Visiting Assistant Professor in Environmental Science

Visiting Assistant Professor in Environmental Science

Western Washington University with over 15000 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 90000 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 has additional sites in Anacortes Bremerton Port Angeles and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes such as being named one of the top public masters-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

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. Westerns 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 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.

Westerns 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 Environments academic programs reflect a broad view of the physical biological social and cultural world.

The Department of Environmental Sciences offers degrees in Environmental Science at the undergraduate and masters 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. Detailed information for the Department of Environmental Sciences is available online. Many of the students continue in the field throughgraduate school and in private and government professions. Regionally the graduates are well respected for their educational training.

The College of the Environment and Department of Environmental Sciences support Westerns 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.

The Department of Environmental Sciences at Western Washington University is inviting applications for a 9-month Visiting Assistant Professor from September 16 2026 through June 15 2027. We seek an environmental scientist with a demonstrated ability to teach a range of undergraduate and graduate courses. All areas of specialization will be considered but the department is particularly seeking candidates with expertise and teaching interests in General Ecology Environmental Disturbances Watershed Biogeochemistry Environmental Sampling Plant and Soil Interactions and Biostatistics (r based). Additional lab and field-based classes within the candidates area of expertise will also be considered. The expected teaching load is 6 courses a year on a 10-week quarter system (i.e. 2 courses in the fall quarter 2 courses in the winter quarter and 2 courses in the spring quarter). Additional duties will include advising students on course choices and mentoring undergraduate thesis projects. The successful candidate will also be expected to fulfill teaching and mentoring responsibilities in ways that provide equitable and inclusive learning environments for all students.

• PhD or ABD in environmental science or a closely related field at the time of application.
• Demonstrated ability or potential to teach courses in one or more of the following: General Ecology Watershed Biogeochemistry Biostatistics and Plant and Soil Interactions.
• Commitment to advising and mentoring undergraduate students.

• Experience with building student cohorts or community building.
• Post Doctoral Fellowship or additional professional experience.

Salary

Anticipated salary for this 9-month visiting assistant professor appointment is $64000 - $68000 commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Bargaining Unit

United Faculty of Western Washington

Application Instructions

Applications must be submitted through WWUs electronic system (PageUp). Candidates should upload:

1. A cover letter addressing their experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications;
2. a CV;
3. evidence of teaching effectiveness if available;
4. one-page statement of teaching philosophy; and
5. a one-page description of research interests.

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 John Rybczyk with questions at

Application review begins May 15 2026; position is open until filled

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity compliance with applicable laws WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race ethnicity color national origin age citizenship or immigration status pregnancy use of protective leave genetic status sex sexual orientation gender identity gender expression marital status creed religion veteran or military status disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability or any other characteristic protected by federal state or local law in its programs or activities including employment admissions and educational programs. See WWUs Policies onProhibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance Title IX and ADA Coordinator Western Washington University Old Main 126 (MS 9021) 516 High Street Bellingham WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay);

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