Position Rank and Title: Assistant Professor of Economics

School/Department Name: College of Social Sciences/Economics
Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications, experience, and rank as established by the CSU Salary Schedule. Anticipated hiring academic year annual salary range: $86,000  -  $ 90,000 

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, 2026

Application Deadline: November 1, 2025

Position Description

The Department of Economics at San José State University is pleased to announce a search for Assistant Professor of Economics position with a preferred focus in Urban Economics, GeoAI, Transportation Economics, Spatial Economics, Real Estate Economics, and Computational Economics.

We are particularly interested in candidates who can teach electives such as Urban Economics, Regional Economics, and Computational Economics, as well as developing topics courses in GeoAI and machine learning. The successful candidate will be expected to utilize the Spartan Experimental Economics Lab (SEEL) for research, engage students in applied projects, supervise student research, and collaborate with colleagues across disciplines. A demonstrated ability, or strong potential, to secure internal and external research funding is highly desirable.

The Department of Economics in the College of Social Sciences currently enrolls nearly 340 undergraduate students and 30 graduate students. About 32% of our students are first-generation, and our student body is diverse: 34% Asian, 33% White, and 23% Hispanic/Latinx. We offer a BS and BA in Economics, an SJSU Online BA, a Minor in Economics, an MA in Economics, and an MA in Applied Economics. We also offer a 4+1 Accelerated Master Program. All BS and MA programs are STEM-designated.

Our department includes 8 tenured and tenure-track faculty and 15 lecturer faculty. Faculty expertise spans applied econometrics, behavioral economics, experimental economics, labor economics, health economics, development economics, urban economics, law and economics, economic history, and history of economic thought. We are also proud to be the only CSU campus to host an Experimental Economics Lab, providing unique opportunities for hands-on research and learning.

The Department of Economics in the College of Social Sciences and San José State University value inclusive excellence and are committed to advancing equity through research, teaching, and service. We enroll nearly 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 Inclusive 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 and inclusive education. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Inclusive Excellence Statement Guidelines.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Economics expected by the date of the appointment.
• Demonstrated record of effective teaching in diverse classrooms.
• Demonstration of research potential and an established agenda for future research.
• 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:

• Research focus in one or more of the following fields: Urban Economics, GeoAI, Transportation Economics, Spatial Economics, Real Estate Economics, Computational Economics. Candidates from other fields with significant research experience utilizing ArcGIS will also be considered.
• Commitment to student success and inclusive pedagogy.
• Record of teaching excellence and relevant teaching experience.
• Demonstrated capacity for active service to the university and broader community.
• Commitment to or experience in securing external funding.
• Experience or interest in developing curriculum aligned with their research expertise.
• Evidence of integration of teaching and research.
• Ability to teach a broad range of undergraduate and graduate economics courses.
  
  

Key Responsibilities

• The candidate will teach and develop curriculum in areas of specialization as well as core economics courses.
• Faculty advise and mentor both undergraduate and graduate students.
• The candidate will maintain an active research agenda and contribute to the advancement of the discipline through peer-reviewed scholarship and professional engagement.
• Faculty participate in service activities, including public engagement such as media interviews and community presentations.
• 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.

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

• letter of interest
• curriculum vitae
• inclusive excellence statement (dedicated statement or addressed in letter of interest)
• statement of teaching interests/philosophy
• research plans
• three reference letters

Inquiries may be directed to the Department Chair: Dr. Rui Liu at rui.liu@sjsu.edu

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.

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.