Assistant Professor of Psychology

Full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor position available September 1, 2025. Academic year is from September to May. Classes begin on September 2, 2025. New Faculty Orientation will take place on August 20 and 21, 2025.

 

The Department of Psychology at Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma, WA) invites applications for a full-time, tenure track position at the rank of Assistant Professor beginning September 1, 2025. The department has needs in two broad areas and will fill one of the following positions this cycle, anticipating that the second position will be filled in a future hiring cycle:

 

· Clinical or Counseling Psychologist with interest in teaching courses focused on psychopathology and treatment (Clinical Psychology I & II in our curriculum). Candidates should be able to contribute course offerings in their specialty as well as teach PSYC 101 and capstone and expand our offerings of courses related to sustainability or diversity and justice. Preference will be given to candidates who have an interest in teaching Statistics and Research Methods, but this is not required.

 

OR

 

· Developmental Psychologist with a primary interest in teaching Statistics and Research Methods and Lifespan Development. Additionally, candidates should be able to contribute course offerings in their specialty as well as teach PSYC 101 and capstone, and expand our offerings of courses related to sustainability or diversity and justice.

 

In each case, we seek candidates who demonstrate a strong commitment to inclusivity and diversity in teaching and scholarship. Candidates should have enthusiasm for teaching and mentoring undergraduate students in a liberal arts environment as well as plans for a research program that can support undergraduate-level involvement.

 

PLU’s Department of Psychology is part of the College of Natural Sciences. The department is committed to a rigorous curriculum that exposes students to critical areas of the discipline and facilitates the exploration of vocation. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive academic community. Our students have strong commitments to social justice, and many are first-generation college students and students of color. We welcome applications from individuals who share backgrounds with our students or whose commitments to justice, inclusion, and diversity influences their teaching, research, and service.

Applicants should submit an application that includes the following:

 

 

Questions about this search may be directed to Laura Shneidman at [email protected]

Pacific Lutheran University purposefully integrates the liberal arts, professional studies and civic engagement in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Our faculty lead with a bold commitment to expanding well-being, opportunity, and justice and instill this commitment in their students. PLU educators work to create an environment where students feel heard and valued, nurturing lifelong learners who aren’t afraid to do things differently to make the world better for everyone. PLU supports faculty as they help students turn ambition into purpose, skills into tools, and their caring into a transformative force.

 

Because PLU is a community committed to the creation and advancement of knowledge through diversity and inclusion, the university actively recruits a faculty, staff, and student body from all religions, races, socioeconomic groups, sexual orientations, and gender expressions and from all over the world. For the 2023–24 academic year, 41.0% percent of PLU undergraduate students are from the first generation in their families to attend college; 50.0% percent self-identify as students of color; and 36.0% percent are Pell Grant–eligible.

 

Offering distinctive opportunities for global engagement, collaborative student-faculty research, and purposeful learning, our faculty guide 2,700 students from all faiths and backgrounds to discern their purpose through relevant coursework, inclusive mentoring, and internships at world-class Puget Sound-area businesses and institutions. PLU is located on a 156-acre woodland campus in the Parkland neighborhood of Tacoma, Washington and about 40 minutes south of downtown Seattle. The campus reflects consciously green practices and is in proximity to the natural beauty of Mount Rainier, the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges, and the Puget Sound.

 

PLU administration supports and respects the strong culture of faculty-shared governance by working closely and collaboratively with faculty leadership to sustain and strengthen existing structures and procedures while working together on key institutional, academic and curricular decisions. PLU is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from members of historically underrepresented and marginalized groups, women, veterans, persons with disabilities, and others who would bring broadly diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds in educational, research, or other work activities. For general application questions or if you need accommodations at any point in the application and/or interview process, please contact the Human Resources Office at 253-535-7185 or [email protected]. Click here for detailed benefits information.