Assistant Professor, Biology (Tenure Track)

Contra Costa Community College District; Martinez (CA); On-site; USD 68,000 - 113,000; Full time

Job summary

Los Medanos College, part of Contra Costa Community College District, invites applications for a full-time biology faculty tenure-track position beginning Fall 2027 on the Pittsburg campus. The role involves teaching biology majors and non-majors, establishing a course schedule, coordinating field trips, and maintaining relationships with community partners.

The candidate will collaborate on embedded course research, assist in STEM symposium planning, and serve as a MESA liaison, contributing to

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in any biological science OR Bachelor’s degree in any biological science AND master’s degree in biochemistry, biophysics, or marine science OR The equivalent.
• Understanding of and sensitivity to the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, sexual orientation and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, staff and faculty.
• Experience teaching biology labs that include hypothesis-based hands-on curricula and field-based experiences.

Responsibilities

• Advance equitable student learning through exemplary instruction.
• Assess and document student learning outcomes across courses and programs.
• Collaborate in curriculum development, program review, and department governance.
• Engage in department, division, and college committees and professional development.
• Maintain regular office hours and communicate course requirements and expectations.

Skills

Excellent teaching ability

Interpersonal skills

Community college engagement

Education

Master’s degree in any biological science

Bachelor’s degree in any biological science AND Master’s degree in biochemistry, biophysics, or marine science

Master’s degree equivalency form (if needed)

Job description

Assistant Professor, Biology (Tenure Track)

Join Our Mission To Transform Lives

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Los Medanos College is recruiting to fill a Biology full-time tenure track faculty position to teach biology majors (Biosc21 Principles of Biology: Organismal) and non-major courses (Biosc7: Ecology and the Environment) on the Pittsburg campus starting in Fall 2027. For Bio7, we need a course lead who establishes and maintains the course schedule, coordinates field trips, and maintains relationships with community partners. For Bio21, the faculty member would coordinate and collaborate with the department’s course lead on embedded course research, participate in STEM symposium planning, and be a MESA liaison for our biology majors. As a member in the biology department, we look forward to your involvement in biology department business/meetings, professional development, committee work, and other parts of campus culture.

Recruitment Timeline:

1) Initial review of applications will occur [December 2026].

2) Selected applicants will be contacted in [January 2027] to schedule an interview. Interviews will take place in-person in [February 2027].

3) Final interviews will be held [February/March 2027]. Applicants will be responsible for travel expenses. The college nor the District reimburses for travel expenses.

No candidate for a full-time position shall be recommended as a finalist to the President without meeting the minimum qualifications or having been verified as meeting the equivalency.

If you do not possess the exact degree listed in the minimum qualification section, you must fill out a Master’s degree equivalency form and upload in the attachment section of the online employment application to be considered.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Los Medanos College is recruiting to fill a Biology full-time tenure track faculty position to teach biology majors (Biosc21 Principles of Biology: Organismal) and non-major courses (Biosc7: Ecology and the Environment) on the Pittsburg campus starting in Fall 2027. For Bio7, we need a course lead who establishes and maintains the course schedule, coordinates field trips, and maintains relationships with community partners. For Bio21, the faculty member would coordinate and collaborate with the department’s course lead on embedded course research, participate in STEM symposium planning, and be a MESA liaison for our biology majors. As a member in the biology department, we look forward to your involvement in biology department business/meetings, professional development, committee work, and other parts of campus culture.

Recruitment Timeline:

1) Initial review of applications will occur [December 2026].

2) Selected applicants will be contacted in [January 2027] to schedule an interview. Interviews will take place in-person in [February 2027].

3) Final interviews will be held [February/March 2027]. Applicants will be responsible for travel expenses. The college nor the District reimburses for travel expenses.

No candidate for a full-time position shall be recommended as a finalist to the President without meeting the minimum qualifications or having been verified as meeting the equivalency.

If you do not possess the exact degree listed in the minimum qualification section, you must fill out a Master’s degree equivalency form and upload in the attachment section of the online employment application to be considered.

