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Assistant Professor - Law and Technology

Job no: 559614

Work type: Instructional Faculty – Tenured/Tenure‑Track

Location: San José

Categories: Unit 3 - CFA - California Faculty Association, Faculty - Social Sciences, Tenured/Tenure‑Track, Full Time, On‑site (work in‑person at business location)

Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications, experience, and rank as established by the CSU Salary Schedule. Anticipated hiring academic year annual salary range: $88,000 - $92,000. Faculty employee benefits are very competitive for the higher education sector. See the CSU Employee Benefits Summary for details about the CSU’s excellent benefits package.

Target Start Date: August 17, 2027

Application Deadline: October 15, 2026 (Applications accepted until filled or closed)

The Department of Justice Studies at San José State University is pleased to announce a search for an assistant professor of law and technology beginning in August 2027. Technological change, including artificial intelligence and digital evidence, is re‑shaping legal services in ways that have significant implications for equity and access to justice. This position will support the development of a curriculum that critically examines law, technology, and inequality, including issues such as algorithmic bias, digital evidence and disparities in access to legal resources.

Justice Studies is a multi‑disciplinary department offering undergraduate programs in justice studies, criminology, forensic science, human rights, and legal studies, and graduate programs in justice studies and global criminology. The forensic science concentration in digital evidence, launched in 2020, prepares graduates for careers in cybersecurity and digital forensics.

Required Qualifications

• A PhD in legal studies, criminology, justice studies, cyber security, digital forensics or related social science field (e.g. sociology, economics, psychology, public policy); PhD candidates who expect to have a degree conferred by August 2027 are encouraged to apply.
• Candidates must have strong evidence of, or demonstrate the potential for, excellence in research.
• Candidates must demonstrate strong evidence of, or demonstrate the potential for, excellence in teaching.
• Applicants should demonstrate an awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population as might have been gained in cross‑cultural study, training, teaching, and other comparable experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Priority will be given to candidates who possess one or more of the following:

• Substantive specialization area in one or more of the following areas: law & society, Black/Latinx experience and/or equity gaps, cybersecurity/digital forensics
• Potential for delivering Forensic Science‑Digital Evidence curriculum
• Experience publishing in peer‑reviewed journals or academic press books;
• Experience writing grant proposals;
• Experience teaching at undergraduate or graduate levels.

Key Responsibilities

• The candidate must demonstrate the ability to contribute to the mission of our department in research, teaching and service.
• The candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses in our department and participate in curriculum development, program planning, and academic advising.
• The candidate will conduct research, publish scholarship with their specialty area(s), and seek external funding to support scholarly research.
• The candidate will engage in service at the department, college and university levels; providing service to the community and the profession.
• The candidate will participate in shared governance, usually in department, college, and university committees and other service assignments.
• Faculty shall organize all their classes within the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS).
• The candidate must demonstrate awareness and experience in understanding the needs of a student population of great diversity – in age, abilities, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, economic background, primary language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and academic preparation – through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies, and advisement.

Other Duties

All San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, some faculty duties may lead to designation as a Campus Security Authority (CSA). CSAs are required to complete Clery Act training and to immediately report Clery incidents to the institution.

Faculty employees must complete CSU employee training as assigned and required based on their role (e.g., Data Security, FERPA, Preventing Discrimination and Harassment, Title IX, Health and Safety). The President may recommend or require compliance with safety measures that decrease the likelihood of COVID‑19 transmission or illness and allows the core mission and activities of the campus to continue.

Application Procedure

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

• statement of teaching interests/philosophy
• research plans
• three references with contact information

Inquiries may be directed to the Department Chair or Search Committee Chair: Paul Knepper paul.knepper@sjsu.edu .

Conditional Offer

The work for this faculty position may only be performed in the State of California and requires establishing an on‑campus presence. Employment is contingent upon US residence and proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. SJSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current employee who was conditionally offered the position.

Equal Employment Statement

San José State University prohibits discrimination on the basis of Age, Ancestry, Caste, Color, Disability, Ethnicity, Gender, Gender Expression, Gender Identity, Genetic Information, Marital Status, Medical Condition, Military Status, Nationality, Race, Religion, Religious Creed, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Sex Stereotype, and Veteran Status. This policy applies to all San José State University students, faculty, and staff as well as University programs and activities. Reasonable accommodations are made for applicants with disabilities who self‑disclose.