Department of Kinesiology
Faculty Employment Opportunity
Job no: 543373
Work type: Instructional Faculty – Tenured/Tenure-Track
Location: Sonoma
Categories: Tenured/Tenure-Track, Full Time, Instructional Faculty – Tenured/Tenure-Track, Unit 3 CFA – California Faculty Association
Department of Kinesiology
(Tenure-Track) Assistant Professor
Starting August 2025
Our Commitment
Sonoma State University is a federally-designated Hispanic Serving Institution, as such we are committed to achieving the goals of equal opportunity and we endeavor to employ faculty and staff reflecting the linguistic, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the region and state.
Guided by our core values as a university: diversity, sustainability, community engagement, and adaptability, Sonoma State University (SSU) offers an education that fosters intellectual, social, and personal growth. SSU is a public liberal arts and sciences university. As the only member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges in the state of California, we are committed to preparing students for a life of active citizenship and public service. We have a vibrant campus life characterized by a lively co-curriculum that fosters broad-based intellectual and artistic opportunities in which the campus as a whole is actively engaged.
Sonoma State University is committed to creating a community in which bias and intolerance have no place. It is our expectation that all students, faculty, and staff work together to honor this commitment and hold each other accountable to create an open and inclusive environment.
We are committed to facilitating spaces in which all can grow by building on our students’ assets as they explore new knowledge. These efforts include fostering creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, experimentation, empathy, and communication. The successful candidate will be one who can collaborate with faculty, staff, administration, and students to achieve these goals. We are especially interested in candidates committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Faculty Responsibilities
In addition to teaching and scholarship, faculty are expected to engage in service to the University, profession, and community. These responsibilities include: advising students, participation in campus and system-wide communities, maintaining office hours, working collaboratively and productively with colleagues, and participating in traditional academic functions.
Sonoma State is committed to the Teacher/Scholar model and places an emphasis on faculty support of undergraduate research and other professional opportunities for students. Faculty are also expected to foster our commitment to the CSU Graduation Initiative 2025 through excellent teaching, advising, and mentoring. Potential applicants are encouraged to review the University’s Reappointment, Tenure, and Promotion Policy. During the first two years of the probationary period the instructional assignment will be reduced by two courses per academic year for probationary faculty members, in order to assist in establishing their programs of research, scholarship, and/or creative activities, and carrying out other activities that would support them in meeting the requirements for retention, tenure, and promotion. All faculty are required to have the ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment.
The Department
The Department of Kinesiology at Sonoma State is housed within the School of Life Sciences and offers a cross-disciplinary curriculum that addresses human movement across the lifespan from sociocultural, biological/physical, behavioral, and humanistic perspectives, with attention given to the unique and common needs of all people in a wide variety of contexts and conditions. The recently revised curriculum prepares graduates to apply kinesiological principles to the acquisition, performance, and refinement of motor skills and to the use of physical activity as an educative tool and a medium for health promotion, personal well-being, and participation in an active lifestyle.
In conjunction with the broader educational mission of the University, the kinesiology major program prepares students to lead and participate in a modern complex society and to assume multiple roles throughout their lifetimes. Graduates acquire knowledge and experiences that prepare them to pursue lifelong learning, advanced study, and/or careers in such areas as teaching, coaching, adapted physical education, allied health fields, health and fitness industries, sport industries, or exercise and movement science. To achieve this mission, the kinesiology major provides students with a well-structured set of curricular and co-curricular experiences and the mentorship to derive a sound education from the University experience. The Department offers a Bachelor of Science degree with three concentrations of study: Exercise Science/pre-PT; Interdisciplinary/pre-OT, and Lifetime Physical Activity. The Department is currently developing a Biomedical Engineering minor with the Department of Engineering.
