Location: Highline College 2400 S 240th St Des Moines
Internal Number: 4750628
Open until filled. Priority consideration for applications received by January 13, 2025.
Founded in 1961, Highline College was the first community college to be established in King County and is one of 34 community and technical colleges. More than 350,000 alumni have graduated from Highline over the years. Nestled between Seattle and Tacoma, we are located on the traditional village sites of the Muckleshoot, Puyallup and many other Coast Salish tribes.
Highline prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and access for all students, staff, and faculty, which is evident in our Mission, Vision, and Values. We are proud to be one of the most diverse colleges in the state and stand committed to the well-being of our global community. Those who come to our college bring unique personal experiences, beliefs, and perspectives and make us better. We strive to provide and highlight resources to support our students, staff, and faculty by fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve. Highline offers a unique variety of affinity groups for faculty to join; including, the Faculty and Staff of Color Group and LGBTQ+ Task Force.
We honor and value the dignity of all individuals and encourage all qualified individuals of diverse backgrounds to apply.
Highline College offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes excellent medical, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance through the Public Employee Benefits Board (PEBB), along with retirement benefits through TIAA and the Department of Retirement Systems.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Highline College is a comprehensive community college providing certificates, associate?s and bachelor?s degrees in high-quality academic transfer pathways, workforce training, and Adult Basic Education.
Highline College (HC) is seeking qualified applicants for a full-time tenure track faculty position in the Life, Ocean, and General Sciences (LOGS) department.
This position is expected to begin in September 2025.
Professional Responsibilities
Please address the following responsibilities in your cover letter. If you don?t have experience in an academic setting, please address them within the context of your professional experience:
Teaching: Teach courses in introductory cell biology. Depending on the appointee?s expertise, additional courses may include majors level cell biology, microbiology, human anatomy and physiology, and general biology. Teaching assignments may include evening/weekend, online, hybrid, and off-campus sections. Create a welcoming and supportive learning environment and use evidence-based practices to improve the success of diverse students; in collaboration with colleagues, identify and implement strategies designed to close equity gaps experienced by students from historically minoritized groups. Engage in self-reflective practice. Full-time faculty typically teach the equivalent of 15 credits per quarter.
Advising/ Coaching/ Mentoring: Work with students outside of class to help them choose courses and get connected with campus and community resources. Participate in professional learning opportunities focused on culturally responsive advising and establishing relationships with students;
Collaborate with colleagues/participate in shared governance: In collaboration with colleagues, engage in continuous improvement through college-wide assessment processes. Participate in department, division, and other College activities, including College governance. Establish and maintain respectful, ethical, and professional relationships with students and colleagues;
Professional development/ ongoing professional learning: Engage in ongoing professional learning. This includes remaining current in your discipline and evidence-based practices for culturally response, inclusive, and anti-racist pedagogies.
Minimum Qualifications:
Master's degree (or higher) in biology or a closely related field from a regionally accredited institution or its international equivalent;
Pending degrees must be completed by September 2025 and verified by a letter from the granting institution.
Desired Qualifications:
We desire a candidate with one or more of the following qualifications. We expect the successful candidate to have only some of these qualifications. If these are not evident in your resume, be sure to discuss them in your cover letter:
College teaching experience, preferably in a community college;
Strong background in cell biology, and/or any combination of the following: molecular biology, microbiology, anatomy and physiology;
Experience using active-learning (student-centered, culturally responsive methods), disciplinary reading and studying strategies (Ex: Reading Apprenticeship);
Experience tutoring students and helping them to develop time management strategies and organizational skills to succeed in college ;
Significant experience working in multicultural/diverse environments;
Highline College prides itself on its commitment to diversity and equity, its institutional culture of collegiality and innovation, its globalization of curricula and its inclusion of the community in its programming. Founded in 1961, Highline College is situated in a diverse community just 15minutes south of Seattle. The college annually serves more than 16,500 students – a student population of over 70% students of color, representing 35 nations and more than 100 languages.