Professor Sophia Pandya 

Chair of the Dept. of Religious Studies, CSULB 

Job Number: 516637 

Position: Assistant Professor of Religious Studies 

Effective Date: August 17, 2023 (Fall Semester) 

Salary Range: Commensurate with qualifications and experience 

Application Deadline: Review of applications to begin October 6, 2022. Position opened until filled (or recruitment canceled). 

College of Liberal Arts 

Department of Religious Studies 

Required Qualifications:           

• Ph.D. in Religious Studies, South Asian Studies, or similar field. Degree at time of application or official notification of completion of the doctoral degree by August 1, 2023.  
• Specialization and expertise in Classical and/or Contemporary Jainism, including (but not limited to) Jain religion, history, literature, politics, and philosophy  
• Ability to fulfill the duties of the Bhagwan Suvidhinath Endowed Chair in Jain Studies 
• Demonstrated potential for teaching 
• Experience or potential for teaching courses in Jain Studies and the Religions of India at undergraduate and graduate level  
• Ability to develop new courses in Jain Studies and the Religions of India at the undergraduate and graduate level  
• Demonstrated potential for an ongoing successful record of research, scholarly and creative activities in Classical and/or Contemporary Jainism, including (but not limited to) Jain religion, history, literature, politics, and philosophy 
• Demonstrated commitment to working successfully with a diverse student population 

Preferred Qualifications:                        

• Expertise in South Asian religions 
• Demonstrated excellence in teaching at the college level  
• Demonstrated well-defined research program  
• Ability to teach foundational courses in Religious Studies  
• Ability to contribute to the South Asian Studies minor 
• Experience of successfully working with populations demographically and socioeconomically similar to the CSULB student body (demographics)   

Duties:                                            

• Teach undergraduate and graduate level courses in religious studies including Jain Religion, Philosophy, and Ethics; Religions of India; Jain Studies; South Asian Religions; and foundational courses. [Mode of instruction may include in-person, hybrid, online, and/or any combination thereof.] 
• Perform the duties of the Bhagwan Suvidhinath Endowed Chair in Jain Studies, which include outreach activities related to Jain Studies, involving students and the greater community; organizing symposia on Jain Studies, facilitating study abroad programs having to do with Jain Studies, giving lectures on Jain Studies, and developing relationships with the local Jain diaspora.  
• Collaborate with other departments within the campus as appropriate towards creating productive relationships and promoting Jain Studies  
• Develop graduate level courses on Jain Studies and South Asian Religions  
• Engage in ongoing research, scholarly, and creative activities in Jain Studies, resulting in publication in peer-reviewed  
• Advise and mentor our students  
• Provide and participate in service to the department, college, university, and community 

CSULB seeks to recruit faculty who enthusiastically support the University’s strong commitment to the academic success of all of our students, including students of color, students with disabilities, students who are first generation to college, veterans, students with diverse socio-economic backgrounds, and students of diverse sexual orientations and gender expressions.  CSULB seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce as a reflection of our commitment to serve the People of California, to maintain the excellence of the University, and to offer our students a rich variety of expertise, perspectives, and ways of knowing and learning.   

Information on excellent benefits package available to CSULB faculty is located here:

 

https://www2.calstate.edu/csu-system/careers/benefits/Documents/employee-benefits-summary.pdf 

How to Apply - Required Documentation:                                 

• An Equity and Diversity Statement about your teaching or other experiences, successes, and challenges in working with a diverse student population (maximum two pages, single-spaced). For further information and guidelines, please visit: http://www.csulb.edu/EquityDiversityStatement  
• Letter of application addressing the required and preferred qualifications  
• CV  
• Names and contact information for three references (to be contacted for confidential letters of recommendation should you reach the finalist stage) 
• Finalists should be prepared to submit an official transcript (e-transcript preferred, if available) 

How to Apply: Click  

https://careers.pageuppeople.com/873/lb/en-us/job/516637/assistant-professor-of-religious-studies to complete CSULB online application 

Requests for information should be addressed to: 

Dr. Sophia Pandya, Chair 

California State University, Long Beach 

                                                                                                                                                                                                        Department of Religious Studies                                                                                                             

1250 Bellflower Boulevard 

Long Beach, CA 90840 

(562) 985-5341     E-Mail: sophia.pandya@csulb.edu  

EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS: 

A background check (including a criminal records check and telephone reference check with most recent employer) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position. 

The person holding this position is considered a “mandated reporter” under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 Revised July 21, 2017 as a condition of employment. 

CSU Vaccination Policy
CSU requires faculty, staff, and students who are accessing campus facilities to be immunized against COVID-19 or declare a medical or religious exemption from doing so. Any candidates advanced in a currently open search process should be prepared to comply with this requirement. The systemwide policy can be found at https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/9779821/latest/ and questions may be sent to fahr@csulb.edu. 

CSULB is committed to creating a community in which a diverse population can learn, live, and work in an atmosphere of tolerance, civility and respect for the rights and sensibilities of each individual, without regard to race or ethnicity (including color or ancestry), nationality, religion or religious creed, gender (or sex), gender identity (including transgender), gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), medical condition, genetic information, age, veteran or military status. CSULB is an Equal Opportunity Employer.