To promote academic excellence, the Department actively recruits students from a range of backgrounds, including but not limited to local community college students, first generation college students, dual language learners/students, and Pell eligible individuals.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to see the department’s web page at:
kinesiology.sonoma.edu
Duties of the Position
Primary teaching responsibility will be Lifespan Motor Development. Additional teaching responsibilities may include research methods, physical activity for diverse populations, aging and disability, health and wellness across the lifespan, foundations of kinesiology, personal fitness and wellness, and physical activity courses. The candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to other courses or develop new courses, which could include an offering in their area of specialization.
Additional responsibilities include developing a line of research, writing grant proposals and/or other scholarly activities; advising students; assisting the department with administrative and committee work; serving on campus-wide committees; community physical activity program for older adults (preferred), and actively participating in professional organizations in kinesiology or related fields.
Professional Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- PhD in Kinesiology - or closely related field - with expertise in motor development and physical activity across the lifespan
- Interdisciplinary approach to teaching and conducting research in Kinesiology, demonstrating knowledge of human movement across the lifespan from the perspectives of the social and biological/physical sciences
- Evidence of successfully teaching courses in motor development, physical activity and movement across diverse populations, or community fitness and wellness at the university level
- Documented engagement and/or work with diverse student populations
- Evidence of scholarly publications or other scholarly activity in motor development and physical activity across the lifespan
Preferred Qualifications
- Teaching and/or scholarship regarding how multiple factors inform physical activity and motor development over the lifespan
- Experience including undergraduate students in research projects, presentations, and/or publications
- Teaching and/or scholarship in health and physical activity promotion including community-based strategies
- Evidence of advising (informally or formally) undergraduate students
- Ability to conduct physical activity program for community for older adults or experience leading/teaching physical activity programs for older adults, individuals with disabilities, or under-served populations
Rank and Salary
Service credit depends upon academic preparation and professional experience. The anticipated salary range for this position is: $84,004 to 89,779, depending on qualifications.
Required Application Materials
- A cover letter summarizing your research interests, teaching philosophy, and experiences with diversity in your research, teaching, or service (two page maximum)
- The application with a cover letter of more than two pages will not be reviewed/considered
- Curriculum vitae including three (3) references to be contacted by committee members
- List of courses previously taught and responsibilities, e.g., instructor of record, lab assistant, graduate teaching assistant, etc. (please use this template)
- Student Evaluations of Teaching
Additional Application Materials
- Candidates invited for a campus visit will also be asked to provide:
- Official transcripts will be required at the time of hire. Sonoma State University hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. All offers of employment are contingent upon the presentation of documents demonstrating the appointee’s identity and eligibility to work, in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act. A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the CSU.
CSU Out of State Policy
Sonoma State University, as part of the CSU system, is a State of California Employer. As such, the University requires all employees upon the date of hire to reside in the State of California. As of January 1, 2022, the CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits the hiring of employees to perform CSU-related work outside the state of California.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, go to jobs.sonoma.edu and click on the Staff & Faculty Career Opportunities link. Find and select the faculty position you are applying for to view the description and select Apply Now. If you have not previously applied, you will be prompted to create an account. You can use this account to apply to multiple positions. Once you have submitted the application, a confirmation email will be automatically sent to you. Please do not send materials to facultysearch@sonoma.edu. If you encounter difficulties during the application process, please email facultysearch@sonoma.edu.
Application Deadline
First consideration will be given to applications received by October 31, 2024. The position will remain open until filled. Early response is encouraged.
Contact Information
- Questions concerning the application process may be directed to: facultysearch@sonoma.edu
- Questions concerning this position may be directed to:
Please refer to the requisition job number on all correspondence and inquiries regarding this position.
The ADA Coordinator is also available (hraccomodations@sonoma.edu) to assist individuals with disabilities in need of accommodation during the hiring process.
Other Information
Sonoma State University's beautiful 274-acre campus is located in Sonoma County wine country, an hour north of San Francisco. The campus offers the ideal setting for teaching and learning and access to a community of rich cultural, environmental, and recreational opportunities. Founded in 1960, SSU is one of the 23 campuses of the California State University System. As members of the largest public higher education system in the nation, we provide accessible, high-quality education.
The university is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, or protected veteran status.
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.
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