Job Details

FT Philosophy Instructor (2 Positions)

Position Number: 6803494
Location: Norwalk, CA
Position Type: Liberal Arts - Philosophy

FT Philosophy Instructor (2 Positions)

Salary: $87,785.00 - $134,792.00 Annually
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: FT-PHIL-25
Closing: 1/29/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Location: Norwalk, CA
Department: FT-PHIL-25
Division: Humanities & Social Science

Description

Equity and Diversity
The District is strongly committed to achieving staff diversity and the principles of equal opportunity employment. The District encourages a diverse pool of applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation in any of its policies, procedures or practices. In fact, the college encourages applications from all segments of qualified people.

Closing Date
This position will close on January 29th, 2026 at 11:59 PM (or when 150 applications are received, whichever occurs sooner).

College Profile

Cerritos College is ranked 14th among the top 100 schools with the highest Hispanic enrollment in the United States by the United States Department of Education. Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college's district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 180 areas of study in nine divisions. Enrollment currently averages 20,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at http://www.cerritos.edu.

Department Profile

The mission of the Philosophy Department is to ensure that students who take philosophy courses at Cerritos College-whether or not they major in the subject-gain a deeper appreciation of Socrates' famous declaration: "The unexamined life is not worth living." They will learn to read primary sources across all disciplines more carefully and critically, write well-reasoned argumentative essays and research papers, and defend their own positions on important issues concerning art and beauty, ethics and justice, and science and technology. Acquiring these philosophical skills will prepare students to become responsible participants in complex democratic societies and to tackle the many challenges they will face as "citizens of the world." Moreover, a solid background in philosophy will help students prepare for and achieve success in professional careers such as education, law, communications, health care, economics, and public administration.

Housed within the Humanities and Social Sciences Division at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), the Philosophy Department offers an AA-T (Associate in Arts Degree for Transfer) in Philosophy, an AA (Associate in Arts) in Religious Studies, and a Certificate (CERT) in Religious Studies.

Distinguishing Career Features
This is a 10-month tenure-track contract position.

Job Duties

ALL FACULTY SHALL:

Maintain currency with current information, concepts, laws and ideas in their disciplines and with best practices in teaching and learning.

Check mailbox, voicemail, and e-mail regularly.

Complete the checkout form before leaving campus at the end of the academic term.

Maintain student confidentiality as required by regulation and Board Policy 5040 titled Student Records and Directory Information.

ALL FULL-TIME FACULTY SHALL:

Participate in committee work, student activities, and shared governance activities as appropriate.

Attend first-year and second-year staff development workshops during the first and second years of employment at Cerritos College.

Attend department and division meetings.

Attend commencement ceremonies.

Assist the Department Chairperson and Instructional Dean in unit planning, budget preparation, and inventory.

Develop and implement a "Flex Plan" as required by state regulations.

All full-time faculty who are assigned classes shall: Post and maintain at least three scheduled office hours per week on at least three different days, including the final examination period. Office hours may not be scheduled between 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday.

ALL FACULTY WHO ARE ASSIGNED CLASSES SHALL:

Teach all assigned classes unless excused under provisions of Board Policy.

Teach all assigned classes for all scheduled minutes. In cases of necessary absence from class, notify the Instructional Dean or designee, or if unavailable, the Office of Academic Affairs in advance and have plans prepared so that a substitute, if assigned, can maintain continuity of course content.

Teach courses in accordance with the course outlines of record.

Provide opportunities for students to be aware of their progress.

Submit a copy of the syllabus for each class to the Division Office.

Keep accurate records of student enrollment, attendance, and academic progress and submit them to appropriate offices by the published deadlines.

Submit end-of-session grades, including supporting documentation, and attendance reports by the published deadlines.

Submit required information about first-day, no-show students by the published deadlines.

Submit textbook order information by the published deadlines. If the textbook is electronic or includes an electronic course pack, these conditions must be met:
1. Tests and exams must be available to the student without charge.
2. The text and course pack must be available to students with disabilities.
3. The publisher must grant read-only access to designated college staff for purposes of evaluation of course materials.
4. The text must be downloadable or printable.
If these four conditions are not met, the electronic textbook cannot be used.

Meet all classes during the final examination period.

Give final examinations at the scheduled time unless approval to do otherwise is granted by the Office of Academic Affairs or its designee.

Keep all corrected final examination papers for at least one year following the close of the semester or summer term.

Maintain a safe learning environment in classrooms, laboratories, and other instructional spaces.

