Visiting Assistant Professor/Instructor of Biology

General Description: The Biology Department at Pacific Lutheran University is seeking applicants who are committed to excellence in teaching for a full-time position for the Spring 2027 semester only. The successful applicant will teach introductory microbiology (lecture + 3 labs) for pre-nursing students.The biology department is a vibrant, student-centered academic community committed to helping students understand the complexity and diversity of life while developing the skills to think critically, ask meaningful questions, and engage in scientific discovery. Our faculty represent a broad range of biological disciplines, including molecular and cellular biology, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, developmental biology, ecology, and evolution. We emphasize learning biology by doing biology, with hands-on laboratory and field experiences, undergraduate research, and close faculty-student mentoring woven throughout the curriculum. Our students pursue diverse pathways into health professions, graduate and professional programs, research, environmental science, education, and other careers in the life sciences.We are looking for an individual who identifies first and foremost as an educator and is dedicated to using effective and inclusive teaching methods and practices. Our students come from various backgrounds with different values and beliefs. Many of them are first-generation college students, non-traditional students, students of color, and LGBTQ students. We particularly welcome applications from individuals who can facilitate discussions across diverse perspectives and who share our commitment to promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity in their teaching approaches. Essential Functions and Responsibilities:Teach assigned courses at the undergraduate level.Hold regular student hours.Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:Solid background in microbiology.Knowledge of effective and inclusive teaching and learning strategies.Commitment to working effectively with a diverse faculty and student body.Demonstrated enthusiasm for teaching at the undergraduate level within a liberal arts setting.Ability to communicate effectively.Required Qualifications:Ph.D. in biology or related discipline must be in hand by February 1, 2027 for appointment at the Visiting Assistant Professor level. ABD or MS in biology or related discipline required by February 1, 2027 for appointment at the Instructor level.Applicant must be legally eligible to work in the United States on hire date AND legally authorized to work in the United States for Pacific Lutheran University without sponsorship.Preferred Qualifications:Previous teaching experience at the undergraduate level.Instructions to Applicants:Applicants should submit the following:Cover letter;Curriculum vitae;List of three references;Statement of teaching philosophy in which you describe your goals for student learning, the methods you use to help students achieve them, and how you assess student learning. This statement should explicitly address how you will create an inclusive learning environment that is attuned to diversity and equity.Additional Information:Pacific Lutheran University purposefully integrates the liberal arts, professional studies and civic engagement in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Our faculty lead with a bold commitment to expanding well-being, opportunity, and justice and instill this commitment in their students. PLU educators work to create an environment where students feel heard and valued, nurturing lifelong learners who aren’t afraid to do things differently to make the world better for everyone. PLU supports faculty as they help students turn ambition into purpose, skills into tools, and their caring into a transformative force.Because PLU is a community committed to the creation and advancement of knowledge through diversity and inclusion, the university actively recruits a faculty, staff, and student body from all religions, races, socioeconomic groups, sexual orientations, and gender expressions and from all over the world. For the 2025-26 academic year, 45 percent of PLU undergraduate students are from the first generation in their families to attend college; 51.4 percent self-identify as students of color; and 34.2 percent are Pell Grant–eligible.Offering distinctive opportunities for global engagement, collaborative student-faculty research, and purposeful learning, our faculty guide 2,800 students from all faiths and backgrounds to discern their purpose through relevant coursework, inclusive mentoring, and internships at world-class Puget Sound-area businesses and institutions. PLU is located on a 156-acre woodland campus in the Parkland neighborhood of Tacoma, Washington and about 40 minutes south of downtown Seattle. The campus reflects consciously green practices and is in proximity to the natural beauty of Mount Rainier, the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges, and the Puget Sound.PLU administration supports and respects the strong culture of faculty-shared governance by working closely and collaboratively with faculty leadership to sustain and strengthen existing structures and procedures while working together on key institutional, academic and curricular decisions. PLU is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from members of historically underrepresented and marginalized groups, women, veterans, persons with disabilities, and others who would bring broadly diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds in educational, research, or other work activities. For general application questions or if you need accommodations at any point in the application and/or interview process, please contact the Human Resources Office at 253-535-7185 or humr@plu.edu. Click here for detailed benefits information. Apply at https://employment.plu.edu/. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. For questions or more information, please contact Amy Siegesmund at siegesam@plu.edu