Assistant Professor in Occupational Therapy

Position Rank and Title: Assistant Professor – Occupational
Therapy

School/Department Name: Occupational Therapy

Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications, experience,
and rank as established by the
CSU Salary Schedule . Anticipated hiring academic year annual
salary range: $105,000-$115,000.

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, 2027

Application Deadline: (Applications accepted until filled or
closed)

Position Description

The Occupational Therapy Department at San José State University is
pleased to announce a search for a full-time tenure-track Assistant
Professor beginning in August, 2027. Experienced clinicians
dedicated to preparing the next generation of occupational
therapists are encouraged to apply. We are seeking clinical experts
to teach in our OTD and MSOT programs covering foundational,
professional development, practice and research courses. The ideal
candidate will be a motivated self-starter, with a passion for
teaching and developing impactful university-community
collaborations.

The Occupational Therapy Program at San Jose State University was
founded in 1943 and is the oldest accredited Occupational Therapy
program in the California State University. Our national reputation
for excellence is based on a superior academic curriculum,
distinguished faculty, and accomplished graduates. Our in-person
program has strong community ties, and we take particular pride in
our faculty-led programs, which provide services to children,
adults with physical disabilities and mental health challenges, and
older adults living in the community under the guidance of a
skilled clinician instructor. We offer opportunities to engage in
interprofessional research and collaboration on campus. Our highly
recognized faculty hold advanced credentials in low vision,
pediatrics, and physical disabilities, and are recognized for their
deep commitment to the profession, with five current faculty
awarded Fellow status by the American Occupational Therapy
Association (AOTA). www.sjsu.edu/occupationaltherapy
.

The Department of Occupational Therapy and San José State
University value institutional excellence and are committed to
advancing equity through research, teaching, and service. San José
State University has been recognized by the Carnegie Foundation and
the American Council on Education as an R2 research institution,
reflecting the university’s growing research activity, commitment
to innovation, and expansion of graduate education. This
designation further strengthens opportunities for faculty
scholarship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and student
engagement in research. 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 .

Required Qualifications

• Earned research and/or clinical doctorate in Occupational

Therapy, Occupational Science, or related field, and at least two
years of clinical experience.

• Eligible for occupational therapy licensure in California
• Demonstrate a commitment to teaching excellence, possess

excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and exhibit a
commitment to establish and interact effectively with community
partnerships.

• 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, research practices, scholarship, service
engagement, and other comparable experiences that facilitate
student success..

• Experience working in the field of pediatrics, mental health,

physical disabilities, or gerontology across the continuum of
care.

Preferred Qualifications

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

• Research doctorate and/or demonstrated record of research and

scholarly productivity, including peer-reviewed publications,
research-related teaching, and/or student research mentorship, are
preferred.

• At least two years of teaching experience and five years of

clinical practice.

• Experience in interprofessional collaboration.
• Knowledge of the use and application of emerging technologies

and AI in occupational therapy.

Key Responsibilities

• Duties include teaching, scholarship, and service to the

university and profession.

• Teach practice courses related to the area of expertise,

research-related courses, courses related to current and emerging
practice areas, and adaptive technology in both didactic and
clinical practice courses in the entry-level OT Master of Science
(MSOT) and entry-level OT Doctorate (OTD) programs.

• Participate in student mentorship in the MSOT and OTD

programs.

• 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 student 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.

Application Procedure

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

• letter of interest
• curriculum vitae

-
institutional excellence statement (dedicated statement or
addressed in letter of interest)

• statement of teaching interests/philosophy
• research plan
• three letters of reference with contact information for the

person writing the letters

Inquiries may be directed to the Department Chair or Search:

Gigi Smith, Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy, gigi.smith@sjsu.edu ,

Telephone: 408-924-3070.

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 background and reference checks (including criminal records and
prior employment) are required. SJSU will make a conditional offer
of employment, which may be rescinded if the background and
reference checks reveal disqualifying information, and/or it is
discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified
information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background and
reference checks may affect the continued employment of a current
employee who was conditionally offered the position.

San José State University: Silicon Valley's Public
University

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley — one of the most innovative
regions in the world — San José State University
is the founding campus of the 23-campus California State University
(CSU) system and the first public university in the West.
Recognized as a leading transformative educational institution, San
José State is an essential partner in the technological, economic,
cultural, and social development of Silicon Valley, the Bay Area,
and California. SJSU is a top-200 school nationally in research
funding and second highest in research productivity in the CSU
system. Cutting-edge research, world-class scholarship,
student-centered learning, diverse communities, and commitment to
social justice, allow SJSU to provide life-changing opportunities
and advance the public good locally and globally.

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.

Campus Security and Fire Safety Notification

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy
and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Annual Security Report (ASR)
is also now available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Security-Report.pdf
. The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy
statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information,
crime prevention and Sexual Assault prevention information, and
information about drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR
also contains statistics of Clery crimes for San José State
University locations for the three most recent calendar years. A
paper copy of the ASR is available upon request by contacting the
Office of the Clery Director by phone at 408-924-1501 or by email
at clerycompliance@sjsu.edu.

Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Annual Fire
Safety Report (AFSR) is available at
https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Fire-Safety-Report.pdf
. The purpose of this report is to disclose statistics for fires
that occurred within SJSU on-campus housing facilities for the
three most recent calendar years, and to distribute fire safety
policies and procedures intended to promote safety on Campus. A
paper copy of the AFSR is available upon request by contacting the
Housing Office by phone at 408-795-5600 or by email at
uhs-frontdesk@sjsu.edu.

Advertised: October 15, 2026 (9:00 AM) Pacific Daylight
Time

Applications close: