in the west and was named the No. 15 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 – nearly half (49%) of new students were transfers in Fall 2020.  58% 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 49% Latinx, 21% Asian, 15% White, 3% Black, 5% International 3% two or more races, 3% unknown and less than 1% Native Hawaiian or Native Pacific Islander and less than 1% Native American Indigenous. 39% of the student body were STEM majors with the top enrolled programs including psychology, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, biology and computer science.

Inclusive Excellence Criteria.  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.

Tenure track faculty hires will demonstrate a commitment and record of contributions through their teaching, scholarship, or service to these inclusive excellence criteria (a minimum of two must be addressed in the Student Success Statement):

1. Integrates the values of equity and inclusivity into their teaching, scholarship and/or service contributions with diverse student populations;

2. Incorporates the contributions and struggles of historic ethnic minority groups and communities into their teaching, scholarly work, and/or service contributions;

3. Adopts teaching strategies that supports the learning and success of students from diverse student populations;

4. Mentors and engages diverse student populations in discovery, scholarship, and creative activities;

5. Engages students in problem-based projects and learning that address the needs of diverse communities;

6. Possesses knowledge of challenges and barriers for underrepresented students and faculty within the discipline;

7. Mentors and assists diverse student populations interested in pursuing graduate education;

8. Engages in community-responsive action research or service with diverse student populations and communities;

9. Has experience in or demonstrates a commitment to adopting experiential learning activities and pedagogy with diverse student populations and communities; and

10. 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 Department faculty has opportunities to engage in cooperative teaching and research activities with other Colleges at Cal Poly Pomona, as well as nearby institutions including California Institute of Technology (Caltech); University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); University of California, Irvine; University of California, Riverside; University of Southern California (USC); City of Hope Beckman Research Institute; Claremont Colleges; California State University, Fullerton; California State University, Los Angeles; and California State University, Long Beach. The faculty in this Department have diverse expertise and are involved in a wide variety of both basic and applied research. A focus on teamwork and cooperative activities is well developed. For more information, see the Department website: http://www.cpp.edu/~biology/.

Minimum requirements include:

• Ph.D. in Biology, Ecology, or a related field from an accredited university.  Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position.
• A commitment and record of contributions to student success through applicant's teaching, scholarship, or service, demonstrated by a Student Success Statement addressing at least two of the inclusive excellence criteria listed above.
• Postdoctoral research experience.
• Demonstrated potential to establish an active research program with undergraduate and/or master's students.
• 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 ability to utilize large datasets for broad scale questions.
• Evidence of specialization in computational, modeling, or data-mining approaches.

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;
• Student Success Statement (up to 2 pages, single-spaced) about your teaching, or other experiences, successes, and challenges in working with a diverse student population. Please address at least two of the inclusive excellence criteria listed above.
• Curriculum vitae;
• Statement of Teaching Philosophy (2-page max);
• Research Statement (2-page max);
• Reprints of three representative publications;
• The names, titles, addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three individuals who can speak to the candidate's potential for success in this position; and
• A completed Application for Academic Employment form which may be downloaded from our website at http://www.cpp.edu/~faculty-affairs/documents/acadapplication.pdf

Semifinalists for the position will be required to provide three letters of reference. (Referees will receive a link from Interfolio 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.

Instructions for submitting applications are listed at the Faculty Affairs site for University hires:

http://www.cpp.edu/~faculty-affairs/open-positions/

The position is open until filled. First consideration will be given to completed applications received no later than (extended deadline) December 14, 2021.

Please direct inquiries to Dr. Jayson Smith (jaysonsmith@cpp.edu)

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action 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 and learning.  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's annual security report is available at http://www.cpp.edu/~police/annual-security-report.shtml. The person holding 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.  A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.