"Assistant Professor (Teaching Track) - Organic Chemistry"

Position Overview

The University of Washington Tacoma (UWT) invites applications for Teaching-track Assistant Professor of Organic Chemistry in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. This is a full-time (100% FTE) position with a 9-month service period and an expected start date of September 16, 2026. The initial appointment will be for a three-year term, eligible for reappointment after successful academic review.

Responsibilities

All faculty at the UW engage in teaching, scholarship, and service within their department, school, the University, and their professional community. UW Tacoma and the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences are committed to hiring and supporting faculty who will enhance diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity in higher education through their teaching, scholarship, and service activities.

The successful candidate will be expected to perform highly effective and inclusive teaching, using a variety of pedagogical techniques and technologies, in an urban-serving campus environment. Faculty at UWT are expected to teach in multiple modalities, including in-person, online, and hybrid courses. The successful candidate will also be expected to mentor undergraduate students in an academic setting.

The successful candidate will teach primarily in our lower-division Organic Chemistry, which includes both in-person lecture and in-person laboratory instruction. There may be additional opportunities for instruction in lower and upper division Chemistry courses, depending on areas of interest. There will be opportunities for engagement in curriculum development and improvement in both lecture and laboratory instruction. Additionally, the candidate will be expected to incorporate high-impact and inclusive practices in their teaching and to participate in mentorship and advising for our undergraduate students in the Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. The successful candidate is currently expected to teach six (6) undergraduate courses that contain both lecture and laboratory components. As teaching needs may fluctuate, specific arrangements of courses may change, but the load for this position is set at a level equivalent to seven (7) undergraduate lecture courses per academic year. The candidate will also be expected to support the department's commitment to institutional service, professional development, and community outreach. For more information about community partnership opportunities, visit https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/community-partnerships.

Compensation

The base salary range for this position is $8,000 to $8,444 per month ($72,000-$75,966) per 9-month academic year, commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination. Other compensation associated with this position may include a one-time relocation allowance, if applicable, and professional/research funds. A summary of benefits associated with this title/rank can be found at https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/benefits-orientation/benefit-summary-pdfs/.

About UW Tacoma

The University of Washington Tacoma (UWT) is an urban-serving institution committed to providing a community-engaged education to a diverse student body. The UWT campus is located on the ancestral lands of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians within the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people. Established in 1990, our thriving downtown campus serves students of a wide range of ages and backgrounds; including an overall undergraduate population consisting over more than 50% first-generation college students.

The University of Washington Tacoma is one of three campuses of the University of Washington, providing faculty with access to the resources of a major, state-flagship research university while working and teaching within a small campus setting. The University of Washington is among the 119 institutions of higher education in the U.S. to receive the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, an elective designation denoting institutional commitment to community engagement. UWT is a Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) and a federally funded Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). In particular, the Tacoma campus is renowned for its community-engaged activities, wherein many of its faculty, students, and staff are taking an active role in transforming the city and region into a thriving and just collective of communities.

Faculty at UWT have access to the resources of a major research university while working and teaching within a small campus setting. UWT consists of approximately 5,000 students, across seven schools, and offers a variety of professional and academic degrees and certifications. UWT’s commitment to equity and inclusion is central to maintaining an atmosphere wherein students, staff, faculty, and community members find abundant opportunities for intellectual, personal, and professional growth.

Consistent with UWT’s urban-serving mission, our campus provides a unique environment for faculty to creatively develop their teaching, scholarship, and service portfolios, and to engage with the Tacoma community. UWT’s commitment to diversity and belonging is central to this mission, and to creating an atmosphere where students, staff, faculty, and community members find abundant opportunities for intellectual, personal, and professional growth. For more information about UW Tacoma, visit www.tacoma.uw.edu.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The University of Washington Tacoma and the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences are dedicated to hiring and supporting faculty who will enhance diversity, social equity, and inclusion in higher education through their teaching, scholarship, and service. Creative scholarship agendas linking knowledge, community service, and professional practice are supported and encouraged. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and areas of practice to apply.

Qualifications

An earned MS or PhD (or foreign equivalent) in Organic Chemistry (or closely related field), demonstrated effectiveness in teaching in the candidate’s area of expertise, and demonstrated facility in mentoring students with diverse experiences and backgrounds.

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit the following, via Interfolio:

• A cover letter, providing an overview of your academic interests, qualifications, and relevant teaching and/or research experience. (2 page maximum)
• A curriculum vitae, including a list of courses taught, their frequency, and your role in each course (e.g., primary instructor vs. teaching assistant)
• A statement about expanding access in STEM. Drawing on your previous experiences, describe how your work in Scholarship, Teaching, and Service will advance UW Tacoma’s mission to expand access and opportunities for students of a variety of preparations and from diverse backgrounds. (2 page maximum)
• A teaching statement, describing your teaching philosophy and including methods and high impact practices you use (or intend to use) that support student learning from students of a variety of preparations and backgrounds, and examples of how you would incorporate these methods into a chemistry classroom. (3 page maximum)
• Teaching Portfolio. This can be a compilation of evidence of your teaching effectiveness and might include: sample syllabi, quantitative and/or qualitative student evaluations, sample class activities and/or student work, and/or peer teaching evaluations. Material related to Organic Chemistry instruction is encouraged.
• Names and contact information for three professional references, with letters available upon request.

All application materials must be submitted through Interfolio at apply.interfolio.com/172940. Application materials received via mail or email will not be considered. Screening of applications will begin on October 1, 2025 and will continue until the position is filled. For further information or specific inquiries, please contact Joan Bleecker search committee Chair, at bleecj@uw.edu.