Assistant Professor in Philosophy of Technology

The Department of Philosophy at San José State University is pleased to announce a search for a full-time assistant professor (tenure-track) position in Philosophy of Technology beginning in August 2027. While the department welcomes candidates whose research and teaching engage deeply with questions about emerging technologies, the department is open to a broad construal of the technology that is the focus of the candidate’s philosophical work.

The College of Humanities & the Arts, and the University more broadly, actively pursues the theme of the intersection of the humanities and the arts with technology. Given our location in Silicon Valley and our commitment to supporting the development of ethical technologies through our new Advanced Institute for Ethical Technologies, there are significant interdisciplinary collaborative opportunities for a faculty member exploring these issues through a philosophical lens. The Institute, in the process of being formed, pursues the need for human-centered technology that values privacy and ethical decision-making.  In partnership with the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library and the San Jose Public Library, the College has also established the Digital Humanities Center as a site of curriculum development, faculty research, student engagement, and public-facing programming and events.

The Department of Philosophy (https://www.sjsu.edu/philosophy/) is one of ten departments and schools in the College of Humanities & the Arts (https://www.sjsu.edu/humanitiesandarts/departments.php) and offers Philosophy BA and MA programs. We value and engage with a plurality of philosophical traditions and styles, as well as the perspectives of our diverse community of faculty and students. We are committed to creating learning environments, a departmental culture, and a larger philosophical community that welcomes all who want to explore philosophy.

The Department of Philosophy and San José State University value institutional excellence and are committed to advancing equity through research, teaching, and service. 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.

• Ph.D. in Philosophy prior to appointment
• A demonstrated record of effective teaching
• Evidence of the ability to publish and engage in professional activities in the area of philosophy of technology
• 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
  
  

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

• Demonstrated expertise in an additional area of philosophy (such as global philosophy, ethics, epistemology, political philosophy, philosophy of disability, etc.) that informs their philosophical engagement with technology
• Interests in pursuing cross-tradition engagement in doing philosophical work on technology
• Capacity to contribute to interdisciplinary research and teaching through the Advanced Institute for Ethical Technology (https://www.sjsu.edu/ha-in-action/engage/ai-et.php)
• Teaching interests and competencies that could contribute to the department’s teaching needs in history of philosophy, ethical theory, phenomenology, Africana philosophy, Asian philosophy, applied ethics (e.g., professional and business ethics, environmental ethics, medical ethics), or phenomenology
• Capacity to supervise MA students interested in pursuing our Advanced Certificate in Ethics of Science and Emerging Technologies.
  
  

• In addition to teaching courses in the area of specialization, including “Science, Technology, and Human Values” and “Computers, Ethics and Society”, the candidate will be expected to teach other general education courses that could include Introduction to Philosophy; Logic and Critical Reasoning; Moral Issues; Asian Philosophy; and Professional and Business Ethics; or courses in the history of philosophy.  The candidate will also contribute to the department’s ability to offer courses through SJSU Online.
• The candidate will sustain an ongoing record of research, scholarship, and/or creative activities, as well as other professional engagement.
• 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.

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.