Earth Sciences Professor - Part Time

Job Description

Job Description

Part-Time Faculty positions at the college are open continuously and reviewed on a quarter-by-quarter basis. Individuals who apply to the applicant pool are considered active for a period of 12 months from the application date and may be contacted when vacancies occur. Submitting an application does not guarantee that a position will be available or offered.

Located in the scenic Puget Sound area with Mount Rainier in the distance, Tacoma is the third largest city in Washington State with a thriving and diverse community of over 200,000 residents. ?Tacoma Community College (TCC) was built on the?ancestral territory of Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Puyallup and Squaxin Island Tribes. The 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty forcibly removed them to Reservations to make way for colonizers; we recognize the privilege of utilizing this land has come at great cost. ?We honor the resilience of the Puyallup and Squaxin Island people, who still live here, defend their rights, and contribute greatly to the well-being of our community. ?Our institution aims to increase partnerships and community ties with the local indigenous populations. Moreover, TCC stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and the Black community by further strengthening collaboration with the Black Student Union as well as community entities such as the Tacoma-Pierce County Black Collective, the Tacoma Urban League, and local black-owned businesses.   In addition, we strongly support the Stop Asian Hate movement and have an active Asian Pacific Islander Student Club as well as an Asian and Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Coalition. TCC is committed to developing more culturally responsive curricula by infusing and incorporating more educational content focused on the lives, experiences, and contributions of Native, Black, Asian, and other marginalized communities. We continually strive to become an anti-racist institution.  

To grow our workforce, we are seeking creative, collaborative faculty who are reflective of the diverse community we serve. Tacoma Community College is a public Associate- and Bachelor’s-granting institution that serves a student-body of approximately 10,000 students.  Our students are 48% students of color, 60% female, and have a median age of 26.    We embrace our identity as a community college.  Our faculty are engaged in innovative work to improve student retention and program completion, and community success.  According to the Community College Survey of Student Engagement, TCC ranks high on measures of active learning and academic challenge, thanks to our creative and scholarly faculty.  

We are specifically focusing on improved support for traditionally marginalized populations, including Black/African- American, Indigenous, People of Color, Dreamers, justice-involved, immigrants and refugees, Veterans, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, and the LGBTQIA2+ community. To this end, TCC seeks applicants who:

• Value intellectual curiosity and innovative teaching
• Welcome difference and model respectful interaction with others
• Recognize and honor the important role that diversity brings to an educational community
• Have experience teaching or doing research in Native/Indigenous communities.
• Are committed to educating a racially and socioeconomically diverse student population
• Are committed to teaching in a community college setting
• Care deeply about student success 
• Intentionally support and promote efforts related to equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Honor TCC’s mission promoting equitable access to educational opportunities
• Reflect the diversity of our community

The Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (SEM) Division, which includes around 38 full-time faculty, offers courses for STEM students, who transfer to colleges and universities throughout the nation, our pre-allied health students, and general education courses.   We also proudly have a Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) program, with the stated goal of diversifying the STEM workforce.  The Earth Sciences program is housed within the Biology, Earth, and Environmental Sciences Department (BEES). It is a collaborative group of 10 full-time faculty members and 15 part time faculty members.

  Regional Setting
For information on Tacoma and the surrounding area: - life/life_in_tacoma

Position Highlights
Part-time faculty members contribute to student success and institutional excellence through effective instruction and student support, and benefit from up to 35 hours annually of compensated professional development and engagement. Reporting to the Dean of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics, and working closely with the Program Chair and department faculty, the successful candidate will prepare and teach courses in Earth Sciences. Classes are assigned based on program needs and may include online, hybrid, and traditional modalities. Classes may include introductory lab geoscience courses in multiple modalities: physical geology, physical geography, and introduction to oceanography.

• Prepare and deliver effective teaching and learning activities, ensuring content aligns with course objectives and supports student success through engaging instructional methods and materials.  

