Assistant Professor, Psychology

Contra Costa Community College District; Martinez (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Contra Costa Community College District invites applications for a full-time tenure-track Assistant Professor of Psychology at Diablo Valley College. The successful candidate will teach a range of psychology courses, in-person and online, and contribute to equity-focused pedagogy across diverse student populations.

The position emphasizes social justice, inclusive teaching practices, and engagement in department and college governance.

Qualifications

• Teaching psychology at the college level.
• Experience with diverse student populations and inclusive pedagogy.
• Ability to teach in-person and online courses.
• Commitment to social and racial justice in pedagogy.

Responsibilities

• Advance equitable student learning through exemplary instruction per course outlines.
• Participate in outcomes assessment for courses/programs.
• Contribute to curriculum development and program review.
• Engage in department/college committees and governance.
• Participate in professional development activities at department/college level.
• Maintain current knowledge of psychology and effective teaching strategies.
• Maintain professional conduct and ethics.
• Inform students of course requirements and assessment procedures.
• Prepare and grade assignments and communicate progress.
• Maintain attendance and student records; meet deadlines.
• Offer regular office hours as per policy.
• Engage in shared governance and college plans.

Skills

Teaching psychology

Diversity & equity focus

Online & in-person instruction

Education

Master's in Psychology

Bachelor in Psychology + Master in related field

Job description

Description of Position

Diablo Valley College welcomes all learners, enhances the community, and advances equity through high-quality education and support services that empower students to achieve their goals. DVC instructors use pedagogies that close equity gaps by fostering success among all students. To help further this work, DVC seeks a full-time tenure-track assistant professor of Psychology to begin August 2027. The successful candidate will be passionate about teaching, and able to teach a variety of classes (both in-person and online) from our course offerings in ways that engage diverse students, account for differing levels of academic preparedness, and incorporate historical and modern issues of race, social class, gender, sexual preference, and other identities. Faculty at DVC are expected to share a strong commitment to social and racial justice, and adopt pedagogical strategies that close equity caps by recognizing, understanding, and respecting the perspectives of all students. We strongly encourage those with historically marginalized and/or underrepresented identities to apply, including people of color, non‑binary and transgender individuals, women, and Indigenous people.

Posting Number

F01385

Location

Diablo Valley College

Inquiries

Dr. Lisa Smiley‑Ratchford ([e-mail]).

Position Status

Tenure- Track

EEO Job Category

Faculty & Other Instructional Staff

Employee Group

Full-Time Faculty

Department

D4515-Social Science

Duties and Responsibilities

• advancing equitable student learning through dedicated, exemplary instruction in accordance with established course outlines;


• participating in the assessment of student learning outcomes for courses and programs; developing and implementing student learning outcomes assessment processes for courses and programs;


• collaborating in the development and revision of curriculum and in program review;


• engaging in department program improvement initiatives;


• participating in department, division, and college committees;


• participating in professional development activities, both departmental and college-wide;


• maintaining current knowledge in the subject matter area and effective teaching/ learning strategies;


• maintaining appropriate standards of professional conduct and ethics;


• informing students of course requirements, evaluation procedures and attendance requirements;


• preparing and grading class assignments and examinations and informing students of their academic progress;


• maintaining attendance, scholastic, and personnel records and submitting them according to published deadlines;


• posting and holding sufficient and regular office hours in accordance with prevailing policy;


• participating in College's shared governance processes.

Minimum Qualification-Education/Experience

Master's in Psychology or Bachelor Degree in Psychology and a Master of Arts or Master's in Counseling, Sociology, Statistics, Neuroscience, or Social Work.

If you do not possess the EXACT minimum qualifications (i.e., you do not possess the EXACT degree title listed) and believe that you meet the minimum qualifications, fill out the equivalency petition form in the document section of the online application. If you are unsure that you meet the minimum qualifications, please fill out the equivalency petition. The equivalency form can be downloaded here. If your degree is not conferred by the time you submit your application, you must fill out an equivalency. All foreign degrees and credits used to meet the minimum qualifications must be evaluated by an approved National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) agency www.naces.org prior to the implementation of the equivalency process.

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience teaching psychology to students with different backgrounds and levels of preparation using diverse teaching methods.


• Expertise in centering course topics around historical and modern issues of race, social class, gender, sexual preferences, differences in ability, and other identities relevant to our diverse student population.


• Commitment to continued improvement of teaching and pedagogy.


• Willing and able to teach a wide range of classes, including classes and topics outside of specialization in a variety of formats, including online, hybrid, and face‑to‑face.


• Awareness and commitment to being a contributing member of the psychology department and campus community at DVC.


• Commitment to engaging with students, in and out of the classroom, as active agents with strengths, skills, and intersectional identities to be cultivated and explored.


• Experience and enthusiasm for helping students to apply psychological principles to better understand and improve their lives.


• Clear and engaging communication skills.


• A commitment and ability to work within the department, division, and college community to achieve the goals outlined in the Educational Strategic Plan, which focuses on advancing equity in student goal completion by increasing holistic support and eliminating barriers to success. Educational Strategic Plan: https://www.dvc.edu/about-dvc/college-plans/educational-strategic-plan

Job Open Date

10/30/2026

Job Close Date

12/14/2026

Open Until Filled

No

Employment Begins

Fall 2027

# of Months

10 Months

The Contra Costa Community College District does not discriminate against any applicant for employment on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, age, sex, or sexual orientation. This prohibition against unlawful discrimination extends to any person who is perceived to have any of the above characteristics or who is associated with someone who has, or who is perceived to have, any of those characteristics.