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Biology Professor Tenure Track

Tacoma Community College - HR
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Priority Consideration Date: January 18, 2026

Located in the scenic Puget Sound area with Mount Rainier in the distance, Tacoma is the third largest city in Washington State with a thriving and diverse community of over 200,000 residents. Tacoma Community College (TCC) was built on the ancestral territory of Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Puyallup and Squaxin Island Tribes. The 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty forcibly removed them to Reservations to make way for colonizers; we recognize the privilege of utilizing this land has come at great cost. We honor the resilience of the Puyallup and Squaxin Island people, who still live here, defend their rights, and contribute greatly to the well-being of our community. Our institution aims to increase partnerships and community ties with the local indigenous populations. Moreover, TCC stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and the Black community by further strengthening collaboration with the Black Student Union as well as community entities such as the Tacoma-Pierce County Black Collective, the Tacoma Urban League, and local black-owned businesses. In addition, we strongly support the Stop Asian Hate movement and have an active Asian Pacific Islander Student Club as well as an Asian and Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Coalition. TCC is committed to developing more culturally responsive curricula by infusing and incorporating more educational content focused on the lives, experiences, and contributions of Native, Black, Asian, and other marginalized communities. We continually strive to become an anti-racist institution.

To grow our workforce, we are seeking creative, collaborative faculty who are reflective of the diverse community we serve. Tacoma Community College is a public Associate- and Bachelor’s-granting institution that serves a student-body of approximately 10,000 students. Our students are 48% students of color, 60% female, and have a median age of 26. We embrace our identity as a community college. Our faculty are engaged in innovative work to improve student retention and program completion, and community success. According to the Community College Survey of Student Engagement, TCC ranks high on measures of active learning and academic challenge, thanks to our creative and scholarly faculty.

We are specifically focusing on improved support for traditionally marginalized populations, including Black/African- American, Indigenous, People of Color, Dreamers, justice-involved, immigrants and refugees, Veterans, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, and the LGBTQIA2+ community. To this end, TCC seeks applicants who:

  • Value intellectual curiosity and innovative teaching
  • Welcome difference and model respectful interaction with others
  • Recognize and honor the important role that diversity brings to an educational community
  • Have experience teaching or doing research in Native/Indigenous communities.
  • Are committed to educating a racially and socioeconomically diverse student population
  • Are committed to teaching in a community college setting
  • Care deeply about student success 
  • Intentionally support and promote efforts related to equity, diversity, and inclusion
  • Honor TCC’s mission promoting equitable access to educational opportunities
  • Reflect the diversity of our community

The Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (SEM) Division, which includes 40 full-time faculty and nearly 60 part time faculty, offers courses for STEM students, who transfer to colleges and universities throughout the nation, our pre-allied health students, and general education courses. We also proudly have a Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) program, which is an added layer of support for STEM students and has a goal of diversifying the STEM workforce. The Biology program is housed within the Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences (BEES) Department. It is a collaborative group of 10 full-time faculty members and 14 part time faculty members. As a Biology professor, you will have the opportunity to provide direction with a focus on increasing diversity within the discipline.
 

REGIONAL SETTING

For information on Tacoma and the surrounding area:  https://www.tacomacc.edu/tcc-life/life_in_tacoma

Position Summary:

This is a full-time tenure-track position that would be expected to teach courses in Organismal Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, General Cell Biology, and related courses. This position reports to the Dean for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (SEM) and supports the broader scope of academic pathways at TCC. This position is expected to start in September 2026.

This is an on-campus position with opportunities for hybrid and online teaching: TCC values in person lab experiences for our students. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement provides for a 176 day yearly contract running approximately from September 1 to June 15. The faculty member filling this position may be assigned classes to be taught during evenings or on Saturdays, or at our Gig Harbor campus. Tenure-track candidates are supported through a 3-year long tenure process, after which they are eligible for tenure. A one time stipend is paid for achievement of tenure and is currently $2650. Tenure-track faculty are assessed primarily on their teaching, service to the college, and community involvement. This may include performing research or writing grants; however the college strongly values other ways faculty choose to advance the college’s mission.

 

Essential Functions

 

  • Prepare and teach courses in Organismal Biology for science majors and Introductory Cell Biology and Human Anatomy & Physiology for Allied Health students (approximately 15 instructional contact hours per week of lecture and lab).
  • Instruct and assist in the growth and success of a diverse population of students through careful preparation of course materials, effective teaching methods including hybrid and online pedagogy, and informed critical feedback on assignments and discussions including student learning outcomes.
  • Provide service to the College, including curriculum development and participation in college committees, shared governance, and appropriate professional development activities.
  • Develop, review, and revise curriculum. 
  • Advise and mentor students, helping them to formulate sound educational and career plans
  • Participate in SEM Division and College equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts and work towards promoting an anti-racist curriculum.
  • Participate in the recruitment and retention of science and engineering students, particularly historically under-served groups, such as black, brown, and female students.
  • Collaborate on strategies to facilitate success for historically underserved populations.
  • Participate in program review and instructional assessment.
  • Participate in institutional effectiveness and college accreditation activities.
  • Work in support of the mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities of the College.
  • Perform other related duties as assigned.

