Assistant Professor in Experimental Physical Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at California State University, Fullerton, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Experimental Physical Chemistry, with an appointment to begin in Fall 2027.

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is dedicated to the mission that teaching and research are intricately mixed and that by providing our students with high-quality classroom instruction and hands-on involvement in research, we prepare them for successful careers in science. We welcome applications from candidates excited to support this mission while working with a diverse student body, including underrepresented populations, first-generation students, and students from low-income backgrounds. We are particularly interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of our academic community through their research, teaching, and/or service.

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment
This position is open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. CSUF complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California's Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU's Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

In addition, California State University, Fullerton is a leading public university known for its strong academic programs and commitment to student success. As one of the largest campuses in the CSU system, Cal State Fullerton fosters innovation, collaboration, and professional growth. The university values teaching, research, and service, creating an environment where students, staff, and faculty can thrive. Cal State Fullerton is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The university also received the prestigious Seal of Excelencia in 2021 and 2024 from Excelencia in Education, the nation's leading authority on Latinx student success. Cal State Fullerton is an equal opportunity employer with a diverse student population of over 45,000 and a faculty and staff population of 4,000. Cal State Fullerton is firmly committed to helping students achieve academic excellence, career success, and economic mobility. Joining Cal State Fullerton means becoming part of a dynamic team dedicated to making a meaningful impact. We continuously seek individuals from various disciplines who share the university's mission and core values. We welcome you to consider joining the Titan community. 

CSUF is committed to retaining all faculty and has established affinity groups you can join to support your success.

Position
The successful candidate will be expected to teach and mentor a diverse student population, initiate and sustain an active experimental physical chemistry research program involving undergraduate and master's students, and devote time to engaging in departmental, college, and university service. Teaching responsibilities will include undergraduate lecture and laboratory courses in physical chemistry, along with undergraduate and graduate lecture and laboratory courses consistent with the candidate's interests and expertise. New faculty receive start-up funds, research lab space, and reduced instructional workload over their first two years to establish an experimental physical chemistry research program capable of generating peer-reviewed publications with CSUF student co-authors and external funding. 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.

Required Qualifications

A Ph.D. in chemistry or a closely related field, and relevant postdoctoral experience at the time of appointment.

A strong commitment to and demonstrated potential for effective and engaging teaching using strategies such as, but not limited to, student-centered pedagogy, active learning, and inquiry-based approaches. Teaching responsibilities will include undergraduate physical chemistry lecture and laboratory courses, along with additional undergraduate and graduate lecture and laboratory courses based on interest, expertise, and departmental need.

A record of research productivity in experimental physical chemistry or closely related fields.

A proven ability to develop and maintain an independent, funded research program in experimental physical chemistry that engages undergraduate and master's level students, resulting in peer-reviewed publications with CSUF student co-authors.

The ability to communicate with and effectively mentor an ethnically and culturally diverse campus population.

Application
A complete online application must be received by electronic submission to be considered. To apply, please visit https://hr.fullerton.edu/workforce/careers.html, choose full-time faculty, search for the position 559144, and provide the following required materials:

cover letter in which you respond to the required qualifications

curriculum vitae

teaching statement that includes the following: teaching philosophy that describes how you will effectively instruct and engage students in your lecture and laboratory courses using strategies such as, but not limited to, student-centered teaching, active learning, and inquiry-based pedagogy. Please also discuss methods you will use to teach a diverse student population and any relevant teaching experience (2-page limit)

research statement that includes the following: research goals and how they build-upon your prior research experience, description of projects specifically designed to engage undergraduate and Master's students, mentorship plan for inclusively involving undergraduate and Master's students in research, strategies to obtain funding, and anticipated equipment needs (4-page limit)

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.

a list of three references with relevant contact information

Finalists must submit three letters of recommendation. 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 can verify that CSUF has received each letter by logging back into your applicant portal.

semifinalists and/or finalists may be asked to submit additional materials for further consideration

graduate transcripts (unofficial copies are sufficient for initial review)

Please direct all questions about the position to Dr. Andrew Petit at apetit@fullerton.edu or call 657‐278-5214.

Application Deadline
To be assured full consideration, all application materials must be received by September 1, 2026. The anticipated appointment is Fall 2027.

The Department
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (http://chemistry.fullerton.edu) comprises 16 full-time, tenured/tenure-track faculty with over 400 undergraduate majors and 35 master's students. Degrees offered are the BA in Chemistry, BS in Chemistry, BS in Biochemistry, and MS in Chemistry (which includes chemistry and biochemistry subspecialties). In serving the State of California, our department is committed to developing a diverse faculty with rich personal and educational experiences. We welcome applicants who are highly motivated to engage in research supervision of a diverse student body and are committed to effective and student-centered teaching. We look forward to having candidates who will join us in contributing their talent, expertise, and perspective to providing excellent educational and research opportunities for the next generation of scientists, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, and educators. We are committed to an educational program that provides high-quality teaching and research experiences for our students. Our students gain a broad, interdisciplinary knowledge base through courses in biochemistry, organic, analytical, inorganic, physical chemistry, and specialized topics. All undergraduate majors participate in a capstone experience which primarily involves at least 3 semesters of undergraduate research.