Description of Position

Los Medanos College is recruiting to fill a Biology full-time tenure track faculty position to teach biology majors (Biosc21 Principles of Biology: Organismal) and non-major courses (Biosc7: Ecology and the Environment) on the Pittsburg campus starting in Fall 2027. For Bio7, we need a course lead who establishes and maintains the course schedule, coordinates field trips, and maintains relationships with community partners. For Bio21, the faculty member would coordinate and collaborate with the department’s course lead on embedded course research, participate in STEM symposium planning, and be a MESA liaison for our biology majors. As a member in the biology department, we look forward to your involvement in biology department business/meetings, professional development, committee work, and other parts of campus culture.

Our Vision for Social Justice

We are seeking people who recognize the critical role community colleges play in social justice, who have ability in this space, enthusiasm for this work, ideas and vision to improve our approaches, and a commitment to achieving equitable academic success for the 50,000+ students attending our five beautiful colleges and centers. Our social justice work calls for employees who have a sense of social responsibility, interest in our community and world in which we live. The intention of social justice work is to strengthen humanity by understanding that every person deserves the benefits of fully participating in our society and institutions. Academic researchers have illustrated that crucial social justice principles are a compilation of equality, equity, diversity, inclusion, engagement, environmental sustainability and human rights. These complex principles are challenging to operationalize in higher education; yet, we are steadfast in our diligence to forge ahead to advance this vital mission. Community colleges are uniquely positioned to lead higher education in the work of social justice. Many of our students come from historically underserved and underrepresented backgrounds; students of color, students with recent immigrant histories, students from cycles of low income if not poverty, students from indigenous communities, and students from first-generation families. The idea of promoting social mobility through education is unconditionally and uncompromisingly embraced by community colleges. This is an exciting role, and it comes with a heavy responsibility. Simply put, we need to create environments where our students achieve greater academic success, so much so that we close our persistent equity/opportunity gaps. If you are committed to social and racial justice and if you are interested in joining a community dedicated to solving these inequities through education, please apply.

Inquiries

Recruitment Type

Recruitment Type Faculty

Location

Posting Number

Posting Number F01357

# of Openings

# of Openings 1

Initial salary placement for full-time, tenure track positions is based on academic degree(s), upper/graduate level units earned, teaching experience and/or qualifying related professional occupation experience which ranges from $68,136 to $112,848 per year (Up to $132k).

Position Status

EEO Job Category

EEO Job Category Faculty & Other Instructional Staff

Employee Group

Employee Group Full-Time Faculty

Department

Department L5010-Biological Sciences

Discipline Biological sciences

Duties and Responsibilities

• In addition to contractual duties, all full-time faculty are expected to participate actively in their disciplines, department activities, and the general intellectual life and governance of the college. Part of the teaching assignment may be in the evening and/or online. Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: 1. advancing equitable student learning through dedicated, exemplary instruction in accordance with established course outlines; 2. participating in the assessment of student learning outcomes for courses and programs; developing and implementing student learning outcomes assessment processes for courses and programs; 3. collaborating in the development and revision of curriculum and in program review; 4. engaging in department program improvement initiatives; 5. participating in department, division, and college committees; 6. participating in professional development activities, both departmental and college-wide; 7. maintaining current knowledge in the subject matter area and effective teaching/ learning strategies; 8. maintaining appropriate standards of professional conduct and ethics; 9. informing students of course requirements, evaluation procedures and attendance requirements; 10. preparing and grading class assignments and examinations and informing students of their academic progress; 11. maintaining attendance, scholastic, and personnel records and submitting them according to published deadlines; 12. posting and holding sufficient and regular office hours in accordance with prevailing policy; 13. participating in College’s shared governance processes.

1) Master’s degree in any biological science OR Bachelor’s degree in any biological science AND master’s degree in biochemistry, biophysics, or marine science OR The equivalent. (If you do not possess the required degree, you can submit a master’s degree equivalency form to explain how you have the equivalent background. You can find and submit the form in the attachment section of the application.)

