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

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