Full-Time Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Applied Psychology (Remote-Hybrid-San Diego)

PLNU is a Christian liberal arts university in the evangelical, Wesleyan tradition, offering quality undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. We provide higher education in a vibrant Christian environment where minds are engaged and challenged, character is modeled and formed, and service is an expression of faith. PLNU is an institution that is committed to reflecting the rich diversity of God’s kingdom. We therefore  encourage applications from culturally and academically diverse faculty of the highest caliber, skilled and/or demonstrating great potential in the practice of teaching and scholarship. 

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The School of Behavioral and Social Sciences (SBSS) invites applications for a full-time, remote-hybrid tenure-track teaching position in Applied Psychology based in the San Diego area, with a start date of August 16, 2027 before classes commence on September 1, 2027. Teaching and course development are conducted across SBSS's fully online, asynchronous Bachelor of Arts and new Master of Arts programs - neither of which leads to clinical licensure - and faculty are expected to maintain a regular on-campus presence for all-school meetings, faculty meetings, and university events as needed. Carrying an annual 3-semester course load of 27 units across undergraduate and graduate levels, candidates with expertise in any area of applied psychology are encouraged to apply, though strong preference will be given to those in community psychology or industrial/organizational psychology.

Review of applications will begin in November 2026 and continue until the position is filled, with prospective applicants welcome to contact the search committee chair for updates on the position's status.

Job Status:

Full time

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Job Description:

Benefits:

We are pleased to offer attractive benefits and resources. This includes benefits such as health, dental, tuition benefits for employees and dependents, and competitive retirement matching. There may also be opportunities for university assistance with the cost of housing in Southern California. In addition, we have many opportunities to engage with our community, including the faculty chapel, weekly faculty lunches, and a robust wellness program. PLNU’s retirement match is 5% to start and up to 8% after 2 years of employment.

Salary: 

PLNU pays its faculty using a pay scale based on experience and academic rank. Faculty salaries using this scale for a 3-semester appointment range from $87,216 to $153,052. The actual salary will be based on the experience, rank, and appointment term of the candidate selected to fill this position.

Job Description:

The School of Behavioral and Social Sciences (SBSS) invites applications for a full-time tenure-track teaching position in Applied Psychology, teaching across our Bachelor of Arts (BA) and new Master of Arts (MA) in Applied Psychology. Both programs are fully online and asynchronous, and do not lead to clinical licensure. Candidates with expertise in any area of applied psychology are encouraged to apply, with a strong preference for candidates with expertise in community psychology or industrial/organizational psychology.

The course load for a 3-semester, tenure-track professor is 27 units per year, teaching a variety of online, asynchronous undergraduate and graduate courses in Applied Psychology. Review of applications will begin in November 2026, although applications may continue to be reviewed until the position is filled. Prospective applicants also may contact the search committee chair for an update on the status of the position. Ideally, this position will begin August 16, 2027, but the start date is negotiable; classes commence September 1, 2027.

This is a remote-hybrid position based in the San Diego area. Teaching and course development are conducted remotely in our fully online, asynchronous format, with regular on-campus presence expected for all-school meetings, faculty meetings, or other university events as needed.

Responsibilities:

• Teaching & Curriculum Development
  • Teach 27 units of undergraduate and graduate Applied Psychology courses in the BA and MA programs, in a fully online, asynchronous format.
  • Design new MA courses, maintain and update existing BA courses within your area of expertise.
  • Apply evidence-based instructional strategies and techniques appropriate to teaching and motivating adult students online.
  • Provide timely feedback and academic support that promotes student learning and success.
• Service & Leadership
  • Participate in academic unit meetings, faculty governance, university committees, and other institutional service activities.
  • Contribute to program assessment, curriculum review, and continuous improvement efforts.
  • Advise and mentor adult students academically and professionally.
  • Support student recruitment, retention, and success initiatives in both the BA and MA Applied Psychology programs, in collaboration with Admissions, Student Success Counselors, and others.
• Scholarship & Professional Development
  • Develop and maintain an active program of scholarly research or equivalent professional pursuits consistent with university expectations for tenure-track faculty, involving students when appropriate.
  • Contribute to the discipline through scholarly publications, conference presentations, applied research, or other recognized scholarly activities.
  • Remain current with developments in psychological science and applied practice, incorporating relevant advances into teaching.

