Visiting Assistant Professor in Environmental Science

Western Washington University, with over 15,000 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 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 master's-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. 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.

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.

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. Detailed information for the Department of Environmental Sciences is available online. Many of the students continue in the field through graduate 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 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.

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 candidate’s 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 $64,000 - $68,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Bargaining Unit

 United Faculty of Western Washington

Application Instructions

Applications must be submitted through WWU's 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 john.rybczyk@wwu.edu

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

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In 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 WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting 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); crtc@wwu.edu

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life at student.life@wwu.edu. The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires and rehires, which includes a sexual misconduct background check.