Teaching Assistant Professor of Sustainability - Department of Geology & Geography

The Department of Geology and Geography at West Virginia University invites applications for a Teaching Assistant Professor with a specialization in Earth Science and Sustainability starting August 14, 2026. This is a 9-month, full-time, position with full benefits. Teaching Assistant Professor appointments have renewable terms of up to three years, with no limit on the number of terms. These positions are eligible for promotion (e.g., Teaching Assistant Professor to Teaching Associate Professor, etc.); however, promotion to senior ranks is not a requirement for institutional commitment and career stability.  

The Department of Geology and Geography successfully launched two new degrees in sustainability in 2023: Earth and Environmental Science (BS) and Sustainability Studies (BA). These new programs complement graduate degrees including an MA and PhD in Geography, MS and PhD in Geology, and an online MS in GIS and Spatial Analysis. Faculty in the Department of Geology and Geography teach thousands of students, maintain highly active externally funded research programs, and provide service to the state, Appalachian region, and the world. The department currently supports 24 faculty, and many graduate teaching and research assistants. The department has outstanding geospatial science teaching and research facilities, hosts the West Virginia GIS Technical Center and WVU Center for Resilient Communities, and is housed in its own extensively renovated Brooks Hall on the Downtown campus of WVU.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will teach courses that support the Department of Geology and Geography’s mission in the department’s two new majors (BS in Earth and Environmental Science and BA in Sustainability Studies). The teaching load is eight courses or course equivalents per year. The successful candidate will also be required to mentor and/or advise students. The service assignment for the position is 20%25 of the workload and will include recruiting and retaining students, service on the undergraduate committee, attending recruiting events, and assisting the undergraduate director with in-house student events, among other assigned duties.

Professional Qualifications

The successful candidate must have completed a PhD in Geology, Geoscience, Earth Science, Environmental Sciences, Geography with a focus on sustainability, or a closely related field. In addition, the candidate must meet the following criteria: ability to contribute to the teaching mission in (BS in Earth and Environmental Science and BA in Sustainability Studies) and demonstrate the potential to teach several courses related to the majors (e.g., Sustainable Earth, First Year Seminar/Careers/Senior Capstone, Earth Systems, Rocks and Minerals, Geomorphology, GIS, Environmental Geology, Geochemistry, and Hydrogeology); excellent undergraduate teaching skills; ability to provide high-quality mentorship to undergraduates; potential to advise students in career pathways and coordinate with external donors to support student development; excellent written and oral communication skills.

Application

To apply, please visit WVU Careers. Upload the following: 1) a curriculum vitae; 2) an application letter that discusses experience in the classroom (as an instructor or GTA); 3) teaching statement; 4) unofficial transcript; 5) list of 3-5 references with complete contact information; and 6) any evidence of teaching effectiveness including student evaluation of instruction or external evaluation of instruction. The screening process will begin March 15, 2026, and continue until the position is filled. For more information, please visit geo.wvu.edu or contact the chair of the search committee, Dr. Dorothy Vesper, dorothy.vesper@mail.wvu.edu. 

Morgantown, WV is a growing university city. The area offers abundant outdoor recreation and the cultural opportunities of a college town. It is within easy driving distance of Pittsburgh, PA (70 mi) and is within a day's driving distance to Washington DC and Columbus, OH (200 mi).