 

Qualifications

 

Duties of the position require the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

  • Ability to effectively respond to the broad-ranging needs of a racially and socioeconomically diverse student population
  • Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with students, faculty, and staff across campus.
  • Ability to recruit and retain historically underserved students into science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics
  • Ability to teach a range of courses in biology to a variety of students, including general education, allied health, and majors. 
  • Provide leadership in projects and initiatives
  • Review, develop, and assess curriculum.
  • Cultural self-awareness and cultural sensitivity to diverse populations of students and colleagues
  • Knowledge of, and willingness to use, contemporary teaching techniques such as collaborative, inquiry-based, active, and experiential learning, integrative learning communities, and individual and group student projects.
  • Knowledge of, and adherence to, best practices for safety in the classroom and laboratory environments.
  • Dedication to remaining current in the discipline by continual professional development.
  • Ability to serve as an accessible mentor to students.

Required education:

  • Master’s degree in biology or a closely related field

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Teaching experience in both classroom and laboratory settings 
  • Teaching experience in, or ability to teach, organismal biology or comparative physiology.
  • Teaching experience in, or ability to teach, anatomy and physiology. 
  • Teaching experience in community colleges 
  • Experience in, or demonstrated commitment to, teaching, mentoring, recruiting, and providing services to Black, Brown, and Native American students.
  • Commitment to incorporating culturally sustaining and inclusive classroom practices into teaching and mentorship.

Conditions of Employment:

  • Successful completion of a criminal history background check.

 

Application Materials & Procedure:

Complete application packages must include the following:

  1. Tacoma Community College online application.
  2. Resume and cover letter describing how your educational background and experience align with the responsibilities and qualifications.  
  3. Copies of transcripts for all colleges and universities attended (official transcripts will be required for the successful candidate).
  4. Tacoma Community College is committed to eliminating barriers and systems of oppression so we may serve all learners and support each other as colleagues.  We strive to be an anti-racist institution and value compassion, respect, and continuous improvement.  A critical component of this is the understanding that the work of cultivating Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) belongs to all employees. Tacoma Community College desires candidates who have two or more of the following characteristics:

    • Knowledge of the challenges faced by minoritized students (historically marginalized or excluded) and a demonstrated commitment to addressing disparities within an institutional setting.
    • Experience in, or demonstrated commitment to, teaching, mentoring, or providing services to support the academic success of minoritized students.
    • Experience in, or demonstrated commitment to incorporating culturally relevant and inclusive classroom practices into teaching and mentorship.
    • Personal connection to the College’s strategic goal of advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion as well as the ability to draw on your own positionality to enrich the student experience.

Please provide a statement of no more than two pages that address how you meet two or more of these characteristics.  Candidates with less work experience should be specific as to how they demonstrate commitment. Candidates with more work experience should be specific about what they have done as well as what they would like to do.

Terms of Employment:

This is a full-time tenure track faculty position contracted on an annual basis.  The salary range for this position is $69,995 to $81,995; any legislative approved COLA will be adjusted later in the new academic year. Placement on the faculty salary schedule will commensurate with educational background and experience per the Faculty Negotiated Agreement 24-27 (Download PDF reader)(Download PDF reader)(Article 4.00 Academic Employee Compensation). Tacoma Community College offers a comprehensive health care benefits package for you and your dependents, including medical, dental, and vision insurance. Life and long-term disability insurance plans, sick and personal leave, reduced tuition for the employee, and retirement benefits are also provided. For more information, please visit our employment page/employment benefits: https://www.tacomacc.edu/about/employment/.  A collective bargaining agreement exists, and membership in the TCC Federation of Teachers or payment of a service fee is available anytime upon hire. Evening and off-campus assignments may be a part of the instructional load. Flexibility is required to meet the needs of the department. Degrees must be from accredited colleges or universities recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and verified by the National Clearinghouse. International degrees will be verified for U.S. equivalency.

Tacoma Community College values diversity and is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Educator. Tacoma Community College provides equal opportunity in education and employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, creed, religion, or status as a veteran of war. Prohibited sex discrimination includes sexual harassment (unwelcome sexual conduct of various types). Provides reasonable accommodations for qualified students, employees, and applicants with disabilities in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act and Federal Rehabilitation Act. Tacoma Community College is a smoke-free/drug free environment. This recruitment announcement may not reflect the entire job description and can be change and or modified at any time.

Tacoma Community College

Human Resources

6501 S 19th St Bldg. 14, Tacoma WA  98466

www.tacomacc.edu/about/employment