Full Time Assistant/Associate Professor Position in the MPA Program

Presidio Graduate School (PGS) educates and inspires a new generation of leaders in what have been described as the nation’s most innovative and respected graduate programs in sustainability. As Duff McDonald wrote in the New York Times, “if you want to change the world, go to Presidio Graduate School." 

PGS’s programs emphasize curriculum integration, systems thinking, and experiential learning, as well as a focus on environmental sustainability and social justice in every course. Our faculty members are committed to teaching excellence, practice-oriented research, maintaining the vibrant PGS community, and building the field of sustainability and social justice leaders. PGS is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. 

For more information about PGS, our community, and course offerings, please visit https://www.presidio.edu/academics/ 

As part of our plans to expand our academic offerings, PGS has recently launched an online Masters in Public Administration program. The professor in Public Administration will support this new program including teaching multiple courses, ensure a top-quality student experience, and ensure the program maintains academic excellence.

We are looking for a candidate that wants to help build an innovative, cutting edge MPA program, based in systems thinking, that brings together key aspects of environmental sustainability and social justice through problem-based learning to empower the next generation of public administration professionals.

Position Responsibilities

1. Programmatic Responsibilities

• Supporting the growth of a top-tier MPA program focused on social justice, sustainability, and systems thinking
• Working with faculty to ensure academic excellence
• Elevating the program’s reputation through participating in community outreach, ensuring faculty excellence, and maintaining student satisfaction
• Supporting the problem-based learning approach by building and maintaining community partnerships for student experiential learning projects

2. Curriculum Development and Ongoing Assessment 

• Collaborating in the continuous improvement of the curriculum and pedagogy. 
• Collaborating to ensure program alignment to external standards including the development and execution of ongoing assessment 

3. Teaching 

• Developing and teaching selected online courses in the program.
• Ongoing teaching load of 4 to 5 courses per year 

Minimum Qualifications 

• Broad disciplinary understanding of Public Administration and Public Policy.
• PhD degree in a related discipline.
• Critical understanding of the relationship between systems thinking, environmental sustainability, social justice, and civic leadership.
• Relevant teaching experience or demonstrable ability to teach at the graduate level.
• Experience in leadership and pedagogy of academic programs in a reputable university in both online and in-person modalities. 

Desired Qualifications 

• Evidence of thought leadership in systems thinking, environmental sustainability, social justice, and/or civic leadership.
• Relevant professional experience and demonstrable ability to integrate practice into applied teaching methodologies at the graduate level. 

Start Date and Temporary Remote Status 

The expected start date for this position is August 2021. Our team is currently working remotely and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. When we return to an in-person setting, we plan to have an office near a BART station in San Francisco or Oakland. Bay Area candidates are preferred for eventual proximity to in-person events, but we will also consider remote candidates who can travel to the Bay Area (post-COVID) and who can work during Pacific time business hours. 

To Apply

Candidates are invited to submit an application packet to jobs@presidio.edu. Applications should include the following documents: 

Required Documents

1. Cover letter
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. List of Names and Contact Information of Three References (references will not be contacted until after the first round of interviews)
4. Statement of Teaching philosophy
5. Teaching Portfolio including syllabi and/or a summary of teaching evaluation 

Optional Documents 

1. Evidence of Professional Practice. Submit any one, or combination of the following: Portfolio of projects (pdf file), Personal or professional website, Examples of published work (pdf file). 

 

Presidio Graduate School is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.