Assistant Professor, Fire Technology

University of California; San Marcos (CA); On-site; USD 859,000 - 1,366,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance

Long-term care insurance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Voluntary insurance options

Job summary

Palomar College seeks a full‑time, 11‑month Assistant Professor in Fire Technology to teach the Fire Academy course (FIRE 151) and related programs across San Marcos and off‑campus locations. The role requires five years of fire service experience, CSFM certifications, and a strong commitment to curricular development and student success.

Starting salary ranges from $77,011.42 to $122,363.70 annually, with comprehensive benefit options and a commitment to diversity and inclusion in a dynamic

Qualifications

• Five years of fire service experience to manage the Accredited Regional Training Program (ARTP).
• Bachelor’s degree or higher AND two years of professional experience OR Associate degree AND six years of professional experience OR an equivalent combination.
• Possession of CSFM Instructor I, CSFM Regional Instructor Orientation (RIO) and CSFM Instructor Ethics by time of appointment. Note: transcripts evaluated for equivalency when earned outside the U.S.

Responsibilities

• Teach Fire Technology courses including the Fire Fighter I Academy (FIRE 151).
• Maintain regular office hours and participate in department activities and college governance.
• Develop and assess curricula, program reviews, and student learning outcomes; collaborate with industry partners.

Skills

Five years fire service experience

CSFM Instructor I

CSFM Regional Instructor Orientation

CSFM Instructor Ethics

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher

Associate degree

Job description

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

• This position is expected to start in the Spring 2027 semester.
• Interviews will require a live teaching demonstration. The hiring committee will decide if interviews will be conducted in person at the College or via Zoom. Travel expenses for first-level interviews are not reimbursed by the College. Second-level travel reimbursement is only available for eligible candidates. HR will notify those who are eligible when second-level interviews are scheduled.

Position Information

Position Title

Department

Department Public Safety Programs

Primary Location

Primary Location N/A

Teaching assignments will include day, evening, and/or weekend classes at the San Marcos campus and/or off-campus locations as part of contract responsibilities, as well as distance education classes.

Full or Part Time

Full or Part Time Full-Time

Category

Hours per week Exempt; complete details may be viewed at https://www.palomar.edu/hr/employees/personnel/. Use the link for the Palomar Faculty Federation Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Number of Months

Number of Months 11 month

Work Schedule

Teaching assignments will include day, evening, and/or weekend classes at the San Marcos campus and/or off-campus locations as part of contract responsibilities, as well as distance education classes. Full-time faculty are expected to participate fully in departmental activities and college governance and hold regular office hours.

Grade

• Starting salary range: $77,011.42 – $122,363.70 annually.
• Academic training and teaching experience will form the basis for salary computation as determined by placement on the regular salary schedule of the College. A maximum of step 8 at the appropriate salary grade will be awarded to new faculty. For a salary estimate, visit www.palomar.edu/hr/employees/classifications/salary/ and use the links in the Full-time Faculty section.

Salary/Wage Frequency Monthly

In addition to a competitive compensation structure, Palomar College also offers an extremely generous benefits package.

• Insurance fully paid for employees and their eligible dependents: four medical plans, dental HMO , and the vision plan (additional plans are available that require employee buy up/monthly contribution)
• $80,000 employee term life/accident insurance policy (additional buy up options available)
• Employee long-term care insurance
• Employee Assistance Plan ( EAP ) – Free counseling, financial, legal, personal and professional development resources
• Additional buy up options available for other voluntary insurance benefits

The estimated maximum value of this employer-paid benefits package is approximately $31,245.84 annually.

Primary Function

The Assistant Professor, Fire Technology (Fire Academy) is primarily responsible for teaching a variety of courses within the discipline of Fire Technology; specifically for the Fire Fighter I Academy ( FIRE 151) course.

Minimum Qualifications

Must meet all the qualifications listed under 1-3 below:

1) Five years of fire service experience to manage the Accredited Regional Training Program ( ARTP ).

2) Must meet one of the sets of qualifications listed under 1) through 3):

a) Any bachelor’s degree or higher AND two years of professional experience.

b) Any associate degree AND six years of professional experience.

c) A combination of education and experience that is at least the equivalent of the qualifications in either 1) or 2) above. You must complete and attach the Application for Equivalency form (www.palomar.edu/hr/equivalency-app/ ), if you do not possess the specific minimum qualifications as stated above, which includes degrees that have not been awarded at the time of submitting the application.

3) Possession of the following California State Fire Marshal ( CSFM ) certificates by time of appointment:

a) CSFM Instructor I (not just course completion), also known as Fire and Emergency Services Instructor 1 or CSFM accepted equivalent

b) CSFM Regional Instructor Orientation ( RIO )

c) CSFM Instructor Ethics

Only coursework completed at, and degrees awarded by, accredited institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education will be considered as satisfying the minimum qualifications. Coursework and degrees that are completed outside of the United States are required to have transcripts evaluated (evaluation to U.S. equivalency and a course by course analysis) by an appropriate U.S. credentials evaluation service. For a list of credentials evaluation agencies accepted by Palomar College, visit the National Association of Credentials Evaluation Services ( NACES ) website at https://www.naces.org/index , or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ( AICE ) website at http://aice-eval.org/ .

NOTE : For professional experience, a “year” is defined as equivalent to 40 hours per week for 10 months.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Antiracism (DEIAA) Statement

Palomar College is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and antiracism ( DEIAA ). We are dedicated to empowering students to succeed and are guided by our core values; some of which are the following:

• Access – We make education possible for everyone.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – We recognize and respect diversity, seek to foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, and strive to address inequities.

All positions require cultural competency which includes the sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, faculty, and staff.

Preferred Qualifications

• Commitment to a student learning-centered college.
• Evidence of a strong commitment to remain current in Fire Technology and its instructional program.
• Experience as a frontline supervisor at the captain rank or higher performing suppression duties within a Recognized Fire Agency in California or equivalent experience in a private fire brigade.
• Strong academic preparation in Fire Technology as evidenced by undergraduate and graduate-level coursework.
• Demonstrated interest and/or experience in engagement with the college and broader community.
• Experience with learning management systems or teaching distance/online education classes.

Licenses and/or Certificates

See Minimum Qualifications section above.

In addition to the teaching responsibilities, other duties and institutional responsibilities include maintaining regular office hours, developing curriculum, program review and planning, developing and assessing student learning outcomes, and participating in department activities and college governance. Related duties include the following:

• Ensuring the Fire Academy follows all rules, regulations, and curriculum set forth by California State Fire Training ( SFT ) and strictly follows the SFT testing procedures and guidelines.
• Delivering instruction in accordance with the course objectives and learning outcomes set for the course, including practical skills, methods, theories and techniques.
• Developing and managing course curriculum, syllabus materials and lesson plans.
• Provide faculty guidance and oversight for the Fire Academy, in coordination with the Dean, Fire Academy Chair, and academy staff, to support cohort planning, student success, certificate completion, program quality and continuous improvement in alignment with State Fire Training and Career Technical Education ( CTE ) standards.
• Collaborate with industry leaders and community partners, and advisory committee members to ensure the continued relevance, viability, and workforce alignment of the Fire Technology program, Fire Academy, and associated curriculum in accordance with Career Technical Education ( CTE ) standards.
• Providing academic and career advisement.
• Assisting with researching, writing and/or obtaining grants.
• Attending and participating in faculty meetings and/or departmental curricular meetings and events.
• Facilitating part time faculty evaluations, high school articulation, and textbook requirements (with an emphasis on zero-cost textbooks and open education resources).
• Assisting with community outreach.
• Assigning instructors, driver operators, and tactical ( TAC ) officers as needed.
• Assisting in coordinating integration and sequencing of Public Safety Fire Academy instruction with multi-disciplinary learning communities and agencies.
• May serve as the discipline specialists supporting the Department Chair with scheduling, hiring, evaluations, and program review as relevant.

This is a full-time, 11 months per year, tenure-track position. Teaching assignments will include day, evening, and/or weekend classes at the San Marcos campus and/or off-campus locations as part of contract responsibilities, as well as distance education classes. Full-time faculty are expected to participate fully in departmental activities and college governance and hold regular office hours.

The person selected for hire will be required to complete the following pre-employment requirements: live scan/fingerprinting, official transcript(s), TB risk assessment, and employment verification(s). Other pre-employment requirements may be required depending on the position (i.e. certifications or licenses; see applicable job posting section for details). Successful completion of all pre-employment requirements is mandatory to be eligible for employment. These requirements are in accordance with the following Administrative Procedures and Board Policies: AP 7120 , AP 7120a , AP 7125 , AP 7126 , AP 7127 , AP 7330 , BP 7330 , AP 7336 , AP 7337 , BP 7335 .

• This position is expected to start in the Spring 2027 semester.
• Interviews will require a live teaching demonstration. The hiring committee will decide if interviews will be conducted in person at the College or via Zoom. Travel expenses for first-level interviews are not reimbursed by the College. Second-level travel reimbursement is only available for eligible candidates. HR will notify those who are eligible when second-level interviews are scheduled.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*)

• * Please demonstrate that you have knowledge of, and will advocate for, the elimination of systemic barriers that impact the success of students, faculty, and staff from diverse racial backgrounds.

  (Open Ended Question)

• * How did you hear about this employment opportunity?
  • ACCCA.org
  • American Association of Community College
  • CalJOBS
  • CCC Registry
  • ChronicleVitae.com (Chronicle of Higher Education)
  • Colleague/Friend/Relative
  • Community College Jobs
  • CraigsList
  • DSPSjobs.com
  • EdJoin