• Provide ongoing assessment of student work throughout the quarter, including timely feedback on assignments and submission of final grades, while conducting course-level learning outcomes assessment to ensure educational effectiveness 
• Support student success through informal advising, including implementing early alert protocols and connecting students with appropriate college resources when needed 
• Hold regular office hours
• Complete all required state, federal, and institutional training

• Practice professional and courteous interactions with students, faculty, and staff.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a geosciences discipline from an accredited college or university.       

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience teaching college level geoscience courses in multiple modalities.

• Teaching experience in community colleges.
• Commitment to incorporating culturally sustaining and inclusive classroom practices into teaching and mentorship.
• Experience in, or demonstrated commitment to, teaching, mentoring, recruiting, and providing services to historically underserved/excluded/minoritized students.

Conditions of Employment

• The finalist for this position will be subject to a criminal background check prior to the start of employment. Information from the background check will not necessarily prevent employment, but will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by HR staff.

• Tacoma Community College has no responsibility or obligation to sponsor an H-1B visa. In compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of  1986, proof of authorization to work in the United States will be required at the time of hire.

The Successful Candidate Must Demonstrate

• Excellent student-oriented service skills, with student success as the highest priority.

• Equity-centered classroom practices and be committed to continuous professional growth.

• Dynamic instructional methods to teach students of varying levels of proficiency and from diverse backgrounds and learning styles.

Application Materials & Procedures

Complete application packages must include the following: (Packages received that do not contain all of these materials may not be considered by the screening committee.)

1. Tacoma Community College application form.
2. Cover letter and resume. In your cover letter indicate how your background and experience meets the qualifications for this position.
3. UNOFFICIAL  Copies of transcripts for all colleges and universities attended

Terms Of Employment
This is a part time faculty position contracted on a quarterly basis. Classes assigned to the successful candidate may be on Tacoma or Gig Harbor campus, hybrid online, or fully online with an online learning management system (Canvas) component. Evening hours may be required. Part time faculty salary range is per credit hour starting at $1,380.59 to $1,510.48. Salary ranges are subject to any approved COLA’s after initial placement. If applicable, Lab credit hours are paid at 50% the credit hour rate. Professional Services hours are paid at a flat rate of $46.00-$46.00 per hour. Placement on the faculty salary schedule will commensurate with educational background and experience per the Faculty Negotiated Agreement (Article 4.00 Academic Employee Compensation ). Part-time faculty may become eligible for healthcare and retirement benefits at the beginning of the second consecutive quarter of half-time or more employment at one or more Washington state institutions of higher education. Half time is determined based on each institution's definition of full time. Members may 'stack' workloads between other qualifying colleges. A part-time faculty member must qualify each quarter they teach, to maintain eligibility. Once eligible, part-time faculty will be notified of their benefit and retirement options. Tacoma Community College offers one personal leave day per academic year if the PTF have been awarded a multi-quarter appointment.  Sick leave is awarded every quarter based on the full-time equivalent teaching percent.  If eligibility requirements are met, a comprehensive health care benefits package for you and your dependents includes medical, dental and vision insurance. Life and long- term disability insurance plans reduced tuition for the employee; and retirement benefits are also provided. For more information, please visit our employment page/employment benefits: A collective bargaining agreement exist and membership in the TCC Federation of Teachers or payment of a service fee and is available anytime upon hire. Evening and off campus assignments may be a part of the instructional load. Flexibility is required to meet the needs of the department. Degrees must be from accredited colleges or universities recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and verified by National Student Clearinghouse. International degrees will be verified for U.S. equivalency.

Tacoma Community College provides equal opportunity in education and employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, creed, religion, or status as a veteran of war. Prohibited sex discrimination includes sexual harassment (unwelcome sexual conduct of various types). Provides reasonable accommodations for qualified students, employees, and applicants with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Federal Rehabilitation Act. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Patrícia McCray-Roberts, Title VII and Title IX, View phone number on ziprecruiter.com; Kathryn Held, Section 504 Officer, Building 7, View phone number on ziprecruiter.com. Tacoma Community College is a smoke-free/drug free environment. This recruitment announcement does not reflect the entire job description and can be changed and or modified without notice.

Tacoma Community College
Human Resources
6501 S 19th St Bldg. 14, Tacoma WA  98466