Astronomy Jobs in Santa Rosa, CA (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $60.76 - $154.09 Hourly
Location : SRJC Multi-Site, Sonoma County, CA
Job Type: Associate
Job Number: 26-177
Department: Earth & Space Sciences
Opening Date: 05/04/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
Description
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:Santa Rosa Junior College is currently accepting applications on a continuous basis to establish a pool for associate faculty assignments. Associate assignments may be temporary, part-time and/or on-call and may be immediate or as needed. The Sonoma County Junior College District does not offer 'remote only' assignments.
Compensation/Benefits
Assignments are made on a part-time, hourly basis. A part-time faculty assignment may not exceed a total of 67% of an annual full-time assignment.

• Starting Hourly Rate: Please see the or contact Human Resources for more information.
• Salary placement is based on academic background, vocational experience, and teaching experience (depending on discipline) and as documented in application materials. Initial Step placement will be at Step 1 pending evaluation of experience as outlined in the AFA Contract
• Compensation for assigned classes is paid over the duration of the assignment.

Benefits: The District offers medical insurance for those who meet the eligibility requirements. Additional information, including medical plan information and eligibility requirements can be found on the
Sick Leave Accrual: Associate faculty accrue sick leave on a pro-rated basis. Additional information can be found in Article 18 of the AFA Contract.
Retirement: SRJC offers CalSTRS Defined Benefit, CalSTRS Cash Balance and Social Security as Associate Faculty retirement options. Eligibility for each plan is determined based on prior membership status with CalSTRS.
Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide excellent instruction and faculty support to students, which may include evening, weekend, online or hybrid and/or off-campus assignments.
• Provide academic assistance and related services to students during scheduled office hours.
• Demonstrate sensitivity to and understanding of diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, faculty and staff.

• Maintain currency in field(s) of expertise.
• Associate faculty focus primarily on providing instruction and/or student services.
• Associate faculty are typically not required to participate in District or department service such as committee work, evaluations, student learning outcomes assessment, and hiring committees, but may be asked to perform these services for additional compensation.
• Please see the for more information.

The examples of duties listed above are representative of those that must be met by a faculty member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
SELECTION PROCESS:
If the department has an immediate need to add candidates to their pool, they will review applications. If the department does not have an immediate need to add candidates to their pool, applications remain in the queue for consideration until the need arises, or for up to one year. If selected, candidates will be invited to an interview with a Screening and Interviewing Committee. Selected candidates who are not given an immediate assignment will remain in the pool for four years.
DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION:
The Earth and Space Sciences Department offers courses in astronomy, environmental science, geography, geology, and meteorology. Classes are offered during the day and evening at the Santa Rosa and Petaluma campuses. Short-term astronomy field classes are also offered over the weekend at an off-campus dark-sky observing site. The department serves transfer students, associate degree students, vocational students, and general interest students from the community. There are five contract instructors and twelve associate instructors who provide high quality instruction and play an active role in the department. We are accepting applications for instructors for inclusion in a pool who have the ability to teach Astronomy.
Minimum Qualifications
Applicants must possess the minimum qualifications exactly as listed below for disciplines of interest or file for in order to be considered. Applicants who are requesting equivalency consideration are responsible for documenting all course work, degree programs and related professional experience at the time of application. Please, see the and the for more information.
REQUIRED:
Master's in Physics, Astronomy or Astrophysics; OR Bachelor's in Physics or Astronomy AND Master's in Engineering, Mathematics, Meteorology or Geophysics; OR the equivalent.
Sensitivity to, and understanding of, the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students.
Preferred:

• A Master's Degree in Astronomy or Astrophysics.
• Experience with observational equipment, including telescopes.
• Teaching experience and/or experience communicating science to the general public.
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing and promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism.

Application Procedures
To be considered for this associate faculty pool, applicants must provide the following:

1. A completed Santa Rosa Junior College/GovernmentJobs.com Employment Application and responses to Agency-wide Questions.
2. Contact information (phone number and email address) for three professional references. One reference must be from a current or previous supervisor.
3. A brief cover letter.