Allow the instructional manager and/or Instructional Dean, upon request, to review any assignments given during the semester.

Minimum Qualifications

Master's in philosophy OR Bachelor's in philosophy AND Master's in humanities or religious studies, OR the equivalent.

Understanding of and sensitivity to meeting the needs of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic background of the student, community, and employee population.

Preferred Qualifications

Ph.D. in Philosophy
Experience teaching in a community college
Experience teaching and/or academic expertise in either
- Mexican Philosophy
- Asian Philosophy and Religion
Experience teaching in-person courses
Experience teaching online courses, especially using Canvas
Experience and/or ability to teach the following courses:
- Introduction to Philosophy
- Critical Thinking
- Ancient Philosophy
- Modern Philosophy
- Contemporary Philosophy
- Philosophy of Religion
- Ethics
- Feminist Philosophy
- World Religions
- Philosophy of the Bible

Supplemental Information

Physical Demands

Physical requirements may be met with or without reasonable accommodations. Requires ambulatory ability to move to various office and classroom-type locations. Ability to operate classroom equipment, including computer, and provide instruction and make presentations. Ability to communicate effectively with individuals or groups to carry on complex or routine conversations. Requires the ability to lift, push, and pull objects of medium weight (less than 30 lbs.) on an occasional basis.

Salary/Fringe Benefits

Salary is commensurate with education and experience.

Salary rate is: $87,785 - $134,792/annual.

Health and welfare benefits include District contribution for medical/dental/vision benefits and employee life insurance ($50,000). (Cash-in-lieu option available on medical insurance.)

Participation in the State Teachers' Retirement System.

Conditions of Employment
This is a tenure-track contract position. Contract will be for 10 school months for the academic year beginning fall semester 2026.
Participation in a pre-service orientation and/or probationary in-service training is required.
Please note: Per Board Policy 7210 "A bachelor's degree or the equivalent, from an accredited educational institution, shall be the minimum degree requirement for obtaining tenure as a faculty member in the District. The Board of Trustees reserves the right to determine whether a faculty member shall be granted tenure."
Individual who is offered employment shall be required to obtain fingerprints for a criminal history clearance through the State Department of Justice and remit the required fee for processing the fingerprints, produce an original social security card, and submit negative TB test results (must be within the past four years or within the last 60 days if not previously employed in a school district in California) before employment.

Proof of eligibility to work in the United States and signing of loyalty oath per Government Codes 3100-3109.

** Please note - the District does not provide for immigration sponsorships such as H1B Visas.

Candidates must be able to provide proof of California residency prior to employment.

Application Procedure

Application materials must be submitted by the closing date. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible application process. If you require a reasonable accommodation to apply or interview due to a disability, please contact Human Resources at hr@cerritos.edu as early as possible. While advance notice (ideally at least 72 hours before the application deadline or scheduled interview) helps ensure we can meet your needs, we will make every effort to accommodate requests made at any time.

It is the applicant's responsibility to provide copies of all transcript(s) verifying all educational degree(s) and/or coursework required for the position. Transcripts must be from regionally accredited institutions. A foreign transcript must be evaluated by a NACES certified agency. The website address is www.naces.org.

Selection Procedure
Following the closing date, application materials will be evaluated by a selection committee. Candidates selected for further consideration will be limited to those applicants in the competitive group who best meet the qualifications for the position. Interviews will then be conducted by the selection committee, and finalists will be recommended for further consideration by the President-Superintendent for final selection and recommendation for employment. The selection process may also include practical exercises (i.e., teaching demonstration and/or other written, technical, manipulative, or simulation exercises) to evaluate candidates' qualifications.

As these are highly competitive positions, meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an interview. If you have questions or would like to follow-up regarding your application, please contact Human Resources at HR@Cerritos.edu as search committee members are unable to discuss specific recruitments.

Required Documents

Cover Letter
Resume/CV
Copy of Unofficial Transcripts (Must show all coursework completed and conferral date of the degree)
Copy of Course Syllabi

To apply, visit https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/cerritosedu/jobs/5173158/ft-philosophy-instructor-2-positions

The District ensures that all qualified applicants for employment and employees have full and equal access to employment opportunity, and are not subjected to discrimination in any program or activity of the District on the basis of national origin, religion, age, sex or gender, race, color, medical condition, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, physical or mental disability, or because he or she is perceived to have one or more of the foregoing characteristics, or based on association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. .