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Biology Full-Time Tenure Track Instructor
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Position Number: 5579325
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
Position Type: Science - Biology

Biology Full-Time Tenure Track Instructor

Cuesta College

Salary: $66,519.00 - $102,922.00 Annually
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: FY2425-00052
Location: San Luis Obispo & North County Campus, CA
Department: Instruction
Closing: 10/2/2024 11:59 PM Pacific

Job Description Summary

The Biological Sciences Division at Cuesta College seeks a Full-Time Tenure Track Human Anatomy and Physiology Instructor. The ideal candidate will exhibit a passion for educating Cuesta College's diverse student population. We are searching for a colleague who will enthusiastically engage students in Human Biology, Anatomy, and Physiology courses and welcome opportunities for professional development, mentoring undergraduate research, and involvement in division and college governance. The successful candidate will demonstrate effectiveness in teamwork and excellence in teaching. The Biological Sciences Division has 7 full-time faculty, 14 part-time faculty, and 2 lab technicians.

Cuesta College provides students with a rich and dynamic learning experience that embraces differences, builds collaborations, and engages students in and out of the classroom. We encourage students to identify and realize their goals. When you join Cuesta College, you can expect to be part of, and a contributor to, a welcoming and innovative crew of faculty, classified staff, administration, and community partners committed to student success and closing equity gaps. All departments strongly encourage collaboration across disciplines to create inclusive, integrated, and interdisciplinary learning experiences.

Cuesta College and the Biological Sciences Division value the ability to serve and honor our diverse students from a broad range of cultural heritages, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, abilities, and orientations. Therefore, it is important to us that our faculty, staff, and administrators demonstrate an understanding of, sensitivity to, and respect for the diverse academic, socioeconomic, ethnic, and religious backgrounds as well as sexual orientation and abilities of all constituents in the Cuesta College community.

INSTRUCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Teaching begins with expertise in one's discipline and excellent preparation. Faculty are expected to research appropriate textbooks, including consideration of low- and no- cost options, and select an option that best supports students' success and diversity of viewpoints. For every course, a syllabus must be prepared that clearly outlines instructor expectations for students as well as the content to be covered (selection of which should adhere to the college-approved Course Outline of Record). Anatomy faculty are responsible for maintaining and updating lab materials including the in-house published lab manual and audio-tutorial files. Our anatomy faculty work as a team overseeing the operation of the audio-tutorial lab (a space where anatomy and life sciences students engage in self-guided study) and communicating with the lab staff and faculty to ensure smooth operation. Faculty teaching in the Biology Division work collaboratively to update and improve lab manuals for their courses and ensure consistency of material and rigor across multiple sections of each course. When creating a plan for delivering content, faculty must consider a variety of methods that are both equitable and apply to a range of learning styles. Finally, the development of assessment strategies that effectively and equitably assess student learning and course outcomes is vital for assigning grades that correctly reflect a student's grasp of course material. It is essential that communication with students is maintained throughout the semester through a variety of synchronous and asynchronous avenues, including intervention as needed. An instructor is also responsible for supporting students outside the classroom, including guiding them to useful and applicable college support services, as appropriate.

The successful candidate will present evidence of their outstanding ability as a teacher. Appropriate evidence includes, but is not limited to, experience, training, or achievement that the candidate has:

A commitment to the teaching profession, its goals and ideals, and enthusiasm for the mission of the community college;
Commitment to staying current with the latest developments in Human Anatomy and Physiology;
The ability to continuously evaluate and improve teaching methods;
The ability to use teaching methods that actively engage students in learning, promote development of critical thinking skills, and encourage them to become lifelong learners;
The ability to use instructional methods that emphasize cooperation and collaboration, engender a sense of belonging, and reflect cultural sensitivity;
The ability to motivate and mentor students from a broad spectrum of cultural, academic, socioeconomic, religious, and language backgrounds;
The ability to develop student learning outcomes and innovative methods for assessing students' achievement of those outcomes; and
Familiarity with and willingness to expand the use of technology in Human Anatomy and Physiology, including online instruction.

