Tenure Track Assistant Professor of Urban Planning

Overview

Position Title:

Tenure Track Assistant Professor of Urban Planning.

Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo.

Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master’s-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western is committed to inclusive excellence and transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences, and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. The university emphasizes inclusive working relationships among diverse populations and the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts into job duties.

Western’s College of the Environment is the oldest interdisciplinary environmental college in the U.S. and is known for educating leaders in fields related to the environment. Academic programs address relationships between natural, built, and social worlds.

The Department of Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy (UEPP) is housed in Western’s College of the Environment. It offers three bachelor’s degrees (BA in Urban Planning and Sustainable Development, BA in Urban Sustainability, BA in Environmental Policy) and a Master’s degree in Urban Planning and Environmental Sustainability. The BA in Urban Planning and Sustainable Development is a nationally accredited program by the Planning Accreditation Board.

UEPP has strong relationships with local and state agencies, communities, and Tribal Nations through applied research and engaged teaching. Students participate in faculty-mentored projects, internships, and research and regularly present their work at regional and national meetings. Initiatives focus on diversity and inclusivity in the classroom and beyond.

We are committed to diversity and excellence in our faculty, students, and staff. We especially encourage candidates who share this commitment to engage with the department, university, and wider community. More information: (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./uepp

WWU invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position in Planning Law and Land Use Regulations beginning Fall 2026. The Department of Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy and the College of the Environment support Western’s mission to make a positive impact in the state and the world with academic excellence and inclusive achievement. Applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, and those with marginalized identities are encouraged.

The successful candidate will be expected to teach Land Use Law, Regulations, Quantitative and Spatial Analysis Methods in Planning, planning studios, Environmental Impact Assessment, and appropriate special topics courses. The position requires a foundation in urban studies and planning, and the ability to mentor students in applied client-based planning projects. Teaching and research interests may include housing, climate adaptation and resilience, environmental justice, tribal and Indigenous planning, transportation, and/or rural and regional development.

The candidate should contribute to equitable and inclusive environments for all students, faculty, and staff, and will develop and maintain an active research program involving undergraduate and graduate students. The candidate is expected to contribute to shaping UEPP’s undergraduate and graduate curricula and programs, and demonstrate a commitment to teaching, applied research, and service with a focus on transformative social change and equity for all.

Required

• A PhD in urban planning, JD in land use law, or a closely related discipline from an accredited institution (if ABD, all degree requirements must be complete by June 15th of the first year of…