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Position Title Tenure Track Assistant Professor of Urban Planning About the University

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. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. 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 Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

About the College

Western's College of the Environment is the oldest interdisciplinary environmental college in the U.S. and is known nationally and internationally for its excellence in educating the next generation of leaders in fields related to the environment (broadly defined). The College of the Environment's academic programs address various aspects of the relationships between natural, built, and social worlds.

About the Department

The Department of Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy (UEPP), housed in Western Washington University's College of the Environment, is a dynamic and growing department with strategic emphasis on linking knowledge and action. The department offers three bachelor's degrees: BA in Urban Planning and Sustainable Development, BA in Urban Sustainability, and BA in Environmental Policy.  The department also offers 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. 

Our department has cultivated deep relationships with local and state agencies and organizations, local communities, and Tribal Nations through applied research and engaged teaching to advance sustainable and equitable development.  Our students are engaged in faculty-mentored projects, internships, and research.  They regularly present their work at regional and national meetings.  Students are also actively involved in outreach, inclusion, professional development, and leadership activities.  Additionally, several faculty-led initiatives and committees 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 and can contribute to this commitment through active engagement in the department, university, and wider community. https://cenv.wwu.edu/uepp

About the Position

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, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, and those with the ability to be sensitive to and inclusive of students with marginalized identities and backgrounds.
The successful candidate will be expected to teach Land Use Law, Regulations, Quantitative and Spatial Analysis Methods in Planning, planning studios, and Environmental Impact Assessment, as well as appropriate special topics courses. The position requires a demonstrable foundation in urban studies and planning, and the ability to teach and mentor students in applied client-based planning projects. We welcome candidates with teaching and research interests in one or more of the following areas: housing, climate adaptation and resilience, environmental justice, tribal and Indigenous planning, transportation, and/or rural and regional development. The position also emphasizes working, teaching, and mentoring responsibilities in ways that provide equitable and inclusive environments for all students, faculty, and staff. The successful candidate will be expected to develop and maintain an active research program involving undergraduate and graduate students.
The successful candidate is expected to contribute to shaping the future of UEPP's undergraduate and graduate curricula and programs. The candidate should demonstrate a commitment to excellence through teaching, applied research, and service with a focus on transformative social change and supporting equity and justice for all.

Required Qualifications

• 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 employment).
• expertise in planning and zoning laws, land use regulations, and related quantitative and spatial planning methods (e.g., research methods, data analysis and mapping, data communication and presentation, comparative statistics).
• high-quality scholarship in the field of urban planning.
• record of or demonstrable ability for high-quality and inclusive teaching in one or more of the following areas: urban planning studio, housing, climate adaptation and resilience, tribal and Indigenous planning, transportation, and/or rural and regional development
• ability to work effectively with diverse students and colleagues, including a demonstrated ability and commitment to cultivating learning environments that are equitable and inclusive of students with diverse social identities and backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications

• demonstrable ability to manage field practicum logistics and planning, including with community partner organizations or other entities.
• demonstrable ability to work with governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations through planning projects and research.
• demonstrable experience and/or interest in collaborating with local community-based organizations and other organizations representing Washington's Indigenous, immigrant, and/or minority communities.
• research and/or teaching that intersects land use law and zoning regulations with one or more of the following areas: housing, climate adaptation and resilience, Tribal and Indigenous planning, transportation, and/or rural and regional development.
• demonstrable commitment to establishing a vigorous research program involving undergraduate and graduate students. The focus of an individual's research specialization is open to relevant areas of urban planning.
• demonstrable ability to work across a range of scales from the neighborhood to the region and globally.
• skill in experiential and critical pedagogies suitable to classroom and/or field settings.
• certification by the American Institute of Certified Planners or interest in obtaining certification.

Conditions of Employment All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60-days of hire. Please reach out to HR@wwu.edu if you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations.

Salary

The starting salary range for assistant professor appointment, tenure-track is generally between $77,000-$82,000, with placement within the position's salary range being based on qualifications and professional experience. The entire salary range for the assistant professor position is $77,000-$93,000, with the upper end of the salary range typically being achieved through collectively bargained salary adjustments. Relocation assistance may be available per University guidelines. Salary and start-up funds are to be determined upon being offered the position.

Benefits Information Benefits Overview for Faculty Positions

Bargaining Unit

 United Faculty of Western Washington

Required Application Materials

The following materials are required:

• A letter of application addressing the above qualifications, outlining teaching philosophy, and demonstrating student outcomes as applicable
• Current curriculum vitae
• Names and contact information for three references*
• Verification of highest degree (unofficial transcript is acceptable and may be scanned for electronic application and email purposes)
• List of current UEPP courses that the applicant feels qualified to teach as well as potential new courses
• UEPP is committed to diversity and inclusive excellence in our faculty, students, and staff, and we especially encourage candidates who share and can contribute to this commitment. Please provide a statement that addresses your past and/or potential contributions to these values.

* Following the submission of your application, reference letters will be automatically requested from these individuals via the PageUp system.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire.  Employment-based visa sponsorship may be considered depending on the candidate's current immigration status; however, the University is unable to sponsor new H1B petitions or cover associated filing or processing fees at this time.

Closing Date Notes

Application review begins March 9, 2026; position is open until filled.

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU's Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); crtc@wwu.edu

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life at student.life@wwu.edu. The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires and rehires, which includes a sexual misconduct background check.