Required Qualifications:

• Education: Ph.D., Ed.D., or similar terminal degree in Psychology (e.g., Industrial/Organizational, Community, Social) required; candidates with a terminal degree in a closely related field (e.g., Public Health, Human Factors, Organizational Behavior, Applied Research Methods/Program Evaluation) will also be considered. ABD accepted, with completion prior to August 2027. 
• Experience: Evidence of effective teaching and mentoring, or demonstrated potential through adjunct instruction, training, and facilitation, or comparable professional experience, ideally with adult or online learners.
• Personal: Evidence of Christian commitment and active church involvement. In addition, faculty agree to live in agreement with PLNU’s Community Life Covenant. 
• Commitment to the Mission of Point Loma Nazarene University and liberal arts education.
• The job offer is contingent on the successful completion of a background check. PLNU  will consider qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with state and local "Fair Chance" laws.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Expertise in community psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, or a related applied area, with the ability to teach a selection of graduate and undergraduate courses in that area (see Sample Courses below).
• Demonstrated experience designing, delivering, or updating fully online, asynchronous coursework for adult learners.
• Applied professional experience in community psychology (e.g., program evaluation, prevention programming, community organizing, or grant-funded program coordination) or industrial/organizational psychology (e.g., organizational consulting, talent development, workforce analytics, or training and development).

Sample Courses:

Illustrative only; not an exhaustive list of courses that the candidate would teach.

General:

• Social and cultural psychology
• Motivation, emotion, cognition
• Foundations of psychological science
• Data analysis and visualization

Community Psychology:

• Prevention and health promotion
• Program evaluation and grant writing
• Community systems and collaboration
• Mental health advocacy and stigma reduction

Industrial/Organizational Psychology

• Introductory I/O
• People analytics
• Talent selection and development
• Organizational change

Selection Process: 

Applicants will be expected to submit an application and corresponding documents. All applicants will be reviewed and evaluated. From this pool of applicants, a limited number will be selected and moved forward in the process. The interview process may include:

• Stage 1: An in-depth Zoom interview with members of the search committee
• Stage 2: An on-campus interview, which may include:
  • A campus tour
  • Dialogue with students and faculty of SBSS
  • A luncheon with faculty from outside the department
  • A teaching demonstration presented to faculty and students in SBSS
  • A conversation about your scholarly and professional interests
  • Dinner with faculty and staff from the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences
  • Interview with the Dean of SBSS
  • Interview with the Provost
  • Interview with the President of the University

Special Instructions:

When beginning your application, be prepared to answer these questions and upload the following documents:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Cover Letter addressing the job description and qualifications, including your area of expertise and courses you could teach within the two programs.
• Statement of Personal Faith (1 page) 
• Philosophy of Teaching in Christian Higher Education (1-2 pages)
• Contact information for 3 references with at least 1 professional contact who can speak to your teaching potential for adult learners (references will only be contacted if you are advanced as a finalist candidate).
• Unofficial Transcripts for the highest degree completed
• Optional: up to 3 teaching evaluations

If you have questions about items for the application, please contact the Office of Human Resources at [email protected] or the Search Committee co-chairs ([email protected] or [email protected]). 

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At PLNU, we believe in pursuing calling together. Deep and meaningful relationships between students, faculty, and staff is vital in nurturing our shared community and expressing God’s love. We are looking for enthusiastic candidates to join us in empowering our students to reach their greatest personal, spiritual and professional potential. 

Point Loma Nazarene University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures.