What are the responsibilities and job description for the Adjunct Instructors, Psychology position at Merrimack College?
Position Description & Overview
The Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Merrimack College invites applications for adjunct faculty to teach graduate courses in the new Master of Science in Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology program beginning in the Fall 2026 semester.
The department is seeking qualified instructors for all of the following graduate courses:
PSY5220 – Research and Ethics in Organizations (4 credits)
Graduate survey of research design for organizational settings with a concurrent focus on professional ethics (APA/SIOP), IRB processes, and data governance. Covers hypothesis generation, sampling, measurement, experimental and quasi-experimental designs, program evaluation, and reporting standards.
PSY5230 – Psychometrics (4 credits)
Advanced applications in psychological measurement building on graduate‐level research methods. Topics include classical test theory and modern test theory, reliability estimation, item analysis, factor analysis, validity and validity generalization, and principles of test development for both cognitive and non‐cognitive measures. Students examine response biases, scoring approaches, psychological scaling, and evaluation of test fairness. Emphasis is placed on applied psychometric analysis using R and Power BI for data cleaning, item construction, reliability and validity computation, dimensionality assessment, and data visualization. Students complete a comprehensive test construction project involving item writing, data collection, statistical analysis, and interpretation of psychometric properties.
PSY5240 – Data Analysis for I/O Psychology (4 credits)
Applied statistics and analytics for organizational research using statistical software (e.g., R/SPSS). Topics include regression, ANOVA/ANCOVA, generalized linear models, effect sizes, assumption checking, visualization, and reproducible reporting. Emphasis on interpreting results for non-technical stakeholders and linking analyses to actionable decisions. Lab-based assignments and a cumulative analysis report.
Courses are anticipated to be offered in an 8-week format. Depending on enrollment and departmental needs, courses may be offered online (primarily asynchronous with optional synchronous meetings) or in a hybrid format. Applicants should indicate their experience teaching in these modalities.
Qualifications
Required:
Compensation
Minimum: $5,000 per 4-credit course
Minimum: $3,750 per lab section
The actual pay offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as, but not limited to, candidate qualifications and prior experience, scope of responsibilities, internal equity, and market considerations.
Statement on Our Mission
Merrimack College is a Catholic Augustinian institution of higher education committed to building an accepting and respectful community. Our mission is to enlighten minds, engage hearts and empower lives and is inspired by our Catholic faith and the Augustinian tradition of seeking truth through inquiry and dialogue.
Merrimack College seeks candidates who understand, respect, and can contribute to Merrimack’s Catholic and Augustinian mission. All candidates should describe in their application how they will foster a culture that supports our mission.
About Merrimack College
The only Catholic, Augustinian institution of higher education in New England, Merrimack College is a private, independent, coeducational institution with more than 4,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students from 46 states and 45 countries. The College features more than 160 career-focused academic programs in science, engineering, business, nursing, health sciences, education, social sciences and humanities across undergraduate, professional and graduate programs, all taught by exceptional faculty who are passionate about their subject and student success. The College has six schools: arts and sciences, engineering and computational sciences, nursing and health sciences, education and social policy, the Girard school of business, and the Graduate School of counseling and social work. The College’s suburban 220-acre campus is just north of Boston in North Andover, Massachusetts. Merrimack is a Master’s Colleges and Universities/Larger Programs (M1) institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Merrimack is one of the fastest-growing educational institutions in the country and has steadily climbed up in the U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of Best Colleges, ranking 37th in the Regional Universities North category in 2025. Merrimack is a NCAA Division I athletic institution.
Merrimack College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
The Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Merrimack College invites applications for adjunct faculty to teach graduate courses in the new Master of Science in Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology program beginning in the Fall 2026 semester.
The department is seeking qualified instructors for all of the following graduate courses:
PSY5220 – Research and Ethics in Organizations (4 credits)
Graduate survey of research design for organizational settings with a concurrent focus on professional ethics (APA/SIOP), IRB processes, and data governance. Covers hypothesis generation, sampling, measurement, experimental and quasi-experimental designs, program evaluation, and reporting standards.
PSY5230 – Psychometrics (4 credits)
Advanced applications in psychological measurement building on graduate‐level research methods. Topics include classical test theory and modern test theory, reliability estimation, item analysis, factor analysis, validity and validity generalization, and principles of test development for both cognitive and non‐cognitive measures. Students examine response biases, scoring approaches, psychological scaling, and evaluation of test fairness. Emphasis is placed on applied psychometric analysis using R and Power BI for data cleaning, item construction, reliability and validity computation, dimensionality assessment, and data visualization. Students complete a comprehensive test construction project involving item writing, data collection, statistical analysis, and interpretation of psychometric properties.
PSY5240 – Data Analysis for I/O Psychology (4 credits)
Applied statistics and analytics for organizational research using statistical software (e.g., R/SPSS). Topics include regression, ANOVA/ANCOVA, generalized linear models, effect sizes, assumption checking, visualization, and reproducible reporting. Emphasis on interpreting results for non-technical stakeholders and linking analyses to actionable decisions. Lab-based assignments and a cumulative analysis report.
Courses are anticipated to be offered in an 8-week format. Depending on enrollment and departmental needs, courses may be offered online (primarily asynchronous with optional synchronous meetings) or in a hybrid format. Applicants should indicate their experience teaching in these modalities.
Qualifications
Required:
- Master's degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Psychology, Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management, or a closely related field.
- Demonstrated expertise in the content area(s) of the course(s) being taught.
- Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology or a closely related discipline.
- Experience teaching graduate-level courses.
- Applied experience in organizational research, personnel selection, organizational consulting, people analytics, or related professional practice.
- Experience using statistical software such as R, SPSS, SAS, or Python (particularly for PSY5240).
- Familiarity with APA and Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) principles and guidelines.
- Cover letter describing interest in the position and identifying which course(s) the
- applicant is qualified to teach.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV).
- Sample syllabus for a similar course, if available.
- Recent teaching evaluations (optional but preferred).
- Names and contact information for three professional references.
Compensation
Minimum: $5,000 per 4-credit course
Minimum: $3,750 per lab section
The actual pay offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as, but not limited to, candidate qualifications and prior experience, scope of responsibilities, internal equity, and market considerations.
Statement on Our Mission
Merrimack College is a Catholic Augustinian institution of higher education committed to building an accepting and respectful community. Our mission is to enlighten minds, engage hearts and empower lives and is inspired by our Catholic faith and the Augustinian tradition of seeking truth through inquiry and dialogue.
Merrimack College seeks candidates who understand, respect, and can contribute to Merrimack’s Catholic and Augustinian mission. All candidates should describe in their application how they will foster a culture that supports our mission.
About Merrimack College
The only Catholic, Augustinian institution of higher education in New England, Merrimack College is a private, independent, coeducational institution with more than 4,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students from 46 states and 45 countries. The College features more than 160 career-focused academic programs in science, engineering, business, nursing, health sciences, education, social sciences and humanities across undergraduate, professional and graduate programs, all taught by exceptional faculty who are passionate about their subject and student success. The College has six schools: arts and sciences, engineering and computational sciences, nursing and health sciences, education and social policy, the Girard school of business, and the Graduate School of counseling and social work. The College’s suburban 220-acre campus is just north of Boston in North Andover, Massachusetts. Merrimack is a Master’s Colleges and Universities/Larger Programs (M1) institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Merrimack is one of the fastest-growing educational institutions in the country and has steadily climbed up in the U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of Best Colleges, ranking 37th in the Regional Universities North category in 2025. Merrimack is a NCAA Division I athletic institution.
Merrimack College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.