COLLEGE AND DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Developing and updating curriculum and lab materials;
- Maintenance of the Human Anatomy audio-tutorial files and in-house published lab manual;
- Revision and improvement of lab manuals
Serving on college committees and taskforces (participatory governance);
Researching and writing program review;
Serving on peer evaluation and hiring committees;
Attending and participating in Biology Division meetings and gatherings;
Mentoring and collaborating with part-time instructors in the department;
Communicating laboratory protocols and requests early and clearly with our laboratory technicians;
Engaging with the community regarding curriculum changes, job opportunities, dual enrollment course development or scholarship opportunities for students;
Maintaining collegial, professional and ethical conduct;
Achieving and maintaining Cuesta College Distance Education certification; and
Regularly submitting required assessment results into the college database.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE

Where You Will Work
Serving all of San Luis Obispo County, Cuesta College has provided comprehensive associate degree offerings, certificates, and community programs to the region since 1964. The main campus is located along scenic Highway 1, west of San Luis Obispo and east of the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Cuesta College has a North County Campus in Paso Robles, and South County Center, in Arroyo Grande.

Who We Are
Equity, diversity, and inclusion are essential to our culture and the work we do. Cuesta College is proud to be a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) committed to racial and socio-economic diversity as it reflects our communities and student populations. We actively seek to attract candidates who share this commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. As part of the Cuesta College team, you can expect to be part of a collaborative community of faculty, classified professionals, administrators, students, and community partners advancing educational excellence with intentional support services leading to student success and completion.

Additional information about the college can be found at
https://www.cuesta.edu/about/index.html
The college planning documents can be found at
https://www.cuesta.edu/about/collegeplans/index.html
Our Student Equity Action Plan can be found at
https://www.cuesta.edu/about/info/student-equity-initiatives/equity/index.html
We offer comprehensive benefit options. Information about benefits can be found at
https://www.cuesta.edu/about/depts/benefits-insurance/index.html

Essential Functions & Qualifications

Required:

-Master's in any biological science from an accredited institution;

OR

-Bachelor's in any biological science from an accredited institution AND Master's in biochemistry, biophysics, or marine science from an accredited institution;

OR

-The equivalent. (Candidates applying on the basis of equivalency must submit all materials requested for an equivalency judgment. For directions on what is an acceptable equivalency argument please review the requirements listed on the HR Website or see further information on Equivalency Petition Process Information below.)
OR
-A valid Community College credential in the discipline (If received prior to 1990, as the credential is no longer being issued).

Additional Requirement:

-Sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students.

Desirable:
-Recent teaching experience in Human Biology, Anatomy, and Physiology at a community college or other undergraduate institution;
-Evidence of instructor preparedness for leading pre-healthcare majors toward success;
-Awareness and understanding of the philosophy and objectives of California Community Colleges;
-Recent teaching experience in multiple formats (such as in-class, hybrid, online);
-Commitment to achieving teaching excellence based on student, peer and self-evaluations;
-Knowledge of developmentally and culturally appropriate teaching strategies, and curriculum;
-Familiarity with current/common assessment tools used in community college classrooms, including their strengths and limitations;
-Experience and skill with addressing inequity in the classroom and on campus;
-Demonstrated ability to address equity gaps in their courses;
-Demonstrated knowledge of the implications of the Hispanic-Serving Institution designation for institutional, department, and instructional practices;
-Interest in participating in campus governance;
-Training and experience teaching distance education, including maintaining courses on a learning management system;
-Recent experience using relevant instructional lab equipment, instruments and AV technology; and
-Interest in mentoring students and developing undergraduate research opportunities.

Additional Information

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO APPLY
Candidates will be required to submit ALL of the required documents below when applying for this position. When uploading documents, PDF uploads are preferred.

