Part-Time Instructor - Brownfield Reuse and Environmental Site Services

Overview:

• This position is open untill filled with an initial application review to take place after October 14, 2026. 
• The salary for this position is $125.00 per hour, 6 hours per week.  

 

SDSU Global Campus seeks highly engaged and qualified prospective faculty members to teach in its online Professional Certificate in Brownfield Reuse and Environmental Site Service program. Under the direction of Drs. Jessica Barlow, Rebecca Lewison, and Madison Swayne, this program seeks to prepare students to work in environmental clean-up, remediation, construction, restoration, waste and water management, and related careers.

Students in this program will:

• Comprehend environmental site assessment and remediation processes, from identification through monitoring
• Conduct environmental sampling and field investigations using appropriate methods, instrumentation, and documentation practices
• Collect, interpret, and visualize environmental data using common tools and databases
• Identify and apply relevant environmental regulations and due diligence practices
• Recognize and manage hazardous materials and site safety considerations
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with project teams and communities on environmental projects
• Translate technical and regulatory knowledge into applied environmental contexts

 

SDSU Global Campus maintains an open “pool” of applications to be reviewed on an as-needed basis for candidates whose qualifications closely meet program needs and hiring criteria. We seek faculty qualified to teach one or more of the following 8-hour courses on a course-by-course contract basis:

1. Pollution to Possibility: Communities in Transition: Introduction to brownfield identification, assessment, remediation, and monitoring — with emphasis on environmental health, pollution burdens, community risk, equitable development, and career pathways in land reuse.
2. Environmental Sampling & Monitoring: Fundamentals of environmental sampling — including soil, water, and air collection methods, field instrumentation, EPA/ASTM standards, chain of custody, health and safety plans, and QAPPs.
3. Brownfield Data Collection & Analysis: Environmental data interpretation, mapping, and visualization — covering descriptive data analysis, common databases (EnviroStor, GeoTracker, CalEnviroScreen), Excel, AI tools, and basic GIS mapping.
4. Community Engagement & Project Coordination: Community engagement strategies and brownfield project coordination — including stakeholder communication, contractor and regulatory relationships, site logistics, adaptive fieldwork, and equitable outreach best practices.
5. Brownfield Regulatory Compliance & Environmental Standards: Overview of federal and state environmental law — including CERCLA, RCRA, Clean Water/Air Acts, CEQA, and NEPA — with focus on liability, state cleanup programs, and local permitting for brownfield redevelopment.
6. Brownfields, Contaminants, Hazardous Materials Handling: Brownfield contaminants, hazardous materials, and worker safety — covering exposure pathways, asbestos and lead handling, HAZWOPER, PPE, and IDW disposal. These online courses will be primarily online and asynchronous in nature; however, the Environmental Sampling & Monitoring course will require some in-person activities. 

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities

• Regularly update course content to stay aligned with advancements in respective field.
• Design, organize, and deliver lessons that maximize student learning, integrating core competencies and effective teaching strategies.
• Create and select instructional materials that align with course objectives and program goals.
• Prepare and distribute course syllabi and outlines, ensuring compliance with program policies.
• Tailor teaching methods to address the diverse needs of students, promoting an inclusive and engaging learning environment.
• Evaluate student progress through fair and consistent methods, keeping accurate records and submitting grades on time.
• Integrate technology and learning platforms (e.g., Canvas) to enrich the educational experience.
• Contribute to the creation and selection of instructional materials that align with course objectives.
• Incorporate key competencies into the curriculum.
• Develop, update, and distribute course syllabi promptly.
• Use the Canvas platform for posting course readings, grades, assignments, etc.
• Establish clear and meaningful learning outcomes for courses and programs.
• Design and communicate assessment methods that fairly measure student progress toward learning outcomes.
• Assess student performance consistently and return work promptly to support optimal learning.
• Maintain accurate records of student progress and ensure timely submission of final grades.
• Ensure that syllabi and approved course outlines for all assigned sections are prepared and distributed in line with program and divisional policies.
• Maintain confidentiality of student information.

 

Qualifications:

Candidate Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience in and/or commitment to teaching and working effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and members of underrepresented groups.

 

Education and Experience

• Bachelors or Masters in environmental science, environmental engineering, geology, geography, city planning, or related field.
• Experience working in the brownfields or related industries.
• Teaching or mentoring experience.

 

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in on-line / web-based teaching.
• Demonstrated experience teaching students from diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English a plus.

 

ADDITIONAL APPLICANT INFORMATION

• Candidate must reside in California and live within a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.
• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on background check results (including a criminal record check).
• San Diego State University Research Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU Research Foundation provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin or any other categories protected by federal or state law.  
• Employment decisions are based on an individual’s qualifications as they relate to the job under consideration. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every employee has equal access to resources and support. 
• SDSU Research Foundation complies with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), and other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws including grant or contract terms and conditions related to funded program activities. Further the SDSU Research Foundation maintains a Nondiscrimination Policy that prohibits discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all programs, policies, and practices.  
• SDSU Research Foundation makes all employment decisions including, but not limited to, applicant screening, hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, benefits, disciplinary actions, and terminations on the basis of merit.