1. Current resume.

1. A written response to the diversity prompt below (200-500 words):

Please provide two or three examples of your ideas and/or experiences in creating, modifying, and/or performing one or more of the following to meet the needs of a diverse student population:

• Curricula;
• Learning activities;
• Teaching/counseling practices;
• Educational Resources;
• Training, background, coursework and/or professional development;
• Program Development

1. Copies of transcripts of all college-level coursework. Transcripts must state that the Degree(s) has been conferred or awarded. If selected for the position, official transcripts must be submitted prior to employment.

• If transcripts are from an institution outside of the United States, applicant must provide a formal evaluation by a credential evaluation service accredited by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services of their international degree(s) at the time of application. For further details on SRJC requirements on Foreign Degrees, please see Foreign Degree Requirements.

1. If you do not possess minimum qualifications as noted under the Minimum Qualifications Section above, you must complete and attach the Faculty Equivalency Application(Download PDF reader) and supporting documents, including narrative synopsis, to your employment application.

1. If applicable, copy of California Community College Credential (both sides).

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Successful applicants must provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States.
• Successful completion of background check including Live Scan and Tuberculosis (TB) assessment/screening.
• Must be willing to work on-site as determined by the department.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Sonoma County Junior College District will not sponsor any visa applications.
• Applicants must be available for interviews at Santa Rosa Junior College at no cost to the District.
• Applicants who have disabilities may request that accommodations be made to complete the selection process by contacting the Office of Human Resources directly at (707) 527-4954.
• Clery Report: Crime awareness and security information are available from District Police. (Public Law 101-542). The Clery Report can be found
• An applicant who attempts to contact individual Board members or members of the screening committee with the intent of influencing the decision of the committee or the Board, will be disqualified. General inquiries regarding the position and/or District employment should be directed to the Human Resources Department.

ABOUT THE SONOMA COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT
Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) is a public single college district located in Sonoma County, California and serves the County of Sonoma and portions of Marin and Mendocino counties. Sonoma County is rich in history, beauty, and culture and is an excellent choice for a place to live and work. The District is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, reflecting the great responsibility to the educational attainment and economic well-being of the surrounding community. The District prides itself on being an inclusive, diverse, and sustainable community that fosters the growth and development of its students, faculty, and staff. SRJC is a unique institution in a unique environment. SRJC serves approximately 22,000 students each semester and is committed to inclusion, diversity, equity, anti-racism, and accessibility.
Santa Rosa Junior College has been an integral part of the Sonoma County community and its rich history, beauty and culture for more than 100 years. The District has two campuses, located in Santa Rosa and Petaluma, California, two centers, a Public Safety Training Center located in Windsor, California, and the Robert Shone Agricultural Center located in Forestville, California, and SRJC Roseland in Southwest Santa Rosa. Students may choose from over 100 associate degree majors and certificate programs, complete courses toward the first two years of a bachelor's degree program or pursue courses for other professional or personal reasons.
Please see the following Online Resources to learn more about SRJC:
Non-Discrimination
The District is an equal opportunity employer. The policy of the District is to encourage applications from persons who are economically disadvantaged and individuals belonging to significantly underrepresented groups within the District's workforce, including ethnic and racial minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. No person shall be denied employment because of ethnicity or race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, or political or organizational affiliation.
For more information about Title IX, please refer to District Board Policy 3433 and Administrative Procedure 3434, which outlines our commitment to proactive measures in preventing sexual harassment and ensuring a respectful and inclusive community for all.
Santa Rosa Junior College offers its eligible employees a comprehensive fringe benefit package that includes health insurance, dental insurance, vision care plan, life insurance, and long-term disability. This coverage is offered for regular employee and their eligible dependents For Associate Faculty you can find Benefit information on our page.
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Have you submitted your 500-word response to the diversity prompt? Please note this must be a separate document from the cover letter and resume. Please submit your document in the attachments section of the application. For more details, please refer to the Application Procedures section of the job announcement. Your application will be considered incomplete and will not be considered in the screening process without your response to the diversity prompt.

• Yes
• No

Required Question