What are the responsibilities and job description for the Freshwater Ecosystem Science (3-year Visiting Assistant Professor) position at Inside Higher Ed?
Freshwater Ecosystem Science - 3-year Visiting Assistant Professor - Colby College
The Environmental Studies (ES) Department at Colby College invites applications for a three-year visiting assistant professor position in freshwater ecosystem science to begin in the fall of 2026. We seek candidates with scholarship and teaching experience in freshwater ecosystem science. We are particularly interested in candidates with a focus on one or more of the following: limnology, stream ecology, wetland ecology, aquatic ecosystem ecology, biogeochemistry, agricultural ecosystems, freshwater pollution, and climate change.
Teaching responsibilities may include an intermediate-level course in freshwater aquatic ecology with a field lab, an introductory environmental studies course, general ecology, a senior research capstone course for environmental science majors, or elective courses in the candidate’s area of specialty. The successful candidate will also have opportunities to engage in research with undergraduate students, including advising senior theses.
Colby’s Environmental Studies Department is one of the oldest in the country. The department offers majors in Environmental Policy, Environmental Science, and Environmental Computation, and minors in Environmental Studies and Marine Science. Core faculty include multi- and interdisciplinary scholars from diverse disciplines and more than two dozen affiliated faculty from a variety of other departments. Members of the ES department engage in basic and applied environmental research at the local, regional, and global scale. The ES department works closely with Colby institutes including the Buck Lab for Climate and Environment, the Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and other departments at Colby including Biology, Chemistry, and Geology. The ES department also collaborates with numerous off-campus partners, including the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, the 7 Lakes Alliance, and numerous state or federal environmental agencies. In 2013, Colby was the fourth college or university in the United States to declare net zero carbon emissions. Colby’s ongoing efforts towards sustainability include green building development and significant resources for student environmental research, civic engagement, and internships. For more information about the Environmental Studies Department, faculty, and curriculum, please see the website: www.colby.edu/environmentalstudies.
Qualifications
Candidates should have a Ph.D., be engaged in ecological or environmental science research, and have a strong commitment to undergraduate education. Candidates who are ABD with an expected completion date prior to fall 2026 will be considered. The search committee is especially interested in candidates who, through their research, teaching, and/or service, will contribute to access, opportunity, and inclusion within the campus community.
Application Instructions
Interested candidates should submit the following materials at the link below:
Submit application materials to: https://apply.interfolio.com/175098
Colby is a private, coeducational liberal arts college that admits students and makes personnel decisions on the basis of the individual’s qualifications to contribute to Colby’s educational objectives and institutional needs. The principle of not discriminating on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, caste, national or ethnic origin, marital status, genetic information, political beliefs, veteran or military status, parental status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, physical or mental disability unrelated to the job or course of study requirements is consistent with the mission of a liberal arts college and the law.
The Environmental Studies (ES) Department at Colby College invites applications for a three-year visiting assistant professor position in freshwater ecosystem science to begin in the fall of 2026. We seek candidates with scholarship and teaching experience in freshwater ecosystem science. We are particularly interested in candidates with a focus on one or more of the following: limnology, stream ecology, wetland ecology, aquatic ecosystem ecology, biogeochemistry, agricultural ecosystems, freshwater pollution, and climate change.
Teaching responsibilities may include an intermediate-level course in freshwater aquatic ecology with a field lab, an introductory environmental studies course, general ecology, a senior research capstone course for environmental science majors, or elective courses in the candidate’s area of specialty. The successful candidate will also have opportunities to engage in research with undergraduate students, including advising senior theses.
Colby’s Environmental Studies Department is one of the oldest in the country. The department offers majors in Environmental Policy, Environmental Science, and Environmental Computation, and minors in Environmental Studies and Marine Science. Core faculty include multi- and interdisciplinary scholars from diverse disciplines and more than two dozen affiliated faculty from a variety of other departments. Members of the ES department engage in basic and applied environmental research at the local, regional, and global scale. The ES department works closely with Colby institutes including the Buck Lab for Climate and Environment, the Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and other departments at Colby including Biology, Chemistry, and Geology. The ES department also collaborates with numerous off-campus partners, including the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, the 7 Lakes Alliance, and numerous state or federal environmental agencies. In 2013, Colby was the fourth college or university in the United States to declare net zero carbon emissions. Colby’s ongoing efforts towards sustainability include green building development and significant resources for student environmental research, civic engagement, and internships. For more information about the Environmental Studies Department, faculty, and curriculum, please see the website: www.colby.edu/environmentalstudies.
Qualifications
Candidates should have a Ph.D., be engaged in ecological or environmental science research, and have a strong commitment to undergraduate education. Candidates who are ABD with an expected completion date prior to fall 2026 will be considered. The search committee is especially interested in candidates who, through their research, teaching, and/or service, will contribute to access, opportunity, and inclusion within the campus community.
Application Instructions
Interested candidates should submit the following materials at the link below:
- a letter of application that includes an expression of interest in liberal arts undergraduate education;
- a curriculum vitae;
- a two-page statement of teaching philosophy that demonstrates a commitment to equitable and inclusive teaching;
- a two-page statement of research interests;
- contact information for three professional references. Letters of recommendation will be requested for finalists.
Submit application materials to: https://apply.interfolio.com/175098
Colby is a private, coeducational liberal arts college that admits students and makes personnel decisions on the basis of the individual’s qualifications to contribute to Colby’s educational objectives and institutional needs. The principle of not discriminating on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, caste, national or ethnic origin, marital status, genetic information, political beliefs, veteran or military status, parental status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, physical or mental disability unrelated to the job or course of study requirements is consistent with the mission of a liberal arts college and the law.