| Position Title |
Visiting Assistant Professor of Environmental Science |
| About the University |
Western Washington University, with over 16,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western is the highest-ranking public, master's-granting university in the Pacific Northwest, according to the 2022 U.S. News & World Report rankings. Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties. |
| About the College, Department, and Program |
About the College: Western’s College of the Environment is the oldest interdisciplinary environmental studies college in the U.S. and is known nationally and internationally for its excellence in educating the next generation of environmental leaders. The College of the Environment’s academic programs reflect a broad view of the physical, biological, social, and cultural world.
About the Department: The Department of Environmental Sciences offers degrees in Environmental Science at the undergraduate and master's level. The department values putting learners in active roles in real world contexts, and recognizes the diverse kinds of professional expertise its faculty bring. The department maintains active relationships with community, agency, NGO, and private sector partners and is committed to diversity and excellence in our faculty, students, and staff. We especially encourage candidates who share and can contribute to this commitment through active engagement in the department, university, and wider community.
About the Program:
Through the Everett and Western on the Peninsulas programs, the College of the Environment provides off-campus degree programs designed with a flexible schedule for working adults and offers three bachelor's degrees: BA in Environmental Studies (emphasis either in Geographic Information Systems or Environmental Science); BA in Natural Resource Management; and BS in Environmental Science. A full list of degrees/certificates is listed online. Classes in the degree programs are held during evening hours (after 5:00 p.m.). The classrooms are networked across three sites at Port Angeles, Poulsbo, and Everett. A class held at any of these sites is connected via Interactive Teleconferencing to the two other sites. Hence any single cohort of our students is typically spread across three sites.
The College of the Environment supports Western’s mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we strive to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.
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| About the Position |
The Department of Environmental Sciences at Western Washington University is inviting applications for a 6-month Visiting Assistant Professor from December 16, 2024, through June 15, 2025, eligible for renewal for the full 2025 – 2026 Academic Year. We seek expertise in environmental sciences with demonstrated ability to teach a range of undergraduate courses. The applicant would be expected to teach classes that include Biostatistics, Environmental Impact Assessment, Forest Ecology, Environmental Disturbances, or Ecological Restoration. Additional courses for an academic year appointment are negotiable on the basis of specific area of expertise. The expected teaching load is 18-20 credits total over Winter 2024 and Spring 2025 quarters, and 27-30 credits for the 2025-2026 Academic Year. Additional duties include advising the College of the Environment Everett and Western on the Peninsulas students, mentoring student independent projects, and assisting with student recruitment, outreach, and social activities. The position is located at our Poulsbo, WA site and travel to regional classroom sites for face-to-face teaching is required. The successful candidate will be expected to fulfill teaching and mentoring responsibilities in ways that provide equitable and inclusive learning environments for all students.
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| Required Qualifications |
- One of the following:
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Demonstrated ability to teach lab and field-based environmental science courses;
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Ability to communicate complex topics at an undergraduate level.
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Commitment to supporting undergraduate experiential learning outside the classroom;
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Demonstrated ability to support first generation, nontraditional, and historically underrepresented students and to foster inclusive community;
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| Preferred Qualifications |
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Demonstrated ability to teach ecological restoration, landscape ecology, and biostatistics;
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Teaching experience that includes student centered-learning;
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Experience with building student cohorts or community building;
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Post-doctoral fellowship or additional professional experience.
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| Conditions of Employment |
All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60-days of hire. Please reach out to HR@wwu.edu if you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations. |
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Salary
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Anticipated salary for the 6-month, full-time, visiting assistant professor appointment is $43,333 - $46,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. Anticipated salary for Academic Year 25-26 9-month renewal is $65,000 - $69,000.
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| Benefits Information |
Benefits Overview for Faculty Positions |
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Bargaining Unit
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United Faculty of Western Washington
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Application Instructions
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Applications must be submitted through WWU's electronic system (PageUp). Candidates should upload:
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A cover letter addressing their experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications;
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A CV; and
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Evidence of teaching effectiveness.
You will be asked to provide contact information of three references. Please do not submit letters of recommendation. These will only be requested for finalists, and the PageUp system will send out requests automatically to your referees.
Contact Department Chair Ruth Sofield with questions: Ruth.Sofield@wwu.edu
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| Closing Date Notes |
Application review begins September 30, 2024; position is open until filled.
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