Cover Letter
Teaching Philosophy and Diversity Statement
Resume/CV
Two Letters of Recommendation
Professional References
Unofficial Transcripts

Teaching Philosophy and Diversity Statement Instructions:

Please limit this document to 500 words;
Describe your approach to teaching a diverse student population;
Discuss your values, beliefs and/or goals related to teaching;
Consider how the Cuesta College Mission Statement connects to your philosophy;
Consider your experience teaching face-to-face and distance education; and
Consider answering one or more of the following questions:

Cuesta College is committed to closing racial equity gaps in experience and outcomes for our Black and Latinx students. What would be your approach to advancing this goal in your classes?
Think of the most successful class you have taught. What were the key factors in creating that success for racially-minoritized and other underserved, disproportionately impacted students?
What are some of the techniques you use to teach in a culturally responsive way?

The Selection Committee will use the following rubric to evaluate the Teaching and Diversity Statement: https://www.cuesta.edu/about/depts/humanresources/eeo/index.html

Resume/CV Instructions:

Include all relevant education, training, and teaching experience (including courses taught), and other relevant work experience.

Letters of Recommendation Instructions:

Must have been written within the last two years.

Professional Reference List Instructions:

Include names, job titles, phone numbers, and email addresses for each reference;
Indicate how, and how long you have known them; and
Include a minimum of three (3) professional references.

Equivalency Petition Process Information: Faculty shall meet the minimum qualifications established by the Board of Governors, or shall possess qualifications that are at least equivalent to the minimum qualifications set out in the regulations of the Board of Governors. If a candidate does not directly meet minimum qualifications, they can submit a Petition for Equivalency form in order to apply for equivalency. For more information on the process, please review the links below for more information.
Equivalency Process (AP 7211) (Download PDF reader)
Petition for Equivalency Form

Completed online applications and all supporting documents must be submitted by the closing date for this position. LATE, INCOMPLETE, FAXED, MAILED OR EMAILED APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Please contact HR to ensure all documents have been uploaded and your file is complete up until 72 hours before the closing date.

SALARY SCHEDULE
Salary is determined by education and experience. More information regarding our current salary schedules can be found on the following link: https://www.cuesta.edu/about/depts/humanresources/salary_schedules.html

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Cuesta College will not sponsor any visa applications.

San Luis Obispo County Community College District ("Cuesta College") is an equal opportunity employer committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), age, disability (physical and mental), genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal and state law in admission and access to, or treatment in employment, educational programs or activities at any of its campuses. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. Cuesta College also prohibits harassment on any of these bases, including sexual harassment, as well as sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.

In compliance with California law, all prospective staff and students are entitled to read the Annual Security Report, published each October by the Cuesta College Department of Public Safety. This report contains information about our emergency and crime reporting procedures, as well as crime statistics for the past 3 years. You may request a copy of this report at one of our two Public Safety Offices: on SLO campus at Building 6600A or on North County Campus at building N1021, during campus business hours. You may also access the complete text of this report at the following website address:
https://www.cuesta.edu/about/depts/publicsafety/clery_act

Cuesta College uses E-Verify as part of the I-9 process to verify the work eligibility of all new hires. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9 to data from U.S Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records. For further information, visit: https://www.cuesta.edu/about/depts/humanresources/Job_Opportunities.html

Interview Process Information

Selected applicants will be invited to give a lab skill demonstration, a teaching demonstration, and an interview on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

First interviews will be held in person. Applicants in need of accommodation should contact Human Resources at hr@cuesta.edu. In person interviews are preferred and, in the interest of equity, candidates will be reimbursed up to $500 toward their travel expenses if they interview on campus.

Second interviews will be held via Zoom on Friday, November 8, 2024.

The selected applicant will begin their full-time teaching assignment in January 2025, which begins on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

To be considered for this position please visit our web site and apply on line at the following link: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/cuesta

The San Luis Obispo County Community College District promotes inclusiveness, prohibits discrimination, and encourages all qualified persons to apply. As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, Cuesta College actively seeks candidates with diverse backgrounds to assist students, staff, and faculty. For ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) assistance with the application and/or interview process, please contact the Human Resources Office: (805) 546-3129.