The Department is located in McCarthy Hall and Dan Black Hall, which house a growing inventory of major instrumentation (https://www.fullerton.edu/chemistry/research/facilities.html). A broad variety of modern, research-grade instruments and facilities are available and shared within the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Faculty in the department have successfully obtained extramural funding from various agencies, including NSF, NIH, ACS Petroleum Research Fund, and others, for more than $2 million over the past two years. Several faculty members in the department are active in campus-wide research centers such as the Center for Applied Biotechnology Studies, the Titan Supercomputing Center, and the Catalyst Center for the Advancement of Research in Teaching and Learning Math and Science.

The University and College
The California State University system produces nearly half of California's bachelor's degrees and around 6% of the nation's bachelor's degrees each year. California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) is the largest of these 23 campuses, with 43,000 students in 2024. U.S. News and World Report ranks Cal State Fullerton among the top 10 performers in the nation for social mobility (Sept. 2024). Money magazine rates CSUF 4.5 stars in its list of Best Colleges in America (June 2024). Cal State Fullerton is No. 4 in the nation for total bachelor's degrees granted to Hispanic/ Latino students, according to Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine (Oct. 2024). Diverse: Issues in Higher Education ranks CSUF at No. 4 in the nation for bachelor's degrees awarded to Hispanics (Nov. 2024). Learn more about CSUF here: https://youtu.be/8khUPoz_MYE?feature=shared. Click or tap if you trust this link." href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2F8khUPoz_MYE%3Ffeature%3Dshared&data=05%7C02%7Cafry%40Fullerton.edu%7C874bf2c40c224488a0bf08dd94023088%7C82c0b871335f4b5c9ed0a4a23565a79b%7C0%7C0%7C638829459308428694%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=bnmyi7rfYDeUCPIoveW7ocx%2FYV9jDyZoZM%2FP6ZwtiJs%3D&reserved=0">https://youtu.be/8khUPoz_MYE?feature=shared.

The College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics (NSM; http://www.fullerton.edu/nsm) is dedicated to the principle that teaching and research are intricately mixed and that undergraduate research, when properly designed, is an integral part of teaching. This balance between teaching and research is NSM's greatest strength. Through the combination of high-quality instruction, student involvement in research, and strong academic advisement, NSM provides its students with the best education possible.

Many mechanisms are available to support faculty to continue to grow in teaching and research at the college, university, and California State University system level. The Faculty Development Center (https://fdc.fullerton.edu/) provides training and resources for effective, student-centered teaching. Project RAISE (https://www.fullerton.edu/projectraise/) provides funding for community college students to perform full-time summer research in faculty research labs. The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Center (https://www.fullerton.edu/uroc/) provides financial and training resources to support student research, including conference travel and summer research experiences. Annual internal funding opportunities focus on support for publication writing, grant writing, and faculty conference travel. The CSU Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/research/csuperb) provides funding opportunities and an annual conference focused on biotechnology (broadly defined).

Compensation
The Assistant Professor (Academic Year) classification salary range is $6,221 to $13,224 monthly (12 monthly payments per academic year). The anticipated hiring range is $7,206 to $7,350 monthly or $86,472 - $$88,200 annually.

Salary offered is commensurate with experience and qualifications. In addition, the California Equal Pay Act prohibits employers from paying its employees less than those of the opposite sex and/or another race or ethnicity for substantially similar work (https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/california_equal_pay_act.htm). 

CSUF Benefits
An excellent comprehensive benefits package includes health/vision/dental plans; spouse, domestic partner, and dependent fee‐waiver; access to campus child‐care; and a defined‐benefit retirement through the state system and optional tax-sheltering opportunities. For a detailed description of benefits, please visit https://hr.fullerton.edu/total-wellness/.

New employees hired by the CSU for the first time who first become CalPERS members on or after July 1, 2017, are subject to a 10-year vesting period for retiree health and dental benefits.

International Candidates
California State University, Fullerton, is not currently sponsoring any new H-1B petitions for staff, management, or faculty positions.

For tenure-track faculty positions, California State University, Fullerton is currently not sponsoring H-1B applicants subject to the $100,000 fee established by the "Presidential Proclamation: Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers" issued on September 19, 2025. Individuals in the U.S. who hold a valid lawful nonimmigrant status visa can have a petition filed on their behalf to change their status to H-1B without being subjected to the fee. For example, the fee does not apply to an H-1B petition filed by an individual presently in the U.S. who is an F-1, J-1, or O-1 status holder.

CSU Policies
The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and must comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083, revised July 21, 2017, as a condition of employment.

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

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who self‐disclose.

Notice of Non-Discrimination based on Gender or Sex and Contact Information for Title IX Coordinator.

In accordance with the California State University (CSU) Out-of-State Employment Policy, the CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California. It requires hiring employees to perform CSU-related work within the State of California. The employee must be able to accept on-campus instruction, as assigned, and come to campus when needed. The CSU also prohibits hiring and retaining employees working permanently from a business location outside of the United States.

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.

To apply, visit https://careers.pageuppeople.com/873/fl/en-us/job/559144/assistant-professor-in-experimental-physical-chemistry je-e3415014a9d94ab9a1732af79fb41d32