Department: School of Graduate and Professional Studies
Reports To: Dean
Status/Time Commitment: Full-time with faculty rank, tenure track, 9-month appointment
Rank: Assistant Professor
Start Date: 07/01/2025
Department/School Summary:
Fresno Pacific University is a faith-based, Hispanic Service Institution (HSI) located in the San Joaquin Valley of California. The Social Work program makes a significant contribution to the field in the Central Valley, helping students develop advanced generalist social work practice skills.
The department is looking for an Assistant Professor of Social Work who can teach across the curriculum spectrum in generalist and advanced generalist education. Candidates must be able to teach in the evenings in the Master of Social Work program, which includes hybrid, blended eight-week courses. The candidate may also be asked to teach in the Degree Completion/Adult Learners (DC) and Traditional Undergraduate (TUG) formats, which are offered in the evening as well as day courses. The faculty member will be expected to engage in curriculum development, scholarly activity, teaching research courses, and contribute to ongoing program assessment and evaluation.
Essential Functions
Pursue an active scholarly agenda
Mentor and advise social work majors (as well as general education students)
Demonstrate a commitment to serving and inspiring students in an academic context that integrates your Christian faith and learning.
Earned terminal degree in social work or related field of study (ABD candidates will be considered; completion of a terminal degree is a requisite for continued employment).
Record or promise of scholarly achievement
Knowledge of technology/learning management systems
Experience or aptitude for outstanding college-level teaching
Minimum of five years post-masters experience in the social work/human services profession
Interest and experience in development for online and hybrid courses
Demonstrated cultural humility and capacity to understand and advance equity and diversity in the educational environment
Commitment to the Christian faith and the University’s mission of Christ-centered teaching and learning and involvement in a local church.
Preferred:
An MSW from a CSWE-accredited university
A terminal degree or current enrollment in a doctoral program in social work or related field, an MSW without a doctorate may be considered; however, faculty are required to be working towards, or be willing to complete a terminal degree
Evidence of scholarly contributions to the field of social work
Teaching experience in a college setting, preferably with adult learners
Familiarity with the Latino community, as well as the ethnic and socio-economic diversity of the Central Valley
Experience with CSWE accreditation
Ability to ethically integrate Christian faith in the field of social work education
Environmental Conditions:
Indoors in a normal office environment with little exposure to excessive noise, dust, fumes, vibrations, and temperature changes at least eighty percent (80%) of the time.
Frequent computer use at a workstation, up to eight hours per day.
Frequently work at a fast pace with unscheduled interruptions.
Drive personal or University vehicles to appointments.
Public contact position requiring professional apparel, personal hygiene, and grooming.
Physical Demands:
This position typically functions indoors in an office environment with light to moderate noise associated with business office equipment. The position may involve travel for meetings and events.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to: remain in a stationary position 80 % of the time, be able to move about inside the office to access file cabinets/office machinery etc., operate a computer and keyboard and other office productivity machinery such as calculators/copy machines/printers. The employee is occasionally required to position self to reach items on the floor and in high cabinetry.
The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Employee must be able to communicate with others to exchange information including both over the telephone and in-person communication with callers and community members and be able to read a computer screen and paper documents.
Reasonable accommodations for those with disabilities will be provided in accordance with law.
University Information
Required Documents:
Cover Letter
Curriculum Vitae
Personal Statements: brief statement (1 page or less) on each of the following topics:
Philosophy of Education
Relationship & Commitment to Jesus Christ and the Church
Relating Christian faith to discipline and teaching
Diversity Rationale
Official Transcripts (showing highest degree earned)
2 Letters of Recommendation
Pastoral Letter
This person should have extensive knowledge of your Christian life and relationship with Jesus Christ. This knowledge should be expressed in the letter.
$68,640-$83,650 is the annual salary for this role and reflects what Fresno Pacific University reasonably expects to pay for this position. Actual compensation may vary based on qualifications, experience, and internal equity. In additional to compensation, FPU offers a competitive benefits package. Faculty Salary Scale can be viewed at Human Resources | Fresno Pacific University
UNIVERSITY DESCRIPTION
Fresno Pacific University is the only accredited Christian university founded in the Central Valley. FPU connects every student’s untapped potential with unlimited opportunity for professional, personal and ethical growth. FPU offers undergraduate, graduate and seminary programs that stress solid academic preparation and a strong ethical foundation to more than 3,500 traditional and adult students on the main campus in southeast Fresno and regional campuses in North Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield and Merced as well as online. The university also reaches about 8,000 students through professional development studies. FPU has the highest four-year graduation rate of any Central Valley college or university, and is a Hispanic Serving Institution, with a Hispanic student population of 47 percent. FPU is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and ranked in the top tier among western universities—master’s category by U.S. News & World Report. Both U.S. News and Washington Monthly include FPU on their “Best Value” and “Best Bang for the Buck” lists, U.S. News places it at number 13 in its category for student social mobility and Money has ranked it at number 11 among 50 Best Colleges for Transfer Students. FPU is affiliated with the Mennonite Brethren Church, and all employees express a personal Christian commitment and support the Christian mission of the university. A description of the unique quality of FPU as an academic community can be found in the Fresno Pacific Idea at fresno.edu/about/fpu_idea.
Reserving its rights as a religious institution, Fresno Pacific University is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, age or disability, or other classes protected by applicable law. Committed to excellence and actively supportive of cultural diversity, FPU invites individuals who contribute to such diversity to apply. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you should contact FPU’s Human Resources Department at hr@fresno.edu. As a religious institution, the University will administer the equal opportunity employment policy consistent with the Fresno Pacific University statement of faith, the FPU Idea and the University’s governance by the Pacific District Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.
Fresno Pacific University offers undergraduate and graduate programs that stress solid academic preparation and a strong ethical foundation. Some 4,000 traditional and adult students attend classes on the main campus in southeast Fresno or centers in North Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield, and Merced as well as online. The university also reaches about 10,000 students through professional development studies. FPU has the highest four-year graduation rate of any Central Valley college or university, is a Hispanic Serving Institution, with a Hispanic student population of 48 percent, and is one of the top 10 HSIs nationally in graduating Hispanic students. The Valley’s only comprehensive Christian university granting master’s degrees, the university is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and ranked in the top tier among western universities—master’s category by U.S. News & World Report. FPU is affiliated with the Mennonite Brethren Church, and all employees express a personal Christian commitment and support the Christian mission of the university. A description of the unique quality of FPU as an academic community can be found in the Fresno Pacific University Idea at fresno.edu/about/fpu_idea.