Teaching Assistant Professor, Psychology
The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.
If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at (775) 784-1495 or [email protected].
Job Description
The Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno invites applications for a nine-month, continuing, non-tenure-track Teaching Assistant Professor position, with an anticipated start date of August 2026. This state-funded position is part of our commitment to excellence in undergraduate education.
The successful candidate will demonstrate excellence in teaching, a commitment to student success, and the ability to contribute to undergraduate program development and administration of UNR’s interdisciplinary BS degree program in Neuroscience, which is jointly offered through the Departments of Psychology and Biology for over 300 student majors. Primary responsibilities include teaching undergraduate neuroscience courses (in Behavioral, Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience), including developing and mounting a new proposed laboratory course in Human Cognitive Neuroscience, advising undergraduate students, and serving as Co-Director of the undergraduate Neuroscience degree program.
The teaching load is four to five courses per academic year (depending on administrative and advising service roles). There are also opportunities to teach during winter and summer sessions for additional compensation. Graduate teaching assistant support is available for larger courses. The University provides a clear promotion pathway for teaching faculty that includes regular review, and base salary increases upon promotion.
Lecturer Statement
The University of Nevada, Reno reserves the right to hire at any level of Lecturer (I-IV) or Teaching Assistant/Associate/Professor(terminal degree candidates) that is appropriate for the hire. If you have questions about title, please inquire during the interview process.
Required Qualifications
Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Psychology, Cognitive Science, or a closely related field, with award of the degree before the start date of the hire;
Ability to teach a range of undergraduate courses in Behavioral, Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience including lab-based courses; commitment to student advising, mentoring, and academic success;
Ability to work collaboratively with faculty across multiple departments to support the undergraduate Neuroscience program.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience advising and mentoring undergraduate students; experience with undergraduate curriculum development, assessment, or academic program administration;
Experience coordinating or contributing to interdisciplinary academic programs;
Experience with basic methods in Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience (e.g. psychophysics, neuroimaging, modeling);
Strong quantitative and coding skills.
Compensation Grade
Teaching Assistant Professor, (9-month; B-Contract)
Salary is competitive with a hiring range of $63,000 to $96,900 and commensurate with related education and experience.
To view the salary schedule for this position, please visit: Salary Schedules and select Academic Faculty.
Perks of working at UNR
Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance
Generous sick leave, life insurance, and long-term disability - Faculty Benefits
E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers an annual or semester membership and family membership options. E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center
Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.
Faculty Senate is the principal representing body for faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. Faculty Senate
No state income tax!
Grants-in-aid for Faculty Employees
The University is proud to provide a reduced-rate tuition benefit to faculty and qualified dependents. Faculty can take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate. Dependents of faculty have unlimited credits, but in order to be eligible children must be unmarried and under the age of 24 and must receive at least 50% of their financial support from the employee and/or employee’s spouse or domestic partner. Faculty Grants-in-Aid
Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program
The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a dual career assistance program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them to identify career opportunities in Northern Nevada. Dual Career Assistance Program
Department Information
The successful candidate will join a supportive and collegial department, with over 30 teaching and research faculty, more than 1000 Psychology majors, and more than 100 graduate students in programs including Cognitive and Brain Sciences and the interdisciplinary graduate program in Integrative Neuroscience. The department is also the administrative home of UNR’s Center for Integrative Neuroscience (an NIH COBRE grant), which provides an array of shared facilities for computational modeling and neuroimaging. Please visit the departmental home page at https://www.unr.edu/psychology for more information about the department, the neuroscience home page https://www.unr.edu/neuroscience to learn about the various neuroscience programs at UNR, and the university website https://www.unr.edu/academics for information about the campus.
Contact Information
Beth Jacobsen at 775-682-8787 or [email protected]
Exempt
YesFull-Time Equivalent
100.0%Required Attachment(s)
Please note, once you submit your application the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments, prior to the committee review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at [email protected]
Attach the following attachments to your application
1) Resume/CV
2) Cover Letter
3) Statement of teaching experience, including evidence of teaching effectiveness and commitment to student success (1-page max)
4) Statement describing experience with student advising, mentoring, and undergraduate program development or administration (1-page max)
5) Statement describing research experience and areas of expertise (1-page max)
6) Vision statement for a neuroscience undergraduate degree program, including targeted student cohort, curricular elements and experiences, core competencies and targeted career opportunities gained through the degree (2 pages max)
7) Contact Information for at least three professional references
Posting Close Time
This posting will close at 12:00 am on the date listed below. The posting will no longer be available to apply to after 11:59 pm the day prior.
Posting Close Date
12/16/2026Note to Applicant
A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.
HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.
References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.
Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.
As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.
For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.
Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.
The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes).
About Us
The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.
Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”
Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school - the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.
The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.
Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.
In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada - led by the University of Nevada, Reno - was named one of the inaugural 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (TechHubs). Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories. Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.
Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.
The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.
Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement - all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.
For more information, please visit the University’s website.