Assistant Professor - Philosophy of Law

Position Type:

Assistant Professor - Philosophy of Law

Position Type:

Regular

Salary Range:

 $86,284-$95,901

Purpose:

The Department of Philosophy at Santa Clara University, a Jesuit, Catholic university, invites applications for a full-time tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor. SCU is a welcoming and inclusive community of teaching scholars whose work is grounded in the university’s fundamental values. Those values, which include academic excellence, social justice, and community engagement, are infused with a culture of care that defines our community—upholding the dignity of all. The university draws on the many resources of the greater Bay Area, including Silicon Valley, where we are located.

Successful candidates must have a strong commitment to both teaching and research and must be able to maintain an active research program. The selected candidate will have a reduced teaching load of five courses during their first year of appointment.

A successful candidate will teach introductory and advanced undergraduate courses related to philosophy and law among the department’s current course offerings. We also would invite the successful candidate to help the department develop new courses over time that are associated with philosophical and legal issues, and we would expect the candidate to teach courses in the university’s CORE curriculum. These may include, for example, PHIL 11 and 12, Cultures & Ideas (with a law-related theme). Candidates will have a primary teaching focus in philosophy and law as it engages the conceptual, ontological, epistemological, normative/ethical, and political questions and problems pertaining to philosophical and legal matters. Candidates with experience advising pre-law students or including them in their research programs are invited to describe this experience in their cover letter.

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As with most of the departments in the College of Arts and Sciences, the Philosophy Department is strictly an undergraduate program. Experience working with diverse groups of students is valued.

The position comes with generous benefits (scu.edu/hr/benefits), including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, and University contributions toward retirement. The University also provides rental assistance, for which Assistant Professors are eligible, to ease the transition into the local housing market.

Required Qualifications:

1. The successful applicant will either:

• hold a Ph.D. in philosophy (or related field) prior to appointment start date with an expertise in philosophy and law, or
• hold a terminal degree in another field prior to appointment start date that includes training in philosophy and law, including but not limited to a J.D., a postgraduate degree in law (J.S.D, L.L.M., M.S.L.), or a Ph.D. in a humanities field other than philosophy

2. Have publications or strong promise for publications in peer-reviewed venues, and a clear research trajectory.

3. Provide evidence of the ability to teach a university-level courses in philosophy and law. Candidates are encouraged to examine the department’s current course offerings and to provide evidence of their ability to teach relevant courses (e.g., sample syllabi, unedited student evaluations, peer observations, etc.)

Responsibilities:

Tenure track faculty at SCU are teaching scholars who are expected to balance teaching, research and service. This is an in-person position. More specifically, duties include but are not limited to:

Teaching and Advising

Teach lower- and upper-division courses in the major and university core curriculum, as assigned by the chair including introductory and advanced courses in Philosophy and Law.

High-quality teaching is prioritized at SCU; therefore, significant faculty-student interaction is expected. The university offers many different opportunities to develop teaching skills through Faculty Development, including regular lunchtime workshops on pedagogy, teaching and technology grants, communities of practice, teaching mentors, and a scholarship of teaching and learning faculty group.

Teaching will be evaluated according to the Teaching Effectiveness Standards and Evaluation (TESE) document developed by each department. Ignatian pedagogy, a hallmark of Jesuit, Catholic universities, is based on the principle of cura personalis, that is, teaching the whole person. At Santa Clara University we define effectiveness in teaching as respectful, challenging, inclusive, engaging, and evidence based. Teaching Expectations and Academic Policies at SCU can be found here.

Scholarship

The successful candidate will be expected to: 

• Develop a research program at SCU that will result in the publication of peer-reviewed publications, monographs, and/or creative work per the department scholarship standards.

Service

Provide effective service to the Department of Philosophy, the College, the University, and profession through contributions other than teaching and scholarship such as service on committees, participation in professional organizations and activities, leadership, and community service performed by virtue of professional expertise or association with the university as appropriate to rank and experience.

Posting Detail Information

Start Date: 09/1/2027

Close Date: November 13, 2026

Open Until Filled: No

Special Instructions to Applicants: Please submit the materials below to the Workday system via the Human Resources website (Careers, to Faculty openings).

Candidates for this position should submit the following:

• Curriculum vitae
• Graduate transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable at this stage)
• Three letters of recommendation or contact information for three references (confidential letters of recommendation must be emailed to [email protected]) 
• Sample syllabi of relevant courses
• Student evaluations of teaching and other indications of teaching effectiveness, including original and unedited institutional summaries of numerical evaluations and unedited student comments on teaching (as are found in narrative evaluations of teaching). Please include a brief explanation of numerical scales or relevant comparisons used.
• A personal statement covering teaching philosophy, experience working with people of diverse cultures and identities, and experience advising students interested in careers in the law
• At least one example of representative scholarship in the AOS area, e.g., published article, book chapter, conference presentation, or dissertation chapter

Additional Information: 

For questions, please contact Erick Ramirez, Dept. Chair and Search Committee Chair ([email protected]) Department of Philosophy, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053-0310

Telecommute

Santa Clara University is registered to do business in the following states: California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Illinois. Employees approved to telecommute are required to perform their work within one of these states.

EEO Statement

​Equal Opportunity/Notice of Nondiscrimination

Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, parental status, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy or related conditions, reproductive health decisionmaking, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.  For a complete copy of Santa Clara University’s equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies, please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX website at https://www.scu.edu/title-ix/. 

Clery Notice of Availability

Santa Clara University annually collects information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. To view the Santa Clara University report, please visit the Campus Safety Services website. To request a paper copy please call Campus Safety at (408) 554-4441. The report includes the type of crime, venue, and number of occurrences.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Consistent with its obligations under the law, Santa Clara University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities.  Applicants who wish to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact the Department of Human Resources ADA Team at [email protected] or by phone at (408)554-5750. Please note: This contact information is intended for accommodation requests only. Resumes or inquiries about application status sent to this inbox will not be reviewed or forwarded. For resumes or questions regarding application status, please contact [email protected].

Work Authorization:

A foreign national who is appointed to a tenured or tenure-track faculty position is eligible for visa sponsorship assessment by Santa Clara University together with its legal counsel.