Title: Faculty, Environmental Science
Location: Costa Rica, Hawaii, or Fiji (hiring for all locations)

Type: Fall Semester Adjunct or Full-time Contract, with option for renewal in Spring 2022. Adjunct available only for those who reside in the semester location

Dates: Early August through mid-December, 2021

Min. Experience: 2 years teaching experience

Verto is on a mission to help change Higher Education in positive, student-focused ways. We want to make immersive travel and experiential education a core part of every students’ college degree. Verto Education, in partnership with over sixty colleges and universities, offers the only international freshman year experience that gives students full college credit and a pathway to a bachelor’s degree in four years. 

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Verto provides dynamic, engaging, academically rigorous courses for all students on our programs.  We seek highly motivated, student-oriented educators who will bring the courses alive for students through a combination of active classroom learning and experiential field activities. Faculty must possess a strong commitment to undergraduate experiential education. Verto courses are 3 or 4 credit courses, depending on the discipline. You will maintain all academic information related to the course and provide assessments of student learning.  

Faculty work with team members on location, such as Academic Success Coordinators, and Program Leaders, to provide excellence in teaching and learning to a diverse student body.  Throughout their time in a semester, faculty ensure that academic functions and processes run smoothly within Verto and in coordination with our academic partners.  You will also be responsible for completing processes required by Verto’s schools of record to establish academic credentials as defined by regional accreditation organizations. These include the verification of academic rosters, processing student withdrawals, and submitting grades in a timely manner.

POSITION DUTIES

During the semester you’ll teach in a classroom setting (though not a typical one!) and accompany your students on certain excursions designed to connect to course content. You’ll meet with the Director of Academics bi-weekly to discuss successes, areas where further support will aid faculty, staff, or students, and resolve any challenges that might arise. The Director of Academics will help ensure unity across instructors, offer feedback and coaching, and provide a selection of course materials.

While this position is an academic position, the ideal candidate will be a team player, ready and willing to jump in and assist where necessary to support students.

Faculty will teach up to 5 sections of one course described below. 

Course Offerings for Fall 2021:

Environmental Science (max section size: 24 students)

This science-based course takes an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the environmental crisis that confronts us all. Topics include ecological principles, biodiversity, climate change, sustainability, renewable and non-renewable energy, water resources, air and water pollution, and solid waste management. Field studies may include restoration projects, surveys of local ecosystems and flora and fauna populations, and visits to local environmental, agricultural, or scientific facilities.

Responsibilities:

• Provide an engaging classroom experience based on the experiential learning model and structured academic activities.
• Engage with students and help them connect the coursework to what they are experiencing in the field.
• Collaborate with a dynamic team of Program Leaders, Faculty, Academic Success Coordinators, Regional Managers, and in-country partners to support students as they navigate potential challenges of a traveling program.
• Facilitate coursework in compliance with credit requirements.
• Maintain flexibility with the curriculum as dictated by a changing travel itinerary.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with Verto students, staff, and community partners.
• Evaluate students’ course submissions, provide ongoing, formative feedback, and score student work in a timely manner. Verto uses Canvas as our Learning Management System (LMS).
• Assess student mastery of Student Learning Outcomes for the course and organization.
• Diligently meet the specific, documented needs of students with academic accommodations.
• Work closely with Academic Success Coordinators on specific student issues related to student academic success in your course(s).
• Participate in faculty training & development
• Other duties as reasonably assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Master’s or Ph.D. in the field of study or a closely related field.  
• Minimum eighteen graduate credits in the field of study.
• A minimum of two years teaching experience, preferably at the collegiate level.
• Able to assess student progress on Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for the course and organization.
• Able to be flexible and adapt to challenges as they arise.
• Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work with careful attention to the fine details.
• Ability to receive and apply feedback.
• Appreciation for and proven record of successfully working with students of diverse economic, racial, cultural, and educational backgrounds.
• Success in teaching students with varied learning styles and abilities.
• Passion for discussion-based learning and helping students make meaning of their experiences.
• Eager to learn from colleagues and enjoys open collaboration and teamwork.

What we’re looking for:

• Faculty who are intellectually curious and motivated, and understand how to teach concepts in various teaching settings (i.e. with or without access to technology and internet).
• Faculty who are willing to go that extra mile to ensure students succeed in academics and in college.
• Faculty who excel at and love teaching, but are also willing to learn from their students.
• Faculty who are flexible with fast-paced and changing environments.
• Faculty on a mission to change the current status of higher education in the US for the better.
• Verto seeks faculty who excel in teaching above all else.

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit the following in this application:

• Cover Letter that articulates your experience in relation to the job description.  If you have experience living or working in Fiji, please indicate this in your cover letter.
• Current CV.
• Names and contact information of three persons who will provide a professional recommendation.

Email to careers@vertoeducation.org

• Teaching Philosophy Statement.
• Unofficial transcripts of your graduate work.  If your graduate degree was conferred from an institution that doesn’t traditionally issue transcripts, please upload a scanned copy of your diploma.
• Teaching evaluations from up to three separate semesters, if available.

At Verto Education we value voices of all backgrounds and experiences. We know that creating a diverse environment takes dedication and intentional hiring practices. We are cognizant of the gap between our current state and our commitments. In order to bridge that gap, we have to humbly evaluate where we are today. 

Verto sincerely appreciates candidates providing anonymous answers to our EEO questions. You are helping us be better. 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

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