Assistant Professor of Environmental Science

Westminster University•Salt Lake City, UT

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Westminster University in Salt Lake City, Utah, invites applications for an Assistant Professor of Environmental Science with expertise in GIS and climate science. This position begins in fall of 2027, and the person will be a member of the Environmental Studies Program in the College of Arts and Sciences. We seek an excellent interdisciplinary educator with demonstrated ability to facilitate active student engagement and with experience or interest in team teaching, interdisciplinary learning, community engagement, field experiences, or other innovative learning designs. The ideal candidate will have expertise in data analysis or computational modelling with connections to climate processes and impacts. The 24-credit teaching load will include classes within the candidate’s specialty as well as introductory courses on climate change and data analysis as well as team taught introductions to environmental studies and the senior capstone class alongside current Environmental Studies faculty. There are also opportunities to develop new field based courses and help shape the Environmental Studies curriculum. The Environmental Studies program at Westminster University is an interdisciplinary program with concentrations in Society & Culture, and Environmental Sciences. We maintain a commitment to student learning outside of the classroom, and many of our courses include field components or opportunities for activism and service learning in the region. Students are engaged in research, community action, and creative activities around the Salt Lake City area and across Utah. Student learning is enhanced by robust co-curricular programming through Westminster’s Great Salt Lake Institute, Outdoor Program, and the Dumke Center for Civic Engagement, as well as ongoing collaborations with community partners such as Wasatch Community Gardens, Seven Canyons Trust, and HEAL Utah. Environmental Studies alumni are educators, activists, scholars, and entrepreneurs. We seek candidates who demonstrate skills, experience, and potential to facilitate the learning of all students, including those historically underrepresented in higher education (such as students of color, LGBTQ+ students, students with disabilities, first-generation college students, and more). The Environmental Studies Program is strongly committed to increasing the diversity of our student body and our discipline by creating a safe and welcoming environment for all.

Requirements

PhD candidate in a field related to Environmental Science with expected completion no later than August 2027.
Demonstrated experience teaching Data Analysis and other Environmental Science topics with pedagogical practices that generate active and engaged learning.
Demonstrated ability to think and teach across disciplines and fields of study.
Cover letter which speaks directly to the qualifications and job responsibilities.
CV.
1-2 page statement describing your teaching philosophy and practice.

Nice To Haves

Expertise in GIS and climate science.
Expertise in data analysis or computational modelling with connections to climate processes and impacts.
Experience or interest in team teaching.
Experience or interest in interdisciplinary learning.
Experience or interest in community engagement.
Experience or interest in field experiences.
Experience or interest in other innovative learning designs.
Demonstrated experience in teaching as the instructor of record for multiple courses with the ability to employ pedagogical practices that generate active and engaged learning.
Experience with team teaching.
Experience with community engagement.
Experience with field experiences.
Experience with other innovative learning designs.
Experience mentoring undergraduate research.
Experience teaching courses with emphases on data analysis or computational modelling.
Demonstrated skill in and commitment to supporting students from structurally marginalized communities in higher education.

Responsibilities

Teach classes within the candidate’s specialty.
Teach introductory courses on climate change and data analysis.
Team teach introductions to environmental studies.
Teach the senior capstone class.
Develop new field-based courses.
Help shape the Environmental Studies curriculum.
Facilitate active student engagement.
Facilitate the learning of all students, including those historically underrepresented in higher education.