Faculty/Tenure Track Instructor

Salary: $75,462.00 - $157,233.00 Annually

Location : CA 90405, CA

Job Type: Full Time Faculty

Job Number: 00307

Department: Earth Science

Opening Date: 11/18/2024

Closing Date: 1/15/:59 PM Pacific

Job Duties

COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND DIVERSITY

With the goal of ensuring the equal educational opportunity of all students, Santa Monica College embraces diversity among students, faculty, staff, and the communities we serve as an integral part of our history, a recognition of the complexity of our present state, and a call to action for a better future. Embracing diversity means that we must intentionally practice equity and respect toward one another, and understand that discrimination and prejudices create and sustain privileges for some while creating and sustaining barriers for others. In order to embrace diversity, we also acknowledge that institutional discrimination and implicit bias exist, and that our goal is to eradicate those vestiges from our system. Our commitment to diversity requires that we strive to eliminate those barriers to equity, and that we act deliberately to create a safe and positive environment where individual and group differences are valued and leveraged for our growth and understanding as an educational community.

To advance the goals of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice for the success of students and employees, we must honor that each individual is unique and that our individual differences contribute to the ability of the college to prepare students on their educational journeys. This requires that we develop and implement policies and procedures, encourage individual and systemic change, continually reflect on our efforts, and hold ourselves accountable for the results of our efforts in accomplishing our goals.

We are invested as a community in cultivating and maintaining a climate where equity and mutual respect are both intrinsic and explicit by valuing individuals and groups from all backgrounds, demographics, and experiences. Individual and group differences can include, but are not limited to the following dimensions: race, ethnicity, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, immigration status, sex, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, religion, creed, military or veteran status, socioeconomic status, and any other basis protected by federal, state or local law or ordinance or regulation. We acknowledge that the concept of inclusion and diversity is ever-evolving, thus we create space to allow our understanding to grow through the periodic review of this statement. In service of these goals, Santa Monica College is committed to fostering an employment environment that offers equal employment opportunity for all and an educational environment that ensures the equal educational opportunity of all students.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities
The Earth Science Department of Santa Monica College seeks qualified applicants for a tenure-track teaching position in Astronomy to begin in the fall semester of 2025. Experience in observational astronomy and astronomical instrumentation is especially welcomed.

The job duties and responsibilities expected in this position include the following:

• Teach transfer-level lecture and laboratory courses in astronomy, astrobiology and astrophysics to our diverse student body.
• Teach a combination of on-ground, hybrid and fully online astronomy courses.
• Expand and update current courses and develop new courses in astronomy.
• Operation and maintenance of our new state-of-the art astronomical observatory and digital planetarium, including both hardware and software.
• Act as an advisor for the Santa Monica College Associated Students Astronomy Club.
• Public outreach to the local community.
• Collaborate with other Earth Science faculty members to design, evaluate, and implement course materials and classroom assessment strategies that enhance student success and persistence toward achieving academic/career goals.
• Collaborate with Earth Science faculty on program review reports.
• Maintain office hours during each semester.
• Serve on faculty hiring and evaluation committees.
• Participate in campus-wide shared governance activities such as serving on the Academic Senate and/or its committees and the Santa Monica College Faculty Association.
• Actively participate in relevant professional development opportunities.
• Commitment to evidence-based (scientific) instructional practices.
• Commitment to equitable instructional methods.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicant must meet the minimum qualifications of an Astronomy faculty discipline at the college. To review the minimum qualifications for faculty disciplines, refer to Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Colleges, which can be found on the California Chancellor's Office website at

• Possess a Master's degree from an accredited institution in physics, astronomy or astrophysics
  • OR Bachelor's in physics or astronomy AND Master's in engineering, mathematics, meteorology, or geophysics
  • OR the equivalent
• Must have evidence of sensitivity to and understanding of the socio-economic, academic, cultural and ethnic diversity within the community college student population, including students for whom English is not their first language, first generation college students, and students with physical and/or learning disabilities as these factors relate to differences in learning styles.

The Santa Monica Community College District, in its desire to select outstanding faculty members from the largest possible pool of qualified applicants, recognizes the fact that candidates may attain expertise in a discipline through a variety of means. Certain combinations of education, experience and other accomplishments in the field may be judged by the District as equal to the stated minimum qualifications for this position. Candidates who feel they possess such equivalent qualifications are encouraged to apply and provide appropriate documentation of their qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. degree in astronomy, astrophysics, physics, optical engineering and/or industrial experience in space science or related fields.
• College-level teaching experience as the professor of record in astronomy lecture and laboratory courses.
• Active participation in professional activities and organizations, including peer-reviewed publication.
• Recent participation in professional development programs or post-graduate degree programs designed to enhance pedagogical effectiveness and extra-curricular support for students preparing to enter STEM.
• Practical experience in amateur astronomy and public outreach.
• Knowledge of current advances and practices in astronomical research and the ability to translate these to college-level classes.

Additional Information

Full-Time Faculty Application Requirements

A standard application consists of the following:

• Online District Application
• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Transcript

Additional, job-specific items may be required. Please refer to the job posting for specific details.

PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU ARE SELECTED FOR A FINAL INTERVIEW YOU MAY BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION TO BE REVIEWED AS A PART OF THE FINAL PROCESS.

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all application materials are received prior to the recruitment deadline.

Pay Philosophy

Starting salaries for Full-Time Faculty are based on a combination of experience (step) and educational (group) achievement. Initial placement is within the starting salary range and a minimum of step 5 within the applicable group. Further advancements are based on longevity and educational growth.

This advertised salary range is based on the contracted regular semesters (Fall and Spring). Intersessions (Winter and/or Summer), additional teaching load, and/or substitute teaching may result in increased earning potential.

Diversity Statement

Recent experience working with African American, Latinx, Native American, and other racially minoritized students in the classroom; and a willingness to use culturally responsive instructional practices.

Demonstrated sensitivity to issues of diversity, and ability to motivate and teach community college students of diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, sexual orientations, genders, cultures, and learning styles, as well as students with disabilities or varied levels of academic preparation.

Please review our Diversity Report:

Equity Statement

Santa Monica College encourages candidates that are equity-minded to apply. SMC is a minority-serving, Hispanic-serving institution. We actively seek to attract candidates from minority groups that value equity, diversity and inclusion. Equity, diversity and inclusion are built into the culture at SMC and are an essential component of the work that we do. SMC is committed to racial and socioeconomic diversity as it is a reflection of our student population and we strive to hire candidates that share this commitment.

Equal Employment Opportunity Disclosure

The Santa Monica Community College District is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity. All qualified applicants for employment . click apply for full job details