Assistant Professor in Forest Systems

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, Everett, 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.

The College of the Environment and the Environmental Sciences Department support Western’s mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed 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 who are interested in this opportunity.

Western’s Environmental Sciences Department is committed to creating a space for students to value, change, and study the environment. The department offers degrees in Environmental Science at the undergraduate and master’s levels. Students in the program gain proficiencies in applying quantitative and critical thinking skills to environmental issues, writing and speaking effectively to professional audiences about issues in the field, using theoretical knowledge of environmental sciences in real-world applications, and incorporating multiple disciplines into environmental sciences.

We currently have 20 tenure-track faculty who serve about 300 majors and approximately 20 graduate students annually, offering a variety of degrees in environmental science with emphases in environmental toxicology and chemistry, marine science, and aquatic and terrestrial ecology. Many of our students are actively engaged in a vibrant and productive research environment under the mentorship of our faculty and present at regional, state, and national conferences. Students will often also co-author peer-reviewed publications. The department maintains active relationships with community, tribal, agency, NGO, and private sector partners.

• PhD or ABD at time of application in Forest Ecology, Forestry, Ecology, Environmental Science, or a closely related field. If ABD, all degree requirements must be completed by June 15th of the first year of employment (e.g., June 15, 2027).
• Evidence of scholarly potential or a demonstrated record of peer-reviewed research.
• Demonstrated experience with quantitative and/or computational tools relevant to forest systems.
• Ability to teach core departmental courses and to mentor diverse learners.
• Potential to cultivate high-quality learning and working environments that are equitable and inclusive of individuals with diverse social identities and backgrounds.
• Commitment to establishing and sustaining a research program that engages undergraduate and M.S. students.

• Postdoctoral research experience.
• Demonstrated success or strong potential in securing external research funding.
• Experience developing new courses aligned with the candidate’s research specialty.
• Experience offering courses with a research focus, such as a CURE (Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience) approach.
• Teaching and scholarship interests and experience aligned with the Environmental Sciences Department’s goals.

Salary

The starting salary range for assistant professor appointment, tenure-track is generally between $77,000 - $82,000 with placement within the position’s salary range being based on qualifications and professional experience. The entire salary range for the assistant professor position is $77,000 - $93,000, with the upper end of the salary range typically being achieved through collectively bargained salary adjustments. Relocation assistance maybe available per university guidelines. Salary and start-up funds are to be determined upon being offered the position.

Bargaining Unit

 United Faculty of Western Washington

Application Instructions

Interested candidates must apply online. For application information and instructions, go to the WWU Employment website.

A complete application should include:

1. Application Letter: A letter of application that addresses how you meet the qualifications for the position, your ability and commitment to fulfill the position responsibilities, and your availability to start as of September 16, 2026.
2. Diversity Statement (max 2 pages): A separate statement of demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion in teaching, scholarship and/or service describing past experience, contributions to diversity and inclusion efforts, the impact on students, faculty, staff and/or your field and a description of how you will demonstrate a commitment in these areas in teaching, research, and/or service at WWU.
3. Teaching Statement (max 2 pages): A separate statement of your teaching experience and/or interests, and plans for teaching introductory and advanced courses within the Environmental Sciences curriculum. Include a summary of teaching evaluations, if applicable.
4. Research Statement (max 2 pages, not including references): A separate detailed statement of your research interests, projects, and plans for student involvement.
5. Vita: A full curriculum vitae.
6. References: The names and contact information for at least three professional references. Please do not send letters of recommendation; these will only be required for semi-finalists, and will be automatically requested from the provided references via Western’s PageUp electronic application system.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire.  Employment-based visa sponsorship may be considered depending on the candidate's current immigration status; however, the University is unable to sponsor new H1B petitions or cover associated filing or processing fees at this time.

Application review begins March 30, 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.