Assistant Professor of Social Work

Palo Alto University (PAU) a private non-profit university founded in 1975 and located in the heart of Northern Californias Silicon Valley is a community grounded in values of social justice dedicated to addressing pressing and emerging issues in the fields of psychology and counseling that meet the needs of todays diverse society. The students at PAU reflect the diversity of the region are engaged in their education and committed to improving the lives of others. The University sees diversity in its staff and faculty as very important to serving its diverse student body (or synonymous with inclusive excellence). PAU offers undergraduate and graduate programs with online hybrid and residential options. PAU has an engaged faculty who make significant contributions to their fields and prepare future leaders who make a difference in the lives of individuals and communities. When you put all of this together PAU creates a legacy of confident competent and compassionate professionals who are at the forefront of psychology and counseling and who move ahead in life by moving lives ahead.

PAU is committed to faculty success. The Center for Educational Excellence (CEE) provides resources and training in evidence-based teaching strategies for instructors at all stages of their career to advance a culture of continuous learning and growth. PAU has launched an onboarding process and two-year program to promote mentorship and support development of new faculty. Additionally PAU supports faculty research through grants and other funding sources.

Job Title:Scholar Educator Assistant Professor of Social Work

Department:Social Work

Reports to:Sharon J. Washington

Location:Remote

Annual Basis:9.5 month workload

Application deadline:Open until filled

Salary Range:$88000 - $92000 w/ benefits

The Department of Social Work at Palo Alto University encompasses a new online Master of Social

Work (MSW) program that offers a specialization in Culturally Informed Behavioral Health Practice (CIBH) with two tracks practice with children and youth in school and community settings (BY Track) and practice with adults in public behavioral health settings (PBH Track). The programs goal is to graduate students who are competent and culturally sensitive behavioral health practitioners who provide care to underserved populations in urban and rural regions of California. The MSW program is in candidacy for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Educations (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA) and has initiated the accreditation process for school social worker preparation with the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). The program will be enrolling a first student cohort in Fall of 2025. The programs website URL is: Description

The selected candidate will be required to demonstrate knowledge and skills applicable for developing and administering the MSW program including developing curriculum and supporting the accreditation processes with CSWE and CTC. Additionally the selected candidate will need to demonstrate the ability to enhance the programs goal to graduate students who will become behavioral health practitioners able to provide care to individuals and families in urban and rural regions of California. The successful candidates expertise should also include an understanding of the multiple factors that impact services to underserved communities.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Curricular Development Teaching and Advising (80%) Develop syllabi and other teaching materials.
   • Teach 36 units of courses per year over 9.5 months (Typically courses in the program are 2-3 units each which would translate into 3-4 classes per quarter).
   • Provide academic advising and professional mentorship to MSW students.

1. Service and Engagement (20%)
   • Serve on program department and/or university committees including assisting with self-study writing and program development in support of accreditation with CSWE and CTC and other program development activities.
   • Conduct student recruitment activities.
   • Participate in program and department faculty meetings.
   • Attend major university events such as convocation and commencement.
   • Active engagement in the field of social work through participation in relevant professional associations and/or presenting at conferences or communities.

The duties and responsibilities of this faculty position are conducted remotely. The position requires working and meeting together with the social work team during business hours and working on campus several days per month.

Required qualifications:

• Master of Social Work degree from a CSWE-accredited program.
• Minimum of 2 years post-MSW degree clinical social work and/or school social work experience.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate with students and/or supervisees both face-to-face and connecting online through email video conferencing and chat.
• Demonstrated commitment in facilitating conversations related to culture power and oppression and increasing cultural sensitivity in students.

Preferred but not required qualifications:

• Doctoral degree in social work education or a related field.
• License or license eligible as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
• Pupil Services Personnel Credential for School Social Work.
• Teaching supervisory or training experience with MSW students and MSW-level social workers including in academic and/or community contexts.
• Professional experience in the publicly funded behavioral health system in California.
• Professional social work experience with underserved populations including in rural regions of California.

We also particularly welcome applications from scholars who are from populations historically underrepresented in the academy and/or who have experience working with diverse populations.

Application Procedures:

PAU is committed to providing an educational environment that supports a diverse equitable and inclusive your cover letter please include information on how your background and experience has prepared you to be in an environment that holds equity and inclusion core to its mission and values. The expected start date for this position is December/January of 2025.

Interested candidates should submit one single document (PDF or Word) that contains all the below items. The application system will not accept more than one document and an application will not be considered complete without the below required items.

Required:

• A letter of interest. Your letter of interest should detail your interests in the position as well as relevant addition it should also address information about your experiences in working in a diverse environment and what qualities you would bring to foster an environment of equity and inclusion at PAU.
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• A list of 3-5 references with contact information
• A statement of teaching philosophy

Optional:

• Teaching/training effectiveness evaluations
• Graduate school transcripts

The position is open until filled. All applications received by Monday September 22 2025 will receive full consideration. Please direct questions to Rose Wong PhD MPA LCSW Professor & Chair Social Work Department ().

No Discrimination: The University is an equal opportunity employer and is firmly committed to non-discrimination in its hiring and other employment practices and in the application of its personnel compliance with all applicable federal and state laws except where a bona fide occupational qualification exists employment decisions will be made irrespective of the staff members backgrounds of race color religion religious creed ancestry national origin age (except for minors) sex marital status citizenship status military service status sexual orientation medical condition (cancer-related or genetic condition) disability and/or any another status protected by law.

As provided by law and when it is requested to do so the University will offer reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities if the individual is otherwise qualified to safely and to the University standards of quality of work perform all essential functions of the position and if it will be done without undue hardship to the University.

PAU has a high-quality work environment that attracts and welcomes a diversity of backgrounds of its your application or in a cover letter please include information on how your background and experience has prepared you to work at a high level of quality of work with co-workers from a variety of different backgrounds