"Visiting Assistant Professor - Biology"

Faculty Posting Details

Appointment:
Department of Biology, 1-year Visiting Assistant Professor position; begins Fall 2026

Responsibilities:
The Department of Biology at the University of Puget Sound, a predominantly undergraduate liberal arts college in Tacoma, Washington, seeks to recruit a Visiting Assistant Professor for the 2026-2027 academic year. Excellence in teaching is highly valued at Puget Sound and we are seeking candidates with genuine interest in and enthusiasm for teaching introductory biology at the undergraduate level.
The successful candidate will teach BIOL 111 (Unity of Life: Cells, Molecules and Systems) in both Fall 2026 and Spring 2027. This foundational course explores the properties shared across all living organisms from chemical, molecular, and cellular perspectives. This class typically has an enrollment of 42 students. Each section includes an accompanying laboratory component (typically, 3 laboratory sections of 14 students) where students develop hands-on biology research skills and foster critical thinking, independence, collaboration, and science literacy, writing and communication through experiments, data collection, and analysis. The instructor will be teaching 1 out of 2-3 concurrent sections of BIOL 111 and will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with other instructors to coordinate these sections and their labs. All labs have pre-written manuals that can be adjusted as required, or used as-is.
In addition, the successful candidate should be available to teach a laboratory section for Genetics (BIOL 213). For this course, the lecture and laboratory curriculum are coordinated by another faculty member, and laboratory materials, learning objectives, and assessments are provided.
We are particularly interested in candidates with:

• Experience or strong interest in teaching foundational biology courses
• Background in basic cellular, molecular, developmental, or biochemistry topics
• Commitment to creating a supportive, inclusive learning environment

While there is no expectation for research or mentoring, laboratory space and modest funds are available if the incumbent is interested in pursuing professional development activities or research with undergraduates during their stay at Puget Sound. If interested, the individual might also collaborate with researchers at the Puget Sound Museum of Natural History, a world class collection comprising >105,000 specimens of mammals, birds, herps, plants, insects, molluscs, and fossils with strengths in tetrapod vertebrates.

Qualifications:
Ph.D. in Biology or similar discipline (ABD considered).

Application Deadline:
Search and selection procedures will begin when a sufficient number of qualified candidates have been identified. Interested individuals are encouraged to submit application materials no later than March 1, 2026 to ensure consideration.

Compensation and Benefits:
Rank: Visiting Assistant Professor
Salary is commensurate with education and experience.
Faculty salaries at the University of Puget Sound are based on a common salary scale based on experience. Assistant Professor salaries in 2025-2026 begin at $73,904 annualized for an assistant professor without a terminal degree in their field in their first year of full-time post-doctorate teaching through $83,262 annualized based on experience.
Puget Sound offers a generous benefits package. For more information, visit: Summary of 2025 Benefits for Faculty Members
Puget Sound has a well-established Shared Faculty Appointments Policy, Shared Faculty Appointments Policy

Required Documents:
Applicants submitted without the required attachments will not be considered.

• Curriculum vitae
• Letter of Interest
• Teaching statement
• Diversity Statement (see prompt below)
• Contact Information for 3 References. You will be prompted to enter the contact information for three (3) reference providers. The system will automatically email these reference providers to request a letter.

Note: In the online application system, please submit curriculum vitae when prompted to submit resume. Additional documents can be attached within the application.

Applicant's Diversity Statement:
As a department and university, we are strongly committed to creating an inclusive and effective teaching, learning, and working environment for all. In their diversity statement, applicants should reflect on how they will advance the values articulated in the University Diversity Statement in all aspects of their future work as faculty and members of the university community.

All offers of employment are contingent on successful completion of a background inquiry.
The University of Puget Sound is an equal opportunity employer.

How to Apply
For complete job description and application instructions, visit: www.pugetsound.edu/employment