Position: Assistant Professor of Art (Drawing/Painting)
Type: Tenure-Track, Full-Time Academic Year: 2027-2028 Available: Fall 2027
Location: Department of Art
College of Arts and Humanities
California State University, Bakersfield
9001 Stockdale Highway
Bakersfield, CA 93311-1099
Contact: Bill Kelley, bkelleyjr@csub.edu
Application Deadline: Priority consideration will be given to complete applications submitted by January 25, 2026. Applications submitted after the deadline may be reviewed at the discretion of the committee until the position is filled.
University Background: CSU Bakersfield, founded in 1970, is a regional, comprehensive university serving the southern San Joaquin Valley of California. CSU Bakersfield’s service area covers nearly 25,000 square miles and is home to a socially and ethnically diverse population. CSU Bakersfield is the only four-year degree granting institution within a 100-mile radius. Due to this, CSU Bakersfield has a vital role in educational obtainment, economic development, and quality of life within the region. The campus serves approximately 9,400 undergraduate students and 1,350 graduate, credential, and post-baccalaureate students. CSU Bakersfield is a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).
The accolades recently received by CSU Bakersfield include: #18 in Top Public Schools in the West and #21 in Top Performers on Social Mobility (U.S. News & World Report, 2026), 4.5 out of 5 stars and named one of America's Best Colleges (Money, 2026), #8 in Master's Universities, #17 in Best Bang for the Buck: West, and #44 in Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars (Washington Monthly, 2025), #4 in California Mobility Index (College Futures Foundation, 2025), #23 in Social Mobility Index (CollegeNET, 2025), #9 in Economic Mobility Index (Third Way, 2024), and in the Top 50 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the US (University HQ, 2025).
Commitment to Diversity: The Department of Art within the College of Arts and Humanities at CSU Bakersfield is committed to academic and inclusive excellence and diversity within the faculty, staff, and student body.
College Information: Comprised of seven departments (Art & Art History, Communications, English, History, Modern Languages & Literatures, Music & Theatre, and Philosophy & Religious Studies), the College of Arts & Humanities at California State University, Bakersfield, provides thriving academic degree programs to approximately 1,000 students as well as core areas of General Education for the approximately 11,000 students at the university. In addition to classroom instruction, the departments in the College host art exhibits, dramatic productions, and concerts as well as “The Runner” (the Student Newspaper) and student broadcasting programs. Departments often invite distinguished visiting artists and speakers to present to university-wide audiences. Students benefit from high impact practices in the College (including opportunities for Undergraduate Research). The College also offers three M.A. programs (English, History, and Spanish). Lastly, the College houses the Institute for Basque Studies, the Public History Institute, and the Institute for Religion, Education, and Public Policy (all of which also link to the broader community in Kern County).
Department Information: The mission of the CSUB Department of Art and Art History is to encourage research, innovation, and experimentation among our students and to foster an environment ripe for learning and risk-taking. The department has three areas of concentration, Studio Art, Art History and Art Education. The Art and Gallery Programs complement the University’s larger mission by offering CSUB students an opportunity to engage in advanced, creative discourse both local and international in scope. The Art Program has a strong presence in Bakersfield but is also designed, in part, to expose the campus and community to the culture and currents of the Los Angeles art hub that lies just 90 minutes away. The Todd Madigan Gallery organizes 3-4 exhibitions a year in addition to the Visiting Artist Program that brings one artist each year to work directly with students and build an art installation on campus. The Visiting Artist Lecture Series brings in nine speakers each year to complement and enhance classroom learning. The Art faculty is comprised of three tenure-track professors, two full-time lecturers, and three full-time staff, who serve over 190 Art majors as well as the university as a whole. The department maintains state-of-the-art facilities for sculpture, ceramics, painting, drawing, printmaking, photography and digital media, as well as semi-private senior studio spaces.
Position Description and Duties: The Department of Art and Art History seeks an outstanding candidate to teach all levels of undergraduate Painting and Drawing with an emphasis on the medias’ contemporary and theoretical contexts. The selected applicant will teach introductory and advanced level undergraduate courses in Painting, Drawing, and 2-D foundations in addition to the senior level capstone courses – Professional Practices and Senior Projects and Exhibition. The candidate will be expected to teach three studio courses per semester in addition to service to the department and university.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Demonstrated commitment to teaching undergraduates from diverse socioeconomic, cultural, and academic backgrounds, including first-generation students.
- MFA in painting, drawing, or other relevant area
- Minimum of two years university teaching experience beyond graduate assistantship
Rank and Salary:
- Assistant Professor; salary based on qualifications and experience.
- Anticipated annual salary range: $74,652 – $80,000
Benefits: 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.
Application Process: Please apply online at the CSUB Careers site (https://careers.csub.edu/en-us/listing/). Submitted materials should include the following:
- Cover letter describing interest in position, qualifications, and recent experience
- Curriculum vitae
- Unofficial transcripts of highest degree earned
- Three current professional references with names and contact information. References will not be contacted without prior notification to applicants.
- A statement about fostering an inclusive classroom OR a statement describing your contribution to diversity, equity and inclusion through your teaching, scholarly activities, and/or service.
Background Check: A background check (including a criminal records check) must be satisfactorily completed. Offers of employment are conditional and 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 CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.
Education Code 89521 Requirements: Applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last seven years, only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.
Authorization to Work: Employment is contingent upon US residence and proof of eligibility to work in the United States. CSUB is currently unable to sponsor new H-1B employment visas which are subject to the $100,000 fee established by the “Presidential Proclamation: Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” issued on September 19, 2025. Applicants are responsible for determining the applicability of the fee. For candidates already in the United States who hold a valid nonimmigrant visa (such as F-1, J-1, or O-1), CSU Bakersfield may consider filing a petition to change their status to H-1B if the $100,000 fee does not apply.
Out of State Employment: Per CSU-wide policy, all faculty who will begin initial employment (or return from a 12-month break in service) on or after January 1, 2022 are required to perform their work from within the State of California. Faculty assignments include in-person duties that require an on-campus presence.
Mandated Reporter: 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 as a condition of employment. The person will also have a duty to report to the Campus Title IX Officer information pertaining to discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct or exploitation, dating or domestic violence, stalking, and retaliation under the CSU Interim Nondiscrimination Policy.
Campus Security Authority: This position is designated as a Campus Security Authority (CSA) under the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act. The employee is responsible for promptly reporting Clery-reportable crimes and relevant information to the University Police Department or institution’s designated Clery official. The employee is required to complete CSA training on annual basis.
Clery Act: CSUB's annual crime report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus, in certain off-campus centers, such as our Antelope Valley Satellite Campus, and on property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from CSUB. The report also includes policies concerning security on campus, such as alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, reporting crimes, sexual assault, and other subjects. Additionally, a daily log of offenses is maintained and can be reviewed at the front desk of the Department of Public Safety. You can obtain a copy of the annual report by contacting the Department of Public Safety/University Police at (661) 654-2111 or by logging on to their website at https://www.csub.edu/compliance/Clery.
EEO Statement: All university programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, CSUB provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities.
CSUB complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.
CSUB is a diverse community of individuals who represent many perspectives, beliefs and identities, committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually vibrant environment. We cultivate a culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and belonging to support educational excellence and student success. Through academic programs, student organizations and activities, faculty initiatives, and community partnerships, we encourage meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. As a higher education institution, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and empowering individuals to reach their full potential by prioritizing inclusive curriculum development, faculty and staff training, student mentorship, and comprehensive support programs. At CSUB, excellence is built on merit, talent, diversity, accessibility, and equal opportunity for all.
