Position: Assistant Professor of Advanced Educational Studies (Special Education) 

Type: Tenure-Track                   Academic Year: 2026-27                       Available: Fall 2026 

Location:         Advanced Educational Studies Department

                        College of Social Sciences and Education

                        California State University, Bakersfield

                        9001 Stockdale Highway

                        Bakersfield, CA  93311-1099

Contact: Requests for information about the position and application process should be directed to Dr. Michael Szolowicz, Department Chair, mszolowicz@csub.edu. 

Deadline: Full consideration will be given to complete applications submitted by March 15, 2026. Applications submitted after the deadline may be reviewed at the discretion of the committee until the position is filled. 

University Background: CSU Bakersfield (CSUB), founded in 1970, is a regional, comprehensive university serving the southern San Joaquin Valley of California. CSUB’s service area covers nearly 25,000 square miles and is home to a socially and ethnically diverse population. CSUB is the only four-year degree-granting institution within a 100-mile radius. Due to this, CSUB has a vital role in educational obtainment, economic development, and quality of life within the region. The campus serves 9,800 undergraduate students and 1,750 graduate, credential, and post-baccalaureate students. CSU Bakersfield is a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).

The accolades recently received by CSUB include: #18 in Top Public Universities in the West (U.S. News and World Report, 2025), #17 in Best Bang for the Buck for Western Colleges, and #8 in Best Master’s University (Washington Monthly, 2025), #9 in Economic Mobility Index (Third Way, 2024), and #4 in California Mobility Index (College Future Foundation, 2024).

Commitment to Diversity: The Department of Advanced Educational Studies within the College of Social Sciences and Education at CSUB is committed to academic and inclusive excellence and diversity within the faculty, staff, and student body. 

College Information: The College of Social Sciences and Education is the largest college at CSUB, serving over 5,000 students through 16 departments and programs. Educator preparation programs form a significant portion of the college, including special education teacher preparation, teacher preparation, educational counseling, and educational administration. The college’s undergraduate and graduate programs prepare future leaders, professionals, researchers, and community advocates to enhance the quality of life for all people.

Department Information: The Advanced Educational Studies Department at CSUB prepares school administrators, counselors, and special education teachers. Our programs and services prepare students for degrees and specific credentials required in the State of California for service in specialist and administrative positions that require advanced preparation and special competence. These programs also provide in-service educational opportunities for persons currently filling such positions.

The Special Education programs at CSUB are guided by the philosophy that all individuals in our society have the right to be educated in the least restrictive environment that fulfills their individual needs. Special education aims to help all children become productive and participating members of society by developing their optimal potential, regardless of disability. At CSUB, our primary mission is to prepare future special education teachers who can work effectively with students with Mild to Moderate Support Needs (MMSN) and Extensive Support Needs (ESN). Our students develop the instructional, interpersonal, and management skills that are critical to success in this field. Graduates become effective teachers and caring, reflective, decision-making professionals.

Position Description and Duties: The successful candidate will demonstrate the capacity to teach content area courses in special education, which may include, but are not limited to, Collaboration and Transition, Assessment, Positive Behavioral Support, Curriculum and Instruction, and Research Methods. In addition, the candidate will be responsible for providing high-quality clinical practice supervision and mentoring for special education teacher candidates across diverse educational settings. Other related duties include committee work, a portfolio of scholarship, and meaningful engagement in professional and community-based service that advances the field of special education. The candidate is expected to demonstrate flexibility in teaching modalities, schedules, and locations as necessary to meet programmatic and student needs, and to employ innovative, inclusive, and evidence-based instructional strategies. 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Doctorate in Special Education or related field, from an accredited institution
• Minimum of three (3) years of public school and/or clinical experience serving students in cross-cultural special education settings
• Demonstrated potential to teach master’s level Special Education courses
• Demonstrated potential for sustained growth and success in research, scholarship, and/or creative activities
• Demonstrated potential for supervision of master’s students
• Demonstrated potential for developing and sustaining collaborative partnerships with educational partners, including other university departments and local school districts (e.g., teacher residency programs)
• Demonstrated commitment to teaching undergraduates and/or post-baccalaureate students from diverse socioeconomic, cultural, and academic backgrounds, including first-generation students 

Rank and Salary:

• Assistant Professor; salary based on qualifications and experience
• Anticipated annual salary range $74,652 - $80,000

Benefits: 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.

Application:

• Cover letter describing interest in the position, qualifications, and recent experience
• Curriculum vitae
• Unofficial transcripts of the highest degree earned
• Three current professional references with names and contact information. References will not be contacted without prior notification to applicants
• A statement about fostering an inclusive classroom

Application Process: Please apply online at the CSUB Careers site (https://careers.csub.edu/en-us/listing/). 

Background Check: A background check (including a criminal records check) must be satisfactorily completed. Offers of employment are conditional 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.

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 seven 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 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.

Authorization to Work: Employment is contingent upon US residence and proof of eligibility to work in the United States. CSUB is currently unable to sponsor new H-1B employment visas, which are subject to the $100,000 fee established by the “Presidential Proclamation: Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” issued on September 19, 2025. Applicants are responsible for determining the applicability of the fee.

Out of State Employment: Per CSU-wide policy, all faculty who will begin initial employment (or return from a 12-month break in service) on or after January 1, 2022, are required to perform their work from within the State of California. Faculty assignments include in-person duties that require an on-campus presence. 

Mandated Reporter: 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. The person will also have a duty to report to the Campus Title IX Officer information pertaining to discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct or exploitation, dating or domestic violence, stalking, and retaliation under the CSU Interim Nondiscrimination Policy. 

Clery Act: CSUB's annual crime report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus, in certain off-campus centers, such as our Antelope Valley Satellite Campus and on property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from CSUB. The report also includes policies concerning security on campus, such as alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, reporting crimes, sexual assault, and other subjects. Additionally, a daily log of offenses is maintained and can be reviewed at the front desk of the Department of Public Safety. You can obtain a copy of the annual report by contacting the Department of Public Safety/University Police at (661) 654-2111 or by logging on to their website at: https://www.csub.edu/compliance/Clery.

EEO Statement: All university programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, CSUB 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.

CSUB 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.

CSUB is a diverse community of individuals who represent many perspectives, beliefs and identities, committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually vibrant environment. We cultivate a culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and belonging to support educational excellence and student success. Through academic programs, student organizations and activities, faculty initiatives, and community partnerships, we encourage meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. As a higher education institution, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and empowering individuals to reach their full potential by prioritizing inclusive curriculum development, faculty and staff training, student mentorship, and comprehensive support programs. At CSUB, excellence is built on merit, talent, diversity, accessibility, and equal opportunity for all.