2) Understanding of and sensitivity to the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, sexual orientation and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, staff and faculty.

License/Certificates/Credentials

Desirable Qualifications

• 1. Excellent teaching ability and enthusiasm for working with the LMC student population.
• 2. Experience and/or ability to teach an engaging yet rigorous course for both majors and non-majors biology, requiring an understanding of the needs and challenges at both levels.
• 3. Experience and/or ability for teaching biology labs that include hypothesis based hands-on lab curricula, as well as field-based experiences.
• 4. Strong interpersonal and organizational skills, while working collaboratively with our diverse community of coworkers and students.
• 5. An attitude that will put students and colleagues at ease, characterized by intellectual humility, kindness, acceptance of varying points of view, patience, and a generosity of spirit.

Job Open Date:

Job Open Date: 09/22/2026

Job Close Date:

Job Close Date: 11/13/2026

Open Until Filled No

Employment Begins:

Employment Begins: Fall 2027

# of Months

# of Months 12

Employee Benefits

• Membership in State Teachers Retirement System ( STRS )
• District-paid benefits (employee contributes 6%) for employee and dependents/domestic partners include: - Medical (Anthem Blue Cross or Kaiser) insurance including chiropractic services
• - Dental and vision
• - Flexible spending (125) plan
• - Life and long-term disability insurance
• - Employee Assistance Program
• - Deferred compensation (403b and 457)
• - Sabbatical Leave

Additional Benefits: The District also offers eligible faculty employees, travel assistance plan, retiree benefits, and employee discounts on health memberships. Newly hired employees may notify the respective union (Local 1 or United Faculty) if they opt to join and/or authorize payment to the union. If the newly hired employee authorizes payment to the union then the following fees apply: Local 1 has a one-time initiation fee of $45.00 and monthly contribution of 1% of gross pay +$1. United Faculty has an agency fee of .55% of gross pay plus $2.50.

It is the District’s policy to ensure that all qualified applicants for employment and employees have full and equal access to employment opportunity, and are not subjected to discrimination in any program or activity of the District on the basis of ethnic group identity, race, color, ancestry, religion, marital status, sex, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, parental status, citizenship or because an individual is perceived to have one or more of these characteristics or based on association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.

Supplemental Questions

• * Tell us how you meet the minimum job qualifications: a) Master’s degree in any biological science ORb) Bachelor’s degree in any biological science AND master’s degree in biochemistry, biophysics, or marine science ORc) The equivalent. (If you do not possess the required degree, you can submit a master's degree equivalency form to explain how you have the equivalent background. You can find and submit the form in the attachment section of the application.) (Open Ended Question)
• * Share how you understand and relate to community college students, staff, and faculty from different academic, socioeconomic, cultural, sexual orientation and ethnic backgrounds. (Open Ended Question)
• * Describe how your education, skills, and experience make you the best fit for teaching ecology for non-majors and organismal biology for majors at Los Medanos College. (Open Ended Question)
• * What experience do you have supporting research-based curriculum, and coordinating and leading field-based experiences? (Open Ended Question)
• * As an instructor at a community college in the San Francisco Bay Area, you will work with a diverse range of people - persons of diverse linguistic, cultural, socioeconomic, ethnic, and academically prepared backgrounds. Please describe examples of how you foster an inclusive environment, inside and outside the classroom with students and with your colleagues from these various backgrounds. (Open Ended Question)

Required Documents

Required Documents

• Unofficial Transcript (must show degree(s) conferred)
• Cover Letter
• Resume/CV

Optional Documents

• Application for Equivalency
• Foreign Degree Evaluation Form (NACES Approved Agency)
• Unofficial Transcript 2
• Unofficial Transcript 3
• Unofficial Transcript 4

Contra Costa Community College District

District Office

500 Court Street

Martinez, CA 94553

Candidate Employment Notice:The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, Public Law 99-603, requires that employers obtain documentation from every new employee which authorizes that individual to accept employment in this country.