Visiting Assistant Professor, Biological Anthropology

Western Washington University•Bellingham, WA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Anthropology invites applications for two full-time, non-tenure track Visiting Assistant Professor positions in Biological Anthropology to begin in September 2026. The ideal candidates will have a Ph.D. at the time of application and will have significant research and teaching experience in the areas of human evolution, human anatomy and osteology, reproductive health, and quantitative methods. We would like to add Biological Anthropologists whose research builds upon the department’s existing strengths in the primate fossil record and the evolution of life history. We are especially interested in candidates with a track record of the ability to provide hands-on, personalized research and educational experiences for students interested in health sciences. The Department of Anthropology is dedicated to the implementation of anthropology to address issues affecting human health, incorporating collaborative research and an evolutionary biology framework. The successful candidates will contribute to these areas and demonstrate the ability to integrate their health and evolution-oriented research program into the curriculum. Teaching priorities include Reproduction and Physiology, Human Osteology and Forensics, Quantitative Methods, Human Origins, Human Evolution, and advanced writing seminars in the area of the applicants’ research. The successful candidates will be expected to fulfill teaching and mentoring responsibilities that provide equitable and inclusive learning environments for all students. Candidates should address at least one of the topical areas outlined above in their cover letter, indicating how their past experiences, current interests and activities, and/or future goals could promote a work climate that values and supports inclusion.

Requirements

PhD in Anthropology or related field
Evidence of ability to teach diverse set of courses in biological anthropology, especially Reproduction and Physiology, Human Osteology and Forensics, Quantitative Methods, Human Origins, Human Evolution, and advanced writing seminars in the area of the applicants’ research.
Evidence of a research program in human evolution, human anatomy and osteology, reproductive health, and quantitative methods.
Evidence of the ability to provide hands-on, personalized research and educational experiences for students interested in health sciences.
Evidence of the ability to integrate their health and evolution-oriented research program into the curriculum.
Evidence of the ability to mentor undergraduate and graduate students in research and professional development.
Evidence of ability to work with students from diverse backgrounds.
Evidence of ability to provide equitable teaching and learning environments for students.

Nice To Haves

Postdoctoral experience in Anthropology or related field
Evidence of ability to acquire internal and external research funding.
Experience working with the primate fossil record
Ability to engage with primate skeletal collections at WWU, utilizing them in research and teaching.
Ability to engage with technological resources available to Anthropology, including micro-CT scanners, structured light scanners, 3D printers, and other resources.
Experience with/dedication to reproducible statistical workflows (e.g., GitHub repositories and general R code sharing), open-source data repositories (e.g., 3D scans, landmark data, etc), and increasing accessibility via 3D digital/statistical analysis.

Responsibilities

Teach diverse set of courses in biological anthropology, especially Reproduction and Physiology, Human Osteology and Forensics, Quantitative Methods, Human Origins, Human Evolution, and advanced writing seminars in the area of the applicants’ research.
Provide hands-on, personalized research and educational experiences for students interested in health sciences.
Integrate health and evolution-oriented research program into the curriculum.
Mentor undergraduate and graduate students in research and professional development.
Work with students from diverse backgrounds.
Provide equitable teaching and learning environments for students.