Assistant Professor, Environmental Education

The Water School at Florida Gulf Coast University is seeking candidates for Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecology and Environmental Studies. The Water School (https://www.fgcu.edu/thewaterschool/) interdisciplinary enterprise that brings together faculty from five colleges and schools representing 15 departments to focus on the environmental, economic, and human dimensions of coastal resilience, ecosystem integrity, health and wellbeing, and restoration and remediation. Because of its interdisciplinary structure and its connections with other colleges across campus, The Water School presents a good opportunity for professional couples looking for a new academic home.

The Water School encourages nominations for and applications from qualified individuals with research and teaching experience in Environmental Education. The Assistant Professor of Environmental Education will teach undergraduate and graduate courses and will have the opportunity to develop new courses, build a productive program of research/scholarship that involves students, participate on university committees, and perform other duties as assigned.

Florida Gulf Coast University is a comprehensive university dedicated to quality education, research, and service. All faculty are expected to: be excellent teachers, responsive to changing professional needs; be committed to innovative delivery of instruction resulting in improved student learning; be committed to effective use of technology including distance learning; produce peer reviewed scholarship; and provide service to the College, University and Community. Teaching assignments may be on the main campus or at off-campus sites within our region. Primary teaching responsibilities will be on the main campus.

With an enrollment of over 16,000 students, FGCU has a main campus of 800 acres with LEED-certified buildings and 400 acres of protected habitat. The university’s award-winning initiatives in education, energy production, research, and sustainable practices make us one of the nation’s greenest campuses.

FGCU is located in beautiful Southwest Florida, known for its beaches, resorts, nature preserves, and outdoor recreation. Located between the cities of Fort Myers and Naples, FGCU is just two hours by car from the major cities of St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Miami, and 15 minutes from the Southwest Florida International Airport. The region is surrounded by water—important estuaries to the north, Lake Okeechobee to the east, the Florida Everglades and Florida Bay to the south, and the Gulf of Mexico to the west—providing an unparalleled setting to study all facets of water and environmental issues.

FGCU launched The Water School on World Water Day in 2019, sending a message that the University and the State of Florida were making a significant investment in water and the environment in Southwest Florida. By bringing together faculty and staff from across the university, The Water School is addressing pressing issues of regional concern by developing sustainable solutions to ensure that future generations inherit a Southwest Florida that is full of opportunity and is renowned for its quality of life.

FGCU is building a culture of curiosity, commitment and collaboration. We value employees who successfully work with others and drive positive change through critical thinking and decisive action. If you thrive in an environment of innovation, accountability and mutual respect, you will find a good home here.

Job Description

Typical duties may include but are not limited to:

• Develop and teach assigned courses: prepare syllabi and instruction materials, coordinate lectures, evaluate students and maintain highest possible standards of classroom instruction.
• Collaborate with other faculty to develop/revise curriculum.
• Develop and maintain an independent and productive research/scholarship program that also involves students.
• Mentor undergraduate and graduate students, as appropriate, in research.
• Seek external funding to support research program, including students.
• Demonstrate quality of research through peer-review.
• Stay current with new developments in field of instruction and maintain disciplinary skills through professional development activities appropriate to higher education faculty.
• Actively serve on university committees and participate in institutional meetings.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Additional Job Description

Required Qualifications:

Preferred Qualifications:

• Teaching, research, and scholarly interests that align with the programs and mission of The Water School.
• Experience in science communication and a demonstrated ability to effectively communicate scientific concepts to various audiences and bridge the gap between the scientific community and the public by making complex scientific concepts accessible, engaging, and understandable.
• Experience teaching as instructor of record and post-doctoral experience.
• Experience in grant writing and in assessment/evaluation of non-formal environmental education programs.
• Engagement in scholarship that uses a framework of social-ecological systems.
• Strong research agenda with evidence of scholarly expertise in the study of environmental education, outdoor education, science communication, non-formal education or related discipline.
• Experience integrating innovative educational tools into environmental science curricula.
• Demonstrated experience in university-level program assessment.
• Demonstrated experience or potential interest in teaching across the undergraduate and graduate curriculum of programs in The Water School.
• Evidence of scholarly expertise related to environmental education, with a record of research with potential for publication in scholarly journals.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge of the use of various and innovative teaching approaches to engage students and ensure student learning.
• Demonstrated development and use of skills appropriate to the discipline.
• Ability to conduct independent research and involve students in research.
• Ability to mentor students in research with the students’ learning and training in mind.
• Proven ability to think strategically and approach challenges with creativity.
• Demonstrated track record of reliability, meeting goals, and holding oneself accountable.
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience working effectively across teams

Institutional Values & Behavioral Expectations:

In this role, the successful candidate will be expected to:

• Seek out new approaches to improve outcomes; remain open to feedback and new ideas.
• Lead with integrity; consistently produce high-quality work; persevere to overcome obstacles to meet deadlines and achieve deliverables.
• Share information and insights thoughtfully; build partnerships across departments; communicate respectfully; support colleagues to achieve common goals.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Appointment will be made on a 9-month multi-year appointment basis with an anticipated start date of August 2026.

Because applications and materials are subject to public review and retention under Florida’s Public Records Law, please DO NOT send examples of your project/scholarship unless requested to do so. Therefore, all submitted materials including articles, disks, slides, books, etc., become the property of FGCU and CANNOT BE RETURNED. As applicable, finalists will be notified of the need to submit specific additional materials. Such materials will become the property of FGCU. Under Florida’s Public Records law, applications will be available for public review upon request.

Required Application Materials:

• Unofficial Transcripts
• Statement of Teaching Philosophy
• Curriculum Vitae
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research Interests
• Five (5) Professional References

FGCU is a State University System of Florida member and an Equal Opportunity and Equal Access employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.