Assistant/Associate/Full Professor and DSW Program Director

Posting Details

Posting Details

Posting Number: 0603147 Recruitment Type: Open to All Applicants Position Title: Assistant/Associate/Full Professor and DSW Program Director Position Type: Faculty Benefits Status: Benefits Eligible FLSA: Exempt Hiring Range: Salary commensurate with experience and rank + benefits package. Assistant: $65,000 - $70,000/yr; Associate: $70,000 - $85,000/yr; Full: $80,000 - $87,500/yr. Location

Tacoma, WA 98447

Department: Social Work Department Posting Date: 10/30/2026 Closing Date Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Work Schedule:

Full-time, 9-month, tenure-track position available September 1, 2027. The academic year is from September to May. Classes begin on September 7, 2027. New Faculty Orientation will take place on September 1, 2027.

General Description:

The Pacific Lutheran University Department of Social Work invites applications for a full-time tenure-track position to start in Fall 2027. Applicants should be able to teach generalist foundation and practice courses, as well as advanced course content involving practice, theory, and research. Applicants should have experience teaching at the BSW, MSW, and, ideally, doctoral level (either DSW or Ph.D.). Position responsibilities will involve teaching three courses per academic year, developing a DSW program, pursuing CSWE accreditation for the DSW program, and serving as DSW program chair.

Diversity is a core value and foundational concept in the department, and we are committed to building and supporting an inclusive and diverse faculty, staff, and student community. Almost half of our current and recent graduating cohorts have been made up of students of color. Additionally, we have strong ties to the local community and place a strong emphasis on collaborative approaches to complex social issues. Our faculty seek to advance PLU's vision of academic distinction through our emphasis on helping students find their own paths to meaningful and successful lives, engaging in student-faculty research and service projects, and serving the university, the department, and the community, and by. The BSW and MSW programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; the BSW and has maintained accreditation since 1975.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Oversee tasks involving DSW program development, CSWE accreditation, staff recruitment, student admission, oversight, and evaluation.
• Teach 3 courses per year, including some combination of BSW, MSW, and/or DSW social work micro/mezzo practice courses, field seminar, introductory social work classes (HBSE), and elective(s) or interdisciplinary programs such as First Year Experience (FYEP) or International Honors (IHON), and study away opportunities.
• Serve in the department and contribute to the larger life of PLU through advising, committee work, and other service activities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• We seek collegial faculty who view themselves foremost as educational leaders and possess a commitment to, and knowledge of, effective teaching strategies and program leadership.
• Familiarity with and commitment to teaching generalist and advanced practice social work courses.
• Commitment to and background working with, teaching, or mentoring diverse groups and/or diverse students.
• Ability to contribute to fostering diversity of the campus, the curriculum, and/or academic division.
• Commitment to undergraduate and graduate teaching in a program that blends the liberal arts with a generalist-focused professional education in social work.
• Knowledge of CSWE accrediting standards.
• Interest in developing a DSW program and managing the CSWE accrediting process.

Required Qualifications:

• Doctorate in Social Work. ABD will be considered, but doctorate degree must be in hand by the start date of the position.
• MSW from a CSWE accredited program plus two years-post MSW practice experience.
• Clearly defined scholarship agenda relevant to social work as well as a commitment to effective teaching and program leadership.
• The applicant must be legally eligible to work in the United States on hire date and legally authorized to work in the United States for Pacific Lutheran University without sponsorship.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience serving individuals, families, groups, and/or communities as a social worker.
• Teaching experience at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Teaching experience at the doctoral level.
• Established record of scholarship.
• Experience with social work program development and leadership.
• Experience with social work program accreditation and/or reaccreditation.
• Current clinical license, or license eligible within 1 year.

Work Conditions: Physical Requirements: Special Instructions to Applicants:

Applicants should submit the following:

• Cover letter that includes an overview of your experience as a clinical social worker, social work program leader, and social work faculty member coordinating program accreditation or reaccreditation. Your letter should address how these experiences have prepared you to lead a program focused on the preparation of DSW students.
• Curriculum Vitae
• List of Three Professional References
• Statement on your teaching and/or training experiences that includes: 1) the pedagogical methods that support students from diverse backgrounds, including your attention to the diverse perspectives or methodologies regarding the material you assign; and 2) a description of how, through mentoring and/or community service, you would create an inclusive learning environment in spaces beyond the classroom that support diversity, equity, and anti-racism (maximum 1,000 words).

For questions or more information, please contact Ren Winnett, Search Committee Chair, at rwinnett@plu.edu

Other Information:

The Department of Social Work has approximately 80 declared social work majors and several undergraduate students seeking to minor in social work, as well as a total of approximately 60 graduate students in advanced standing and regular standing MSW cohorts. The Department is well known for the development of generalist BSW practice social workers, who, upon completion of their degree, are ready to engage in advocacy, case management, community development, and in the child welfare system, with seniors, in childcare settings, in youth organizations, in corrections, in mental health, and with people with disabilities to improve the lives of individuals from marginalized or oppressed groups. The MSW program is entering its fourth year of operation with a focus on health and behavioral health and is experiencing steeply growing demand. The DSW program is currently in its initial development stage.

Pacific Lutheran University purposefully integrates the liberal arts, professional studies and civic engagement in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Our faculty lead with a bold commitment to expanding well-being, opportunity, and justice and instill this commitment in their students. PLU educators work to create an environment where students feel heard and valued, nurturing lifelong learners who aren't afraid to do things differently to make the world better for everyone. PLU supports faculty as they help students turn ambition into purpose, skills into tools, and their caring into a transformative force.

Because PLU is a community committed to the creation and advancement of knowledge through diversity and inclusion, the university actively recruits a faculty, staff, and student body from all religions, races, socioeconomic groups, sexual orientations, and gender expressions and from all over the world. For the 2025-26 academic year, 45 percent of PLU undergraduate students are from the first generation in their families to attend college; 51.4 percent self-identify as students of color; and 34.2 percent are Pell Grant-eligible.

Offering distinctive opportunities for global engagement, collaborative student-faculty research, and purposeful learning, our faculty guide 2,800 students from all faiths and backgrounds to discern their purpose through relevant coursework, inclusive mentoring, and internships at world-class Puget Sound-area businesses and institutions. PLU is located on a 156-acre woodland campus in the Parkland neighborhood of Tacoma, Washington and about 40 minutes south of downtown Seattle. The campus reflects consciously green practices and is in proximity to the natural beauty of Mount Rainier, the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges, and the Puget Sound.

PLU administration supports and respects the strong culture of faculty-shared governance by working closely and collaboratively with faculty leadership to sustain and strengthen existing structures and procedures while working together on key institutional, academic and curricular decisions. PLU is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from members of historically underrepresented and marginalized groups, women, veterans, persons with disabilities, and others who would bring broadly diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds in educational, research, or other work activities. For general application questions or if you need accommodations at any point in the application and/or interview process, please contact the Human Resources Office at 253-535-7185 or humr@plu.edu. Click here for detailed benefits information.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• • Will you have a doctorate degree in hand by the date of appointment?

• Yes

• No

• • Are you legally eligible to work in the United States on your hire date AND legally authorized to work in the United States for Pacific Lutheran University without sponsorship now and indefinitely into the future?

• Yes

• No

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Cover Letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• List of Three References
• Statement of Teaching Strategies

Optional Documents