Program Director Jobs in Merced, CA (NOW HIRING)

Faculty Employment Opportunity

POSITION:

Program Director, Physician Assistant Program: California State University, Stanislaus invites applications for a bold and visionary leader to serve as the Founding Program Director for a proposed Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program. This is a rare opportunity to build a program from the ground up at a university deeply committed to student success, community engagement, and regional impact in California's Central Valley.
Stanislaus State is a student-centered, Hispanic-Serving Institution dedicated to fostering inclusive excellence, expanding access, and transforming lives through education. The University's mission emphasizes personalized learning, academic excellence, and partnerships that enrich the surrounding community, making it an ideal environment to launch a program that addresses critical healthcare workforce needs.
This is a rare opportunity to build a program from inception at a university where leadership is actively advancing healthcare education as a cornerstone of regional transformation. We seek an entrepreneurial, collaborative, and mission-driven leader who is excited to shape a program that reflects these values while preparing highly skilled physician assistants to serve diverse and underserved populations. advancing health equity, workforce development, and educational access.
Position Overview
The Program Director provides visionary leadership, academic oversight, and administrative management for the MPAS program. The Director will lead all aspects of program development, implementation, accreditation, and continuous improvement in alignment with ARC-PA standards and university policies.
As the founding leader, the Director will:
Provide strategic leadership in developing and launching the MPAS program
Design and implement a forward-thinking, student-centered curriculum.
Lead the program through the ARC-PA accreditation process and ensure continuing compliance with ARC-PA accreditation standards.
Recruit and support a diverse and high-performing faculty and staff team.
Build and advance pathways for student recruitment, retention, and success.
Lead program assessment, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
Advance interprofessional education and community-based learning.
Develop and sustain clinical education partnerships.
Manage program resources and planning effectively.
Foster a culture aligned with Stan State's commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and student-centered learning.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Current certification by the NCCPA.
Eligibility for licensure (or current licensure) as a Physician Assistant in California.
Minimum of a master's degree (doctorate preferred).
At least three (3) years of full-time higher education experience in a PA program.
At least two (2) years of experience in a leadership or administrative role in PA education.
Demonstrated knowledge of ARC-PA accreditation standards and processes.
Strong organizational, leadership, and interpersonal skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Earned doctoral degree (PhD, EdD, DHSc, DMSc, or related field).
Prior experience as a Program Director or Associate Program Director.
Experience launching or substantially revising a PA program.
Demonstrated record of scholarship and professional service.
Experience in interprofessional education and simulation-based instruction.

HOW TO APPLY & DEADLINE:

A complete application must include: an application letter specifically addressing the position description and qualifications; unofficial photocopies of graduate transcripts; a statement of teaching philosophy; evidence of teaching proficiency; a sample of research; professional curriculum vitae, including the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references. Official transcripts will be required at the time of hire.

To apply for this position, please click the "Apply Now" button on this page.

If you have questions regarding the position, please contact:
Dr. Jennifer Peltier, Search Chair
School of Nursing
College of Science
California State University, Stanislaus
One University Circle Turlock, CA
email: jpeltier@csustan.edu 
Department Website: https://www.csustan.edu/nursing
This appointment begins in Fall 2026. Screening of applications will begin on July 6, 2026. The position will remain open until filled.
Please note that the CSU does not use automated decision systems or artificial intelligence tools in making hiring or selection decisions. All applicant evaluations and employment decisions are made by human reviewers, using structured candidate responses and job-related criteria to ensure fairness, consistency, and compliance with FEHA.

COMPENSATION:

Commensurate with qualifications and experience.  Anticipated hiring range is $13,000- $17,490 (12 monthly payments per academic year), commensurate with education and experience within the salary schedule for the appropriate faculty rank.  As a member of the 23-campus CSU System, we offer an extremely competitive benefits package.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT and THE COLLEGE, CAMPUS, AND AREA: 

California State University, Stanislaus serves the San Joaquin Valley and is a critical educational resource for a six-county region of approximately 1.5 million people. The University is fully committed to creating a culture of diversity and inclusion - one in which every person in the University community feels safe to express their views without fear of reprisal. Widely recognized for its quality academic programs, the University has 10 nationally accredited programs and 662 faculty members. 94 percent of full-time faculty hold doctorates or terminal degrees in their fields. The University offers 43 undergraduate majors, 16 master's programs, 7 post-graduate credentials, a doctorate in education and serves more than 10,000 students. New instructional facilities have been built for the unique pedagogy of professional programs, laboratory sciences and performing arts.

Stanislaus State continues to receive national recognition with its ranking as one of the best 384 colleges in the nation by The Princeton Review. The University was one of 12 public universities in the nation to be recognized by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities for demonstrating exceptional performance in retention and graduation rates. In addition, U.S. News and World Report ranks Stanislaus State in its top 10 among public universities in the West, while Washington Monthly honored Stanislaus State as the West's No. 1 university for the money. Stanislaus State also is recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The university is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, National origin, sex, sexual orientation, covered veteran status, or any other protected status. You can learn more about federal equal employment opportunity protections by accessing the Department of Labor's notices: http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf 

Individuals with disabling conditions who require accommodation during the recruitment process may contact the ADA Coordinator at (209) 667-3159.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. The CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California. The CSU prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside California.

Stanislaus State is not currently sponsoring faculty for H-1B work status if they are subject to the $100,000 fee established under the Presidential Proclamation: Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers issued on September 19, 2025. For faculty already in the United States who hold a valid nonimmigrant visa (such as F-1, J-1, or O-1), Stanislaus State is able to consider filing a petition to change their status to H-1B based on the current determination that the fee does not apply. For questions, please contact the Office of Faculty Affairs at facultyaffairs@csustan.edu. We strongly recommend that faculty review their individual circumstances carefully with their personal immigration legal counsel.

WORK LOCATION REQUIREMENTS

The CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California. The CSU prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside California.

MANDATED REPORTER PER CANRA

The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083, revised July 21, 2017, as a condition of employment.

CLERY ACT DISCLOSURE

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, crime report statistics are available at: http://www.csustan.edu/UPD/pages/CampusCrimeStatistics/index.html

CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CLEARANCE NOTICE

The university requires a criminal and/or child abuse background check to be completed for many of its new employees, current employees seeking promotional or transfer opportunities, and current employees assigned new duties. Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. CSU 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 CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position. Failure to consent to any background check will disqualify an applicant from further consideration. Additionally, an applicant who fails to provide the necessary information or who provides false or misleading information may also be disqualified from further consideration. Later discovery of false or misleading information related to the background check may result in the offer of employment being withdrawn or subject the employee to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.