Professor Jobs in Santa Clara, CA

Position Type:

Position Type:

Salary Range:

$86,284-$95,901

Purpose:

The Department of Religious Studies at Santa Clara University, a Jesuit, Catholic university, seeks applications for a full-time, tenure-track position in Jewish Studies. SCU is a welcoming and inclusive community of teaching scholars whose work is grounded in the University’s fundamental values . Those values, which include academic excellence, social justice and community engagement, are infused with a culture of care that defines our community—upholding the dignity of all. The University draws on the many resources of the greater Bay Area, including Silicon Valley, where we are located.

The department seeks candidates with competence in both the study of religion and Jewish Studies. The area of scholarly concentration, region(s) of focus, methodological approach, and time period are open. Possible areas of scholarly expertise and methodological approaches include, but are not limited, to the environment/ecology, ethics, technology, history, social scientific approaches, and/or interreligious dialogue. Successful candidates will demonstrate that they are committed to pursuing their scholarship and teaching within a framework committed to the goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Candidates must also show evidence of excellent university-level teaching, an agenda for scholarship leading to publication in the area of Jewish Studies, and an understanding and support of the University’s Jesuit, Catholic mission. In addition, a successful candidate will contribute to the university’s ongoing effort to build relationships with local Jewish communities, and related initiatives within Silicon Valley, as part of their overall contributions to the Hazon Forum, an initiative recently funded by the Koret Foundation.

The department of Religious Studies at Santa Clara University is a multidisciplinary department, representing a variety of fields in biblical, theological, and religious studies ( www.scu.edu/religiousstudies ). The successful candidate will offer a range of undergraduate courses that would serve the department’s participation in the University’s Core Curriculum ( www.scu.edu/core ) and our major and minor. The candidate will teach six courses per year on the quarter system. The department expects that the successful candidate will also develop interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary connections with faculty in other departments and programs working in similar areas, and with the University’s Centers of Distinction.

The successful candidate will start on September 1, 2027 and be expected to teach, engage in scholarship and/or creative work, and do service for the department, college, University, and profession. SCU is on the quarter system and tenure-stream faculty are expected to teach six courses per year (two each quarter), assuming they are actively engaged in scholarship or creative work.

The College of Arts & Sciences is currently conducting a cluster hire in the area of Inequality & Social Justice. If the person hired for this position has research and teaching interests that are aligned with this program, they may be included in the Fall 2027 cohort. Participants in the cluster hiring program will receive mentoring, frequent group sessions that offer peer support, and access to an interdisciplinary intellectual community to help them with their scholarly and creative work.

The salary range for this position is $86,284 to $95,901, depending on the successful candidate's years of teaching experience at the college level. The position comes with generous benefits (scu.edu/hr/benefits), including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, and University contributions toward retirement. Recognizing the high cost of housing in the local area, there are two University housing assistance programs : Rental assistance to ease the transition into the local housing market, and housing purchase assistance for tenure-stream faculty.

Required Qualifications:

Terminal degree (Ph.D.) in Jewish Studies/Religious Studies or a related field by appointment start date (September 1, 2027).

Demonstrated potential for effective and inclusive teaching and mentoring of a diverse undergraduate student population. Leadership potential within both the university and within the broader community, including in the Hazon initiative.

Evidence of an agenda for scholarship and promise of publication in the field of Jewish Studies.

Responsibilities.

Tenure-track faculty at SCU are teaching scholars who are expected to balance teaching, research/creative work, and service. This is an in-person position. More specifically, duties include but are not limited to the following:

Teaching

Teach lower- and upper-division courses in the major and university core curriculum, as assigned by the chair, including introductory-level courses in religious studies such as Ways of Understanding Religion and mid and upper level courses in the faculty member’s area(s) of expertise. SCU is on the quarter system and a typical load is two courses per quarter assuming active engagement with research or creative work. High-quality teaching is prioritized at SCU; therefore significant faculty-student interaction is expected. The University offers many different opportunities to develop teaching skills through Faculty Development , including regular lunchtime workshops on pedagogy, teaching and technology grants, communities of practice, teaching mentors, and a scholarship of teaching and learning faculty group.

Teaching will be evaluated according to the Teaching Effectiveness Standards and Evaluation (TESE) document developed by each department. Ignatian pedagogy , a hallmark of Jesuit, Catholic universities, is based on the principle of cura personalis , that is, teaching the whole person. At Santa Clara University we define effectiveness in teaching as respectful, challenging, inclusive, engaging, and evidence based. Teaching Expectations and Academic Policies at SCU can be found here .

Research/Creative Work

Develop a program of research or creative work at SCU that will result in meeting the Religious Studies Department’s established scholarship/creative standards. Each department has collectively created a document that outlines the standards for scholarship or creative work that lead to tenure and promotion in that department, which will be shared with candidates invited to campus.

SCU offers significant support to early career faculty in the development of their program of research or creative work. All new faculty will be assigned mentors, placed into a cohort learning community with other new faculty, and offered faculty retreats, workshops and numerous professional development opportunities to build their programs of research/creative work.

Service

Provide effective service to the Department of Religious Studies, the College of Arts and Sciences, the University and the profession through contributions other than teaching and scholarship, such as service on committees, participation in professional organizations and activities, leadership, and community service performed by virtue of professional expertise or association with the university, as appropriate to rank and experience, including to the newly established Hazon Forum.

Application Deadline : October 15, 2026

Application Procedure

Applicants should submit (1) a cover letter or personal statement that includes (a) a statement of teaching philosophy, (b) a projected research agenda, (c) the applicant’s experience or interest in working with a diverse student population (d) a statement on how the applicant’s research plans might foster intradepartmental and interdepartmental connections and contribute to College or university priorities, and (e) the applicant’s understanding of the mission of Santa Clara as a Jesuit, Catholic university; (2) a curriculum vitae and unofficial copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts; (3) sample syllabi and teaching evaluations from any courses taught; (4) an example of scholarship (e.g., a dissertation chapter or in-press or published article); and (5) the names and contact information for three references (applicants will submit reference contact information only, but should alert recommenders to they may receive a request for a reference if the candidate advances to the first round of interviews) . Submit all application materials through the hiring portal at https://jobs.scu.edu/postings .

Additional Information

Required documents, including reference contact information, are due by October 15, 2026. Only files with all documents submitted by the deadline will be reviewed.

Telecommute

Santa Clara University is registered to do business in the following states: California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Illinois. Employees approved to telecommute are required to perform their work within one of these states.

EEO Statement

Equal Opportunity/Notice of Nondiscrimination

Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, parental status, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy or related conditions, reproductive health decisionmaking, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. For a complete copy of Santa Clara University’s equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies, please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX website at https://www.scu.edu/title-ix/ .

Clery Notice of Availability

Santa Clara University annually collects information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. To view the Santa Clara University report, please visit the Campus Safety Services website . To request a paper copy please call Campus Safety at (408) 554-4441. The report includes the type of crime, venue, and number of occurrences.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Consistent with its obligations under the law, Santa Clara University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants who wish to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact the Department of Human Resources ADA Team at hraccommodations@scu.edu or by phone at (408)554-5750. Please note : This contact information is intended for accommodation requests only. Resumes or inquiries about application status sent to this inbox will not be reviewed or forwarded. For resumes or questions regarding application status, please contact hrservicedesk@scu.edu .

Work Authorization:

A foreign national who is appointed to a tenured or tenure-track faculty position is eligible for visa sponsorship assessment by Santa Clara University together with its legal counsel.