Open Rank Professor - Public Administration

Position Rank and Title: Open Rank Professor of Public Administration/Public Policy

School/Department Name: Planning, Policy, and Environmental Studies

Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications, experience, and rank as established by the CSU Salary Schedule. Anticipated hiring academic year annual salary range: $88,008 - $130,008

Faculty employee benefits are very competitive for the higher education sector. See the CSU Employee Benefits Summary for details about the CSU’s excellent benefits package.

Target Start Date: August 17, 2027

Application Deadline: January 15, 2027 (Applications accepted until filled or closed)

Position Description

The School of Planning, Policy, and Environmental Studies at San José State University is pleased to announce a search for an open rank tenured/tenure track position in Public Administration. We seek an interdisciplinary teacher-scholar to contribute to our Master of Public Administration (MPA) program through teaching, research, program management, and service. We welcome applicants at the assistant, associate, or full professor level whose expertise complements the program, including local and regional governance, organizational theory, administrative research methods, administrative law; executive management, civic and community engagement, digital governance and public sector technology, and public financial management. Interdisciplinary work that connects public administration with complementary programs in geography/geographic information science, urban planning, and environmental studies is especially welcome. Strong applicants will have experience in program management, curriculum development, and grant writing as well as experience teaching classes similar to core MPA courses.

The newly established School of Planning, Policy, and Environmental Studies is home to several professional graduate programs including the accredited Master of Public Administration (MPA), accredited Master of Urban Planning (MUP), Master of Science in Geographic Information Sciences (MSGISc), and a Master of Science in Environmental Studies, along with undergraduate programs in Environmental Studies, Geography, and Global Studies. The new faculty will join a community of interdisciplinary teacher-scholars who are dedicated to mentoring students to become future leaders in public service and to building partnerships to address complex social problems. More information about the School can be found at https://www.sjsu.edu/plan-policy-envs/.

The School of Planning, Policy, and Environmental Studies is part of the College of Social Sciences, which is committed to equitable and inclusive teaching and learning. The College sees faculty and student success as inextricably linked, and strives to provide culturally-sustaining, and academically-affirming approaches to supporting and engaging students and faculty. We provide opportunities for faculty development around asset-based, holistic student success, and support scholarship of engagement that addresses issues that affect our campus and community. In all of our endeavors, we strive to build leadership capacity and foster a culture of support and belonging for faculty, staff, and students.

The School of Planning, Policy, and Environmental Studies and San José State University value institutional excellence and are committed to advancing equity through research, teaching, and service. We enroll more than 40,000 students, many of whom are historically underserved; approximately 45% of our undergraduate students are first-generation college students and 38% are Pell Grant recipients. In addition, we are both a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI). SJSU aspires to create holistic learning environments that facilitate both individual and collective transformation. We seek teacher-scholars who cultivate inclusive, empowering spaces for mutual learning, skill-building, and knowledge exchange for all students. Our commitment to lifelong learning supports meaningful connections among faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the broader communities we serve.

We invite all applicants to include a Statement of Institutional Excellence (or incorporate it into your cover letter) to share how your lived and professional experiences will contribute to the SJSU community—particularly in relation to student success. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Institutional Excellence Statement Guidelines.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Public Administration/Public Management, Public Policy, or a closely related field
• Demonstrated teaching experience, or strong potential to teach classes in public administration and/or public policy.
• A record of publication, or strong potential for publications, appropriate to the public administration discipline.
• Applicants should demonstrate an awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching, and other comparable experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Priority will be given to candidates who possess one or more of the following:

• Experience teaching in MPA core curriculum (e.g., Regional Governance, Administrative Research Methods, Public Management). Expertise in community-engaged policy-making/analysis, field-based coursework, and overseeing graduate students.
• Research experience in public administration, government and/or non-profit or public financial management.
• Demonstrated experience in or commitment to service at the department and university level.
• Experience in or commitment to support co-curricular academic activities that support student success (e.g., professional network development).
• Engagement with professional communities of practice, especially practical experience in public service by working with local governments, non-profits, or as city staff.
• Evidence of or potential for academic program leadership & management in public administration.

