Position Title: Natural Resources Instructor

Department/Unit: Academic Affairs

Classification: FT Faculty

Status (exempt/non-exempt): Exempt

Step: $58,537 - $ 64,629 Annually

Reports to: Dean of Academic Pathways & CTE

Percentage: 100%

Annual/Academic year: Academic Year (174 Working Days) 

Location: Central County Campus – Newport, OR

Telework Status:

Regular telework is not a feature of this position. At the Supervisor's discretion, exemptions may be made for special projects or responsibilities requiring periodically needed focus time.

Benefits and Insurances

• Employer premium support for Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Optional employee paid insurance - life, AD&D, Short Term Disability
• Paid time off – vacation, personal hours, sick
• Paid holidays
• Oregon PERS retirement (6% annual salary into an Individual Account by OCCC and PERS vested after 5 years)
• Tuition waivers

Complete application materials include:

• curriculum vitae (CV),/resume
• a cover letter (no longer than 2 pages) (See Below)
• copies of your unofficial transcripts 

Your Cover Letter should address the following: 

• Describes your previous teaching experiences including course and curriculum development, assessment of student learning, and other related duties. 
• Speak to your experience with experiential learning opportunities for students and field work around natural resources curriculum. 
• Describe a time in your work when you have built and sustained a relationship with an external partner or community organization and the role you played in contributing to the success of that partnership.

This position will remain open until May 22nd at 5:00 PM PST

FACULTY COMMITMENTS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS:

1. Creating an inclusive classroom environment that is sensitive to and respectful of student diversity.
2. An interest in teaching across the curriculum and interdisciplinary collaboration.
3. Giving students access to learning where and when it supports their success (days, evenings, weekends; at all of our locations; as well as on-line).
4. A passion for pedagogy and commitment to continuous improvement.
5. Excitement about technology; already savvy or excited to learn.
6. Collaborative engagement outside of the classroom to improve institutional outcomes for our students and staff.
7. An entrepreneurial mindset and propensity to “see what is possible”.
8. Faculty ownership and leadership in the classroom, discipline, and College.
9. Collegiality and respect for everyone.
10. Excited about and committed to advancing OCCC’s future: ongoing accreditation, growth in access and programs, and a great place to work

Position Summary

Under the direction of the Dean of Academic Pathways & CTE, the Natural Resources Instructor is responsible for providing high-quality instruction and academic support to a diverse community college student population. This position includes teaching a full-time workload in the Natural Resources program across a variety of instructional modalities; developing, updating, and assessing curriculum; and implementing effective, inclusive teaching strategies that support student retention, completion, and transfer or workforce readiness. The faculty members participate actively in student advising and mentoring, departmental and college-wide service, shared governance, and accreditation activities. This position will be an instructional liaison to the Yakona Nature Preserve.

Duties and Responsibilities

Program & Courses

The Natural Resources program is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on natural resource management within the context of forestry, fish and wildlife, environmental conservation, and other scientific disciplines. 

The program partners with Yakona Nature Preserve & Learning Center and utilizes opportunities for experiential learning in the Natural Resources coursework. The program will have a direct transfer agreement with Oregon State University’s Natural Resources program.

Course to be taught:

• NR 201 - Introduction to Natural Resources
• NR 202 - Natural Resources Decision Making
• FOR 111 - Introduction to Forestry
• G 184 - Global Climate Change
• G 201 - Earth Materials and Tectonics
• G 202 - Earth Surface Processes
• SOIL 205 - Soil Science
• SOIL 206 - Soil Science Laboratory
• FES 240 - Forest Biology
• FW 251 - Principles of Fish and Wildlife Conservation

*May be assigned to teach other courses in related disciplines, if qualified to teach those courses.

Teaching and Student Success

• Instruct students using approved course outcome guides and accurate syllabi. 
• Prepare instructional materials as needed. 
• Meet all assigned classes. 
• Apply the college’s values for teaching and learning. 
• Facilitate learning that applies to students’ academic and career goals. 
• Meet the curricular needs of students at various learning levels. 
• Encourage mutual responsibility for a supportive learning environment. 
• Provide effective teaching strategies in an environment that encourages student and instructor interaction. 
• Actively engage students in the learning process. 
• Encourage creative and critical thinking. 
• Evaluate and grade student progress. 
• Maintain accurate records of student enrollment, attendance, and scholastic progress. 

Professional Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with colleagues, community partners, and Yakona Nature Preserve.
• Liaison with local School Districts for Dual Credit program courses being taught in high schools.
• Participate in institutional work (such as accreditation and shared governance) to advance the College mission. 
• Attend and participate in meetings that are regional and state, college-wide, department, and program level.  
• Engage in a reasonable amount of student contact outside of instruction to, respond to questions and to resolve course-related problems. 
• Undertake activities that promote and support: college core themes (student success and educational pathways), college priorities (assessment and program review), and faculty development. 
• Interact with students, staff, and administration in a professional manner. 
• Assure effective two-way communication at all levels of responsibility.  

Compliance 

• Comply with published College Policies and Procedures. 
• Maintain a safe learning and working environment by following all laws, policies and procedures established by the College and through state and federal oversight (such as OSHA and Title IX). 
• Maintain College safety standards in work areas.
• Ensure that students are trained in good safety practices.
• Make reasonable efforts to ensure that students follow good safety practices.  

Other Duties

• Use of media aids, the library, and other resources, as applicable. 
• Requires a flexible work schedule to meet program needs, which may include evenings and/or weekends.  
• Ability to travel to a variety of teaching sites throughout Lincoln County.  

Miscellaneous

• Participates in training, in-services and professional development 
• Supports student success through participation in college committee work, Welcome Week, OCCC Cares, Commencement and/or related activities.
• Performs other duties, as assigned, that support the College’s mission.

The list of essential functions is intended to be representative of the tasks performed by this position. The omission of an essential function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a logical assignment to the position.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position does not have any supervisory responsibility but may lead the work of Student, Volunteer, and/or Temporary Staff assigned to the area.

Leading Work includes:

• Train and orient new hires in position tasks.
• Provide instructions on work tasks.
• Offer guidance, encouragement, and answer questions to ensure work tasks are completed efficiently.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Master’s degree or above in subject area:

• Natural Resources Management
• Fisheries and Wildlife 
• Environmental Geology 
• Forest Science
• Environmental Science 
• Ecology 
• Environmental Studies
• Earth Science 
• Biology

Faculty shall have earned required academic credentials at a regionally accredited institution.  

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Natural Resources or closely related field
• Recent experience teaching at the college level or teaching adults of varying skill levels – preferably in a community college setting.
• Experience with assessment of student learning outcomes, and/or program review. 
• Experience in curriculum development including course development and program curriculum.
• Experience proving student-centered instruction, such as active learning, inclusive teaching, and promoting student metacognition.
• Experience with collaboration outside the classroom with community partners
• Bilingual – Spanish

Working Environment & Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to: 

• Sit, see and talk or hear. 
• Have mobility to navigate uneven terrain during field work and outdoor classroom sessions, often for a period of 3-4 hours, move between offices, classrooms, and floors.
• Use hands to finger, handle or operate computers, objects, tools or controls.
• Reach with hands and arms. 
• Medium physical exertion with occasional, moderate lifting, bending, stooping, and pulling.
• May require occasional lifting up to 50 lbs. with rare occasions requiring lifting of up to 100 lbs.
• Ability to carry equipment and tools of moderate weight, using arms and hand along with fine motor skills and/or mechanical skills.
• Have vision and hearing abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus, and complete and maintain various types of records. 
• Hear the conversational voice and effectively communicate responses. 
• Work in an office and outdoor environment with potential for interruptions and background noise, and inclement weather.

Assignment will include presence at all primary OCCC locations and may include evening and weekend work. Travel between College sites and other locations will be required. Occasional travel and overnight stays outside of Lincoln County may be required for training and other purposes.

The use of tobacco and smoke-emitting materials and devices including electronic cigarettes, is prohibited on all College Property, including OCCC’s building exteriors and parking lots.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

We strive to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool, and we encourage applications from persons with varied backgrounds and perspectives.

In support of Oregon Veterans Preference in Public Employment, we encourage veterans and veterans with disabilities to explore employment opportunities at Oregon Coast Community College.

All positions at Oregon Coast Community College are required to be available for work onsite as requested by the college. 

Employees must maintain Oregon residency as a condition of employment.

Federal law prohibits the College from employing an individual who has not provided documentation for verification by the third day of employment.

Contact Human Resources if you need assistance and/or an accommodation to aid your participation in our hiring process, contact Human Resources at 541-867-8515.

• Notice of Affirmative Action Policy- It is the policy of Oregon Coast Community College not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,  marital status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or family relationship (ORS 659.340), in admission and access to, or treatment in, employment, educational programs, or activity as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, and their implementing regulations.