Responsibilities

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. The Department includes the Record Clearance Project, the only program in the country that engages undergraduate students in using legal skills to clear people's criminal records, and the Silicon Valley Digital Forensics Laboratory, providing undergraduates with an opportunity to gain practical experience in digital forensics. Additional information and programs and faculty expertise can be found at our website: https://www.sjsu.edu/justicestudies/.

The Justice Studies department is part of the College of Social Sciences, which is committed to equitable and inclusive teaching and learning. The College sees faculty and student success as inextricably linked, and strives to provide culturally-sustaining, and academically-affirming approaches to supporting and engaging students and faculty. We provide opportunities for faculty development around asset-based, holistic student success, and support scholarship of engagement that addresses issues that affect our campus and community. In all of our endeavors, we strive to build leadership capacity and foster a culture of support and belonging for faculty, staff, and students.

The Department of Justice Studies and San José State University value institutional excellence and are committed to advancing equity through research, teaching, and service. We enroll more than 40,000 students, many of whom are historically underserved; approximately 45% of our undergraduate students are first-generation college students and 38% are Pell Grant recipients. In addition, we are both a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI). SJSU aspires to create holistic learning environments that facilitate both individual and collective transformation. We seek teacher-scholars who cultivate inclusive, empowering spaces for mutual learning, skill-building, and knowledge exchange for all students. Our commitment to lifelong learning supports meaningful connections among faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the broader communities we serve.

We invite all applicants to include a Statement of Institutional Excellence (or incorporate it into your cover letter) to share how your lived and professional experiences will contribute to the SJSU community—particularly in relation to student success. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Institutional Excellence Statement Guidelines.

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

Note that 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.

Qualifications

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.

Compensation

https://jobs.sjsu.edu/en-us/job/559614/assistant-professor-law-and-technology

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.

How to apply

Complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents [departments may specify length of items below (e.g. 2 pages)]:

letter of interest
curriculum vitae
institutional excellence statement (dedicated statement or addressed in letter of interest)
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. Pursuant to California Education Code 89521, applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.

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.

Target Start Date: August 17, 2027 Application Deadline: October 15, 2026 (Applications accepted until filled or closed)