Key Responsibilities

• Teach primarily core and elective graduate courses in the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. Secondarily may also teach courses in Urban Planning, Geography/GIS, and/or Environmental studies depending on program and student need.
• Conduct research that contributes to and connects the fields of public administration, and public policy.
• Mentor graduate students, including advising on capstone projects and preparing students for careers in public service.
• Use innovative teaching practices to enhance student learning and enrich the MPA program and SPPES curricula.
• Contribute to service for the MPA program that supports our Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) accreditation.
• Engage with external partners, including community organizations, policymakers, and practitioners to enhance the relevance and impact of research and teaching.
• The candidate will participate in shared governance, usually in department, college, and university committees and other service assignments.
• Faculty shall organize all their classes within the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS).
• The candidate must demonstrate awareness and experience in understanding the needs of a student population of great diversity – in age, abilities, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, economic background, primary language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and academic preparation – through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies, and advisement.

Other Duties

Note that all San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, some faculty duties may lead to designation as a Campus Security Authority (CSA). CSAs are required to complete Clery Act training and to immediately report Clery incidents to the institution.

Faculty employees must complete CSU employee training as assigned and required based on their role (e.g., Data Security, FERPA, Preventing Discrimination and Harassment, Title IX, Health and Safety). The President may recommend or require compliance with safety measures that decrease the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission or illness and allows the core mission and activities of the campus to continue.

Application Procedure

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents [departments may specify length of items below (e.g. 2 pages)]:

• letter of interest
• curriculum vitae
• institutional excellence statement (dedicated statement or addressed in letter of interest)
• statement of teaching interests/philosophy
• statement of research agenda and accomplishments
• three references with contact information

Inquiries may be directed to the School Director: Prof. Katherine Kao Cushing (katherine.cushing@sjsu.edu).

Pursuant to California 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.

Conditional Offer

The work for this faculty position may only be performed in the State of California and requires establishing an on-campus presence. Employment is contingent upon US residence and proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Satisfactory completion of background and reference checks (including criminal records and prior employment) are required. SJSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background and reference checks reveal disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background and reference checks may affect the continued employment of a current employee who was conditionally offered the position.

San José State University: Silicon Valley's Public University

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley — one of the most innovative regions in the world — San José State University is the founding campus of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system and the first public university in the West. Recognized as a leading transformative educational institution, San José State is an essential partner in the technological, economic, cultural, and social development of Silicon Valley, the Bay Area, and California. SJSU is a top-200 school nationally in research funding and second highest in research productivity in the CSU system. Cutting-edge research, world-class scholarship, student-centered learning, diverse communities, and commitment to social justice, allow SJSU to provide life-changing opportunities and advance the public good locally and globally.

Equal Employment Statement

San José State University prohibits discrimination on the basis of Age, Ancestry, Caste, Color, Disability, Ethnicity, Gender, Gender Expression, Gender Identity, Genetic Information, Marital Status, Medical Condition, Military Status, Nationality, Race, Religion, Religious Creed, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Sex Stereotype, and Veteran Status. This policy applies to all San José State University students, faculty, and staff as well as University programs and activities. Reasonable accommodations are made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose.

Campus Security and Fire Safety Notification

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Annual Security Report (ASR) is also now available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Security-Report.pdf. The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and Sexual Assault prevention information, and information about drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains statistics of Clery crimes for San José State University locations for the three most recent calendar years. A paper copy of the ASR is available upon request by contacting the Office of the Clery Director by phone at 408-924-1501 or by email at clerycompliance@sjsu.edu.

Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Annual Fire Safety Report (AFSR) is available at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Fire-Safety-Report.pdf. The purpose of this report is to disclose statistics for fires that occurred within SJSU on-campus housing facilities for the three most recent calendar years, and to distribute fire safety policies and procedures intended to promote safety on Campus. A paper copy of the AFSR is available upon request by contacting the Housing Office by phone at 408-795-5600 or by email at uhs-frontdesk@sjsu.edu.

Advertised: October 28, 2026 (9:00 AM) Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close: Open until filled