Assistant Professor in Art and Design - Art Historian of Latin American Art (25/26)

The Department of Art and Design in the College of Liberal Arts at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, is seeking applications for a full-time, academic-year, tenure-track Assistant Professor of Art History with a specialization in Latin American art to begin September 11, 2025. The position is open to specializations of any period, though we particularly invite candidates whose work focuses on the 19th century to the present day. We are also interested in candidates who can contribute to interdisciplinary connections across the university and/or the College of Liberal Arts. Secondary research interests in Chicana/o studies, indigenous studies, gender and sexuality, the environment, and/or material culture are especially welcome.  

The Department of Art & Design currently administers a BFA degree in three concentration areas (graphic design; photography and video; and studio art) as well as a minor in art history. Teaching responsibilities include, but are not limited to, upper-division art history courses in one’s area(s) of expertise (which serve the BFA program, the art history minor, and the university-wide GE program) as well as lower-division GE survey courses as needed. This position will require the development of new courses in the candidate’s area of specialization in addition to teaching courses currently in the catalog.  

Cal Poly is committed to a teacher-scholar model, meaning candidates must be enthusiastic about teaching in an undergraduate, student-centered program while also developing and sustaining an active program of research, publication, and professional development. To support this model, the university offers various grants and programs to support faculty in their research endeavors. Alongside teaching and scholarship, faculty are also expected to participate in curriculum development as well as service activities at the department, college, and university level.  

Salary: Anticipated Hiring Range: $90,276 - $98,244/year, $7,523 - $8,187/month (Note that hiring level will be commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate.)  

Although Cal Poly is primarily a teaching university, our faculty are expected to balance teaching with an active program of research/professional development (including publication), student supervision and advising, and participation in service activities at the department and college/university level. The typical teaching load is 12 units (three courses) per quarter, with a reduction in course load in each of the first two years to help new faculty establish an active program of research and professional development. Cal Poly strongly values diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), especially in the classroom and among its areas of study. 

The College of Liberal Arts sees diversity as central to its mission and is committed to fostering an equitable and inclusive environment within the college and university. We value our diversity of complex and intersecting identities, while striving to maintain an environment that is socially just, equitable, respectful, and inclusive. The successful applicant should be able to clearly demonstrate how they have infused these values into their work as a faculty member.  

At California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, we believe that cultivating an environment that embraces and promotes diversity is fundamental to the success of our students, our employees, and our community. Bringing people together from different backgrounds, experiences, and value systems fosters the innovative and creative thinking that exemplifies Cal Poly's values of free inquiry, cultural and intellectual diversity, mutual respect, civic engagement, and social and environmental responsibility. Cal Poly's commitment to DEI informs our efforts in recruitment, hiring, and retention. California Polytechnic State University is an equal-opportunity employer. 

Due to CSU policies, the person hired must reside in the state of California at the time of hire and for the entirety of the appointment. 

• PhD in art history or closely related discipline with an area of specialization in Latin American art. Candidates who are ABD will be considered, though the PhD must be completed by August 2025.  

• Demonstrated experience in research and professional engagement.  

• Demonstrated university teaching experience and familiarity with methods for teaching art history within a BFA program as well as a GE-serving department. 

• Evidence of DEI-related service and ability to promote DEI values in the curriculum.  

• Demonstrated proficiency in written and oral use of the English language is required.  

All CSU employees are designated "mandated reporters" under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act. As a condition of your employment, you will be required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 and any subsequent amendments. 

Following a conditional offer of employment, a background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate may start work with Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may result in the withdrawal of the offer of employment. Note: Cal Poly cannot deny an applicant a position solely or in part due to a criminal conviction history until it has performed an individualized assessment and linked the relevant conviction history with specific job duties in the position being sought. 

Please note: Current employees who are offered positions on campus will be required to undergo a background check for any position where a background check is required by law or that Cal Poly has designated as sensitive. Sensitive positions are those requiring heightened scrutiny of individuals holding the position based on potential for harm to children, concerns for the safety and security of people, animals, or property, or heightened risk of financial loss to Cal Poly or individuals in the university community. 

For health and well-being, Cal Poly is a smoke & tobacco-free campus. The university is committed to promoting a healthy environment for all members of our community. 

In accordance with the California State University (CSU) Out-of-State Employment Policy, the CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California and prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU related work outside of California.