Contract Instructor-CEQA/Land and Natural Resources

JOB# (ENV100)

Under the general supervision of Instructor Services, the Instructor(s) will partner with various UC Davis support team members to develop and needed and to teach students the newest and applied skills in the CEQA and/or Land and Natural Resources. Through a combination of online and prerecorded lectures, the instructor(s) will ensure that at the end of course students obtain required skills in the domain area. The Instructor(s) must be a highly credible deep domain expert who can work with CPE staff and instructional designers and as directed, create a course design of value to the targeted audience. The primary responsibility of the Instructor(s) is to teach to the Learning Outcomes. The Instructor(s) must be a highly credible deep domain expert. The role is a "work for hire” focused on ensuring student’s academic progress and outcomes. CPE is currently recruiting for a variety of courses in the domain areas.

Domain Area 1: CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act)

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, planning, public policy, law, geography engineering, or qualifying professional experience combined with education.
• 5 years’ experience of direct CEQA-related professional experience such as managing initial studies Negative Declarations, or EIRs.
• CEQA compliance for public agencies.
• Strong Communication Skills, with the ability to communicate to a diverse student population.
• Two or more years' experience in teaching or training professionals.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree of Juris Doctor in environmental planning or law, public or public administration.
• Experience teaching or presenting CEQA to professionals (e.g., agency staff, elected officials, and government staff).
• Experience teaching online demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a team within a structured development process.
• Familiarity with recent CEQA case law and statutory updates.

CEQA courses:

• Successful CEQA Compliance
• Developing and Writing Effective CEQA Documents
• CEQA: A Step-by-Step Approach
• Mitigation Measure Development and Monitoring
• Project Management for CEQA

Domain Area 2: Land and Natural Resources

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, environmental science, ecology, or related field.
• 3 years of applied experience such conservation or land management, wildlife, forestry, water, or habit management.
• Strong Communication Skills, with the ability to communicate to a diverse student population.
• Two or more years' experience in teaching or training professionals.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in natural resources, watershed management, forestry, or ecology.
• Certified Natural Resources Professional (CNRP) or similar credentials.
• Experience teaching online with a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a team within a structured development process.

Land Use and Natural Resources topical areas include:

Core Land Use Planning

Compliance and Permit Planning

Habitat & Species Permitting

Urban Planning & Design Tools

Appointment:

The CPE Instructor position is an exempt by-agreement appointment. The incumbent will be hired into the UC Davis payroll title of Teacher-University Extension Contract YR and will be subject to Federal and State Income Tax Withholdings.

Compensation:

Compensation will be a set amount assigned based on the nature of the work, such as course development, instructional services, or coaching sessions.

Benefits:

Position is not eligible for UC health & welfare benefits. As a by-agreement instructor, the employment is considered “part-time” and will participate in the Defined Contribution Plan (the “DC Plan”) as a Safe Harbor† participant. By-Agreement instructors are automatically enrolled in the DC Plan per their eligible appointment. Safe Harbor participants contribute 7.5% of their wages, on a pretax basis, in lieu of contributing to Social Security. Please review the Retirement Savings Program Information for Safe Harbor Participants and the DCP Summary Plan Description for more information.

Apply:

Apply By 5/8/2026

Instructor Interest Application (ENV100) Please add in the Job# to the application.

Department Overview

UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) is the lifelong learning arm of the university. The division maintains the most diverse portfolio on the campus, with programs spanning pre-college, professional continuing education, workforce development, international academic and cultural exchange, and training services for corporate and agency partners. As a global leader in continuing education, CPE serves learners regionally, nationally and globally, and posts more than 55K enrollments annually making it the third largest UC Extension by enrollment. Beyond its community-facing role, CPE serves as the internal hub for online education in support of other academic units on the campus. CPE employs approximately 180 employees and draws on the expertise of approximately 1,700 instructors.