ASSOCIATE OR FULL PROFESSOR CLIMATE JUSTICE AND ENERGY POLICY

About Occidental College

Founded in 1887, Occidental is a nationally recognized, private college of the liberal arts and sciences, dedicated to providing a gifted and diverse group of students with a total educational experience of the highest quality -- one that prepares them for leadership in an increasingly complex, interdependent and pluralistic world.

What makes Occidental special? An intellectually rigorous academic environment. Small classroom settings where students collaborate with professors and their peers while pursuing or discovering their passion. A beautiful residential campus that offers students hands-on engagement with the cultural and intellectual resources of
Los Angeles. A community open to stimulating conversation and divergent points of view. Some 2,100 students from 46 states and 28 countries choose from 41 majors and minors and participate in one the country’s top undergraduate research programs. Oxy students routinely win top awards and fellowships; its first Rhodes Scholar was named in 1907. Dedicated to excellence and equity, Occidental also is one of the country’s most economically diverse campuses, according to the New York Times. Some 71 percent of Oxy students receive some form of financial aid; 20 percent are Pell Grant recipients; and 19 percent are the first in their family to attend college

Associate or Full Professor,

Climate Justice and Energy Policy

Urban and Environmental Policy Department

POSITION SUMMARY

The Urban and Environmental Policy Department at Occidental College invites applications for Associate or

Full Professor of Climate and Energy Policy with appointment to begin Fall 2027.

The Urban and Environmental Policy Department is searching for an
Associate/Full Professor in the field of

Climate Justice and Energy Policy. We seek a broadly trained community-engaged social scientist whose

research and teaching is situated in the political economy and policy context for climate change, energy, and

sustainability. Candidates should have demonstrated experience working and thinking across

interdisciplinary theory, methods, and applied and community-engaged approaches in teaching and

research related to the political ecology of climate change and energy and be able to teach the following:

Environment and Society (UEP 101), Environmental Law and Policy
(UEP 300), the Senior Policy Seminar (UEP

410), as well as elective courses in climate and energy. Our new colleague will help our students diagnose

root causes of the global climate crisis, think both locally and globally about the climate crisis, and, just as

importantly, outline solutions and work with community partners to bring about real-world change.

We are looking for a colleague who understands the obstacles to addressing the climate emergency as

not just environmental but also political and economic, and who can mentor students in becoming

advocates for climate justice. We are particularly interested in a colleague who can teach courses that

would meet Core requirements and that relate to the city and communities of Los Angeles. As

necessary, the new hire may contribute to the First Year Seminar program (which focuses on writing),

mentor undergraduate researchers in Oxy’s renowned Summer Research
Program, engage with the

Urban & Environmental Policy Institute’s programs, including the Center for Community Food and

Resilience and the Justice Summer Internship program. The new hire will have an active research

agenda, producing scholarship commensurate with rank, and will participate in the life and

development of the department, advise students, and serve on broader college-wide committees.

Our department is unique in that it integrates environmental and urban studies, recognizing that

environmental and urban policy and solutions are inextricably related. Our students are drawn to our

department because they want to understand e how the climate crisis is exacerbating inequality, how it

has crossed multiple tipping points, and how to achieve climate justice. Our students are also attracted

to our interdisciplinary and applied curriculum that offers opportunities for research, internships, and

community-engaged learning. UEP students gain skills in analytic and critical thinking, writing, research,

and community organizing that they successfully translate into graduate studies and careers. Our

students are routinely accepted into top graduate school programs in public policy, law, public health,

social work, urban planning, environmental and sustainability studies including UCLA, Columbia

University, UC Berkeley, Harvard, NYU, and USC. Our interdisciplinary major has also led some of our

students to other academic and career paths, including medical school and programs in theology.

Our faculty are committed teacher-scholars who bring critical inquiry and discovery into the classroom.

The UEP curriculum provides our students with classroom learning as well as field experience with our

community partners that addresses understanding the root causes of social injustice and inequality while

training students as thought and application leaders for social justice, public service, and public policy.

Our curriculum directly aligns with the Occidental Promise, the College’s strategic plan.

Our faculty establish themselves as exceptional researchers and practitioners in their fields. And they

provide departmental and college-wide service, as well as service to their professions. Our new colleague

will fill our department gaps while expanding our translocal and transnational connections, engaging

policymakers, leveraging professional visibility to the department, impacting policy debates, and

expanding internship and professional networks for our students.

As a small institution with a commitment to Shared Governance, faculty across the College collaborate in

maintaining the excellence of the College’ academic program.

Located within the vibrant city of Los Angeles, Occidental is committed to community-engaged partnerships

for learning and research. Occidental is also committed to undergraduate research, regularly mentoring

students in Occidental’s hallmark summer research program. For decades, Occidental has been a leader in

creating access for a diverse student body. That diversity enriches the education of all students. We seek an

innovative teacher, scholar, mentor, and colleague who wishes to work in such an environment and who

shares the commitments articulated in the mission of the
College.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Qualifications

● Candidates will hold the Ph.D. degree or terminal degree in their field.

● Demonstrated leadership and contribution to departmental planning, cross departmental

collaboration, and College initiatives. This includes:

o Experience in departmental leadership and management responsibilities (e.g., curricular

development, annual assessment, long-term departmental planning, creativity with

resource management and organization, etc.).

o Experience and success in working collaboratively with colleagues from different

departments, administration, and other campus constituencies.

o Ability to support, manage, and evaluate departmental personnel
(e.g., department staff,

tenure-track faculty, and non-tenure-track faculty).

o Willingness and ability to organize and participate in programming, events, exhibitions.

● Our ideal candidate will be an effective and engaged teacher-scholar able to inspire and teach our

students to understand and use various methods to understand race, place, poverty, and

inequality in the context of a global political economy and inform practical solutions at the

community, local, state, national, and global levels. Our new colleague will have:

o Experience and interest in teaching elective courses focused on climate justice and energy

policy.

o The ability to teach several required courses: Environment and
Society (UEP 101),

Environmental Law and Policy (UEP 300), and the Senior Policy
Seminar (UEP 410). A list of

the most current syllabi is here.

o A clear pedagogical approach and a demonstrated record of effective teaching and

advising, particularly teaching and mentoring underrepresented and historically

marginalized students

o Experience in applied and/or community-based research.

o A strong record of scholarly accomplishments appropriate to the level of appointment.

o A clearly articulated research agenda and commitment to involving and mentoring

undergraduate researchers.

o An expressed interest and commitment to teaching in an urban liberal arts college located

in Los Angeles.

Preferred Qualifications

● Willingness and ability to teach community-engaged courses.

SALARY

EXPECTED SALARY RANGE (for Academic Year, Nine-month
Appointment):

● If hired at Associate rank: $103,000 - $116,000

● If hired at Full rank: $120,000 - $145,000

If you are offered this position at Occidental College, your final base salary compensation will be

determined based on factors such as skills, education, experience, and/or geographic location. In addition

to those factors, Occidental complies with applicable pay equity