Assistant Professor of Psychology

Rank: Assistant Professor

Department: Psychology

Starting Date: Fall 2026

California State University San Marcos expects to hire up to two (2) tenure-track assistant professors for Fall 2026 with expertise in Clinical or Counseling Psychology. The Psychology department at California State University San Marcos serves over 2000 students, offering two in-person bachelor’s degrees (Psychological Science and Child and Adolescent Development) and a Master’s degree in Psychological Science. In addition, in Fall 2026, the department is launching a Master’s degree program in Clinical Counseling Psychology, preparing students to pursue licensure as a professional clinical counselor (LPCC), to which these two new hires will primarily contribute. The department employs a teacher-scholar model (with tenure-line faculty teaching a 3-3 load), emphasizing psychology as an empirical science and the development of skills that include written and oral communication, information literacy, quantitative and qualitative research methods, and critical analysis of complex problems. Multicultural perspectives and ethical issues are integral to the department’s curriculum.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Clinical or Counseling Psychology or a related field prior to date of appointment (ABD applicants accepted; PhD required by hire date).
• Current license or license eligible as an LPCC, psychologist, or related mental health license in the state of California; obtained by hire date.
• Only candidates with active research programs that can involve students will be considered.
• Applicants must have demonstrated evidence of teaching excellence at the university level (e.g., student evaluations/summaries, peer observation summaries), and must be able to supervise Master’s theses. In particular, applicants must be able to teach courses in the Master’s in Clinical Counseling Psychology program.
  
  

Desired/Preferred Qualifications

• Evidence of ability to communicate, work, and serve our student body.
• The area of research focus is open, with a preference for the ability to teach needed courses within the existing undergraduate curriculum, particularly the following courses (in addition courses in the Clinical Counseling Psychology program mentioned above): Developmental Psychopathology, Abnormal Psychology, Children, Adolescents, and Social Policy, and Psychological Testing.
• Demonstration of intercultural competence and a commitment to serving a diverse campus community as it relates to teaching, research, and/or service.
  
  

APPLICATION: All applications must include:

• Cover letter that addresses the above minimum and desired/preferred qualifications
• Curriculum vitae
• Statement of research interests
• Evidence of research productivity (up to three representative publications)
• Statement of teaching philosophy
• Evidence of teaching success (Student Evaluations, peer observation , evidence of ability to communicate with and serve students of a variety of abilities and backgrounds, etc.)
• Three professional references
• Evidence of licensure or license eligibility
  
  

Anticipated Hiring Salary Range: $7,500 - $8,250 per month

CSU Classification Salary Range: $6,221- $13,224 per month

Review of applications will begin October 13, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled.

CSUSM has been designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and was recently named one of the top 32 Colleges most friendly to junior faculty by the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education. Visit Faculty Opportunities for more information.

California State University San Marcos is an Equal Opportunity Employer strongly committed to promoting diversity in all areas of the campus community.  We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to age, physical or mental disability, gender or sex, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation and veteran or military status.

Per the California State University’s Out-of-State Employment Policy , the CSU is prohibited from hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside California. Working in the State of California is a condition of employment. 

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.

This position is subject to employment verification, education verification, reference checks and criminal record checks. An offer of appointment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check, including a criminal records check, and may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information.  Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act or Clery Act Notification can be found at  Clery Act Notification .