Assistant Professor of Special Education

San José State University; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits available through CSU system

Job summary

San José State University seeks an Assistant Professor of Special Education to contribute to teaching, scholarship, and service in the MA in Special Education and Education Specialist Credential programs. Start date is August 2026, with a focus on developing a strong scholarly agenda and teaching diverse student populations.

Candidates should demonstrate potential for research and scholarly writing with expertise in working with students who have mild to moderate disabilities, including

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Ed.D. in Special Education or a related field.
• Demonstrated potential for research and scholarly writing.
• Awareness and sensitivity to the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population.

Responsibilities

• Teach courses for Master's, credential, and undergraduate students in the Department of Special Education.
• Maintain an active scholarly agenda required for tenure and promotion.
• Provide service to the department through advising students, curriculum development, assessment, accreditation tasks, and recruitment activities.
• Participate in shared governance in departmental, college, and university committees.
• Organize all classes within the Canvas LMS.
• Demonstrate awareness of and experience in meeting the diverse needs of students through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies, and advisement.

Skills

Teaching

Bilingual experience

Education

Ph.D./Ed.D. in Special Education or related field

Job description

Position Overview

Title: Assistant Professor of Special Education

Department: Lurie College of Education / Department of Special Education

Location: San José, California

Rank and Type: Instructional Faculty – Tenured/Tenure-Track

Start Date: August 17, 2026

Application Deadline: December 20, 2025 (open until filled)

Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications and experience; anticipated academic year salary range $90,000 – $100,000. Benefits available through CSU system.

Position Description

The Department of Special Education at San José State University seeks an Assistant Professor beginning August 2026 who will contribute to teaching, scholarship, and service in the Master of Arts in Special Education and Education Specialist Credential programs. Candidates should demonstrate a strong potential for research, writing, and teaching, with expertise in working with students who have mild to moderate disabilities, including multilingual and students from diverse backgrounds. The department values equity, inclusion, and transformative education, and offers collaboration opportunities with local education agencies and residency programs.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Ed.D. in Special Education or a related field.
• Demonstrated potential for research and scholarly writing.
• Awareness and sensitivity to the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population.

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum of three years public-school teaching experience with students with mild to moderate disabilities, including emerging bilinguals.
• Interest in supporting teacher candidates earning bilingual authorization and in field supervision in bilingual settings.
• Interest in integrating AI and emerging technologies into teaching and scholarship.
• Interest in advising doctoral students in the Lurie College EdD program.
• Strong potential for research and scholarly work evidenced by publications, grant proposals, or conference presentations.

Key Responsibilities

• Teach courses for Master's, credential, and undergraduate students in the Department of Special Education.
• Maintain an active scholarly agenda required for tenure and promotion.
• Provide service to the department through advising students, curriculum development, assessment, accreditation tasks, and recruitment activities.
• Participate in shared governance in departmental, college, and university committees.
• Organize all classes within the Canvas LMS.
• Demonstrate awareness of and experience in meeting the diverse needs of students through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies, and advisement.

Other Duties

All faculty are mandated reporters under California law and must comply with CSU Executive Order 1083. Faculty may be designated as Campus Security Authority (CSA) and are required to complete Clery Act training. Faculty must complete required CSU training programs (e.g., Data Security, FERPA, Title IX, Health & Safety).

Application Requirements

• Letter of interest
• Curriculum vitae
• Institutional excellence statement (or inclusion in the letter of interest)
• Statement of teaching interests/philosophy
• Research plans
• Three references with contact information

Equal Employment Statement

San José State University prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, ancestry, caste, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military status, nationality, race, religion, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, sex stereotype, and veteran status. Reasonable accommodations are made for applicants with disabilities who self‑disclose.