Visiting Instructor in Mathematics and Sciences

Visiting Instructor in Mathematics and Sciences
Outer Coast
Sitka, Alaska
Position dates:
January 11, 2027 - May 15, 2027

Outer Coast is a new, two-year liberal arts institution in Sitka, Alaska built on the pillars of academics, service & labor, and self-governance.
Outer Coast seeks a Visiting Instructor to teach in mathematics and the sciences for the 2027 Spring Term. We offer an innovative model of higher education that bridges Indigenous and European ways of knowing and serves not only students but also families, elders, and community members. Our vision is to create a new pathway for students to unlock the promise of higher education: empowering young people whose talents could go unrealized, bridging the gap between high school and four-year institutions that match students’ potential, serving as a launchpad for their educational and career aspirations, and giving them the tools to transform their own lives, their communities, and the broader world.

In August 2024, we launched our two-year undergraduate program as our next step toward realizing our vision. To date, we have served more than 250 students from across Alaska and the globe. For more about Outer Coast, see outercoast.org.

Teaching responsibilities for the Visiting Instructor position would include two courses: teaching or co‑teaching the curriculumʼs flagship “Models in Science” class – an introduction to quantitative methods and mathematics through the lens of a scientific discipline(s) of the instructorʼs choosing – in addition to one elective. Subjects for the elective course depend upon the instructorʼs discipline(s), but possible fields include geophysical sciences, engineering, biology, or topics in the intersection of culture and science (history of science, anthropology of science, etc.).

A successful candidate will have teaching and curricular development experience at the college level. A PhD in a STEM field is preferred, but other forms of qualification and credentialing (including experiential) are also welcome. We are particularly interested in candidates with interdisciplinary methods and expertise, and those with specializations related to the profile of Outer Coast, including the study of Alaska, coastal environments and systems (geology, hydrology, oceanography, aquatic or marine biology, etc.),

and/or the intersection of Western sciences and Indigenous knowledge.
We especially encourage applications from Alaskans and Alaska Natives, as well as other identities representative of the students we serve.
Compensation for the Spring Term is $25,000 along with housing and a relocation stipend.

Outer Coast is a new two-year liberal arts institution in Sitka, Alaska. We offer a transformative, community-based education for students from across Alaska and around the world. At Outer Coast, the goal of education is to help students interrogate the challenges facing our communities, country, and world, and develop the skills and confidence to solve those challenges.

Outer Coast fosters a culture of excellence in liberal arts teaching and learning which extends beyond the abstract and into the concrete, place-based, and practical. Students are immersed in the real world by bearing responsibility for and contributing to the interconnected community of Sitka and Lingít Aaní, the land of the Tlingit people.

About half of all Outer Coast students are Alaskan—most of whom are Alaska Native and/or from rural Alaska. We meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for all students. After two years at Outer Coast, students are in a position to transfer, with the support and guidance of Outer Coast staff, to four-year institutions to complete their undergraduate education.

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