Entry Level Graduate Urban Planner Jobs in Tennessee

The Institute for Sustainable Practice seeks eligible scholars and practitioners to fill an adjunct teaching role for the Spring 2026 “Sustainable and Resilient Cities” graduate course (see example course topics in “Additional Comments”). 
The primary function of this position is to: (1) create unique graduate course content; (2) edit and customize current course content to the selected adjunct’s teaching style, and (3) teach the stated graduate sustainability course for eight, evening lecture/assessment class meetings in January-March, 2026. A successful course evaluation outcome may lead to teaching this course annually and other graduate teaching opportunities.

Successful candidates must meet three expectations: 

1. Master Current Course Content: Adjuncts will review, learn, edit, and utilize all existing, published course content in the Canvas learning management system (LMS) and course reading materials. Approximately 90 percent of the course content may be provided by the Institute. 
2. Create and Customize Engaging Course Content Unique to the Adjunct’s Discipline and Professional Experience and Aligned with the Course Learning Outcomes: The adjunct will develop and record unique course content, instructional aids, notices, reminders, and one local immersion experience.
3. Instruct and Mentor Students: All adjunct professors in sustainability must be willing to lecture and engage graduate students in the following integrated teaching formats. These formats operate as a single, 8-week course experience and are integrated into each live lecture class meeting using classroom technology managed by the institute. Students may choose the format or a mix of formats that best support their learning needs and schedule, as long as they complete all course assessments by the posted deadlines. Format 1 is a live lecture by the adjunct where students attend in person in a classroom; Format 2 is the same live lecture that is simultaneously viewed on Zoom by students attending virtually online; Format 3 engages students who view recorded live lectures, and Format 4 is a hybrid student experience of some or all of the prior formats. Adjuncts create learning content and prepare live lectures as a routine in a graduate course. The institute provides online course templates, a learning management system (Canvas), and manages the "plug-and-play" class technology and lecture recordings.

Education: 

Required: A master of science in urban and regional planning, urban studies, engineering, master of business administration; other relevant masters degrees approved by the Institute; OR a terminal degree (JD or PhD) from a relevant sub-discipline focusing on urban sustainability and resilience.

Preferred: Sustainability and resilience certification and evidence of other related third-party coursework (e.g., American Institute of Certified Planners, LEED GA/AP, Sustainable Sites, Certified Energy Manager, Certified Climate Change Professional, Certified GIS Professional, etc.).

Experience:

Required: Ten or more years’ experience in one or more of the follow areas: applied practice, business, and/or policy of urban design, construction, development, re-development, building science, community and building energy management, landscape systems, and local/regional planning, where sustainability and resilience were a focal point. A portion of this experience can be substituted with graduate education as noted above.

Preferred: Professional experience in applying sustainability and resilience in urban contexts; experience teaching, presenting, managing, and/or training urban practitioners or graduate students; experience in live lecture and online teaching; sustainability research; and applied urban planning and policy, consulting, and/or organizational or business management experience related to urban sustainability and resilience.

 Qualifications:

In addition to the prior stated experience and education, candidates should have a strong desire to teach and mentor adult, graduate students and possess the basic curiosity and ability to possess or learn a variety of teaching methods, tools, and information technologies such as:

• effective use of a personal laptop with software that can develop, publish, and convey course content and materials, lectures and presentations, and basic, timely communications with graduate students;
• effective use of course learning management systems such as Canvas where all course content is electronically published, assessed, and graded; and
• a desire to master diverse technology in a classroom provided by the university such as OWL live meeting video/audio hardware, interactive apps, Zoom software, and projection and/or television content viewing.

Candidates for this position should possess strong written, verbal, graphic, video communication, and interpersonal skills; be self-motivated, reliable, and responsible; and desire to provide timely grading and effective student feedback.

[Course topics for the Additional Comments Section?]

1. Introduction to Sustainable Cities
2. Introduction to Resilient Cities
3. Social/Cultural/Geographic Influences and Challenges
4. Analytical Frameworks
5. Applied Practices
6. Tools and Policies
7. Case Studies
8. Final Student Project / Presentation