Assistant Professor Jobs in San Diego, CA
Assistant Professor jobs in San Diego are concentrated in Mission Valley, La Jolla, and Hillcrest, with strong demand across higher education, research, and healthcare sciences. Employers actively hiring include UC San Diego, California State University, and San Diego State University. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Position overview
Position title: Assistant ProfessorEffective 10/01/2026 A reasonable salary range estimate for this position is: $111,400-$139,200.
The posted UC Academic salary scales set the minimum pay as determined by rank and/or step at appointment. See UC Salary Scales for this position. The base salary range, from the salary table(s), for this position is: $107,100-$133,800.
Effective 10/01/2026 $111,400-$139,200.
“Off-scale salaries” and other components of pay, i.e., a salary that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions, qualifications, and experience.
Additional UCSD salary information can be found on Academic Personnel Services Website Salary Programs and Scales
Application Window
Open date: September 16, 2026
Next review date: Tuesday, Dec 1, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date: Wednesday, Jun 2, 2027 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.
Position description
The UC San Diego Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) invites applications for tenure-track faculty positions at the Assistant Professor rank. The department is looking for exceptional candidates in all areas of Computer Science and Engineering.
We are looking for applicants with outstanding research credentials. Successful applicants are expected to lead a vigorous research program and will be required to teach university students. We are particularly seeking faculty passionate about working with students and training the next generation of researchers. In particular, the responsibilities of tenured faculty are (1) research and scholarly achievement, (2) teaching, (3) professional and university service.
CSE is home to over 70 faculty and 1,000 graduate students who span a range of research areas in computer science, computer engineering and bioinformatics. In addition, the department works closely with the Center for Networked Systems (CNS), the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (CalIT2), the Halicioglu Data Science Institute (HDSI), the Design Lab, the Contextual Robotics Institute (CRI), San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC), and the Center for Wireless Communications (CWC), which provide unique opportunities and resources. More information can be found at UC San Diego Computer Science & Engineering Website.
We encourage candidates to send applications as soon as possible.
Qualifications
Applicants must have a Ph.D. or advancement to candidacy in computer science and/or electrical or computer engineering and/or mathematics or statistics and/or bioinformatics or computational biology and/or computational social science and/or information science or informatics and/or physics.
Application Requirements
Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
Cover Letter
Statement of Research
Statement of Teaching
Misc/Additional - Applicants may submit additional documents that provide relevant evidence of qualifications, achievements, or experience and are not otherwise captured in the Cover Letter, Curriculum Vitae, Statement of Research, or Statement of Teaching.
(Optional)
- 3-8 letters of reference required
Applicants are required to provide a minimum of 3 letters of recommendation.
Help contact: nbarr@ucsd.edu
About UC San Diego
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.
As a university employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.
The University of California prohibits smoking and tobacco use at all of its university-controlled properties.
The UC San Diego Annual Security & Fire Safety Report is available online at: https://www.police.ucsd.edu/docs/annualclery.pdf. This report provides crime and fire statistics, as well as institutional policy statements & procedures. Contact the UC San Diego Police Department at (858) 534-4361 if you want to obtain paper copies of this report.
As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.
Click for more information on Assembly Bill-810
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- “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
- UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy: [https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000385/SVSH]
- UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties: [https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination]
Job location
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Find Assistant Professor JobsAssistant Professor Job Market in San Diego
Who's Hiring
- UC San Diego272

- California State University55

- San Diego State University51

Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Non-Profit & Social Services
Assistant Professor Jobs in San Diego: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an assistant professor job in San Diego?
The strongest path in San Diego is targeting its dense cluster of research universities, medical schools, and community colleges, particularly in La Jolla, Mission Valley, and Chula Vista. Candidates with active publication records, grant experience, or ties to life sciences and defense-adjacent research programs stand out locally. Attending faculty searches at institutions affiliated with San Diego's biomedical and technology research ecosystems gives a measurable edge.
Which companies hire assistant professors in San Diego?
Companies currently hiring assistant professors in San Diego include UC San Diego, California State University, and San Diego State University, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. San Diego's hiring landscape is anchored by universities, community college districts, private research institutes, and healthcare systems with academic medicine programs.
Are there remote assistant professor jobs in San Diego?
Yes, though most assistant professor roles require some in-person presence given teaching, lab, and student advising responsibilities. About 100% of assistant professor openings tied to San Diego are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, and the roles most likely to offer flexibility are online-program faculty positions and research-heavy appointments with minimal scheduled classroom hours.
How can I get an assistant professor job in San Diego with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path locally is securing a visiting assistant professor or lecturer appointment at one of San Diego's community college districts or smaller private institutions, which tend to hire on shorter timelines and with more flexibility on research output. Adjunct positions at institutions in Chula Vista, El Cajon, and National City frequently serve as a bridge to tenure-track roles, especially in high-need disciplines like nursing, engineering, and education.
Which industries hire the most assistant professors in San Diego?
San Diego assistant professor roles concentrate in Education and Non-Profit & Social Services, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. San Diego's world-class biomedical research corridor, large military and defense research presence, and extensive community college network sustain consistent faculty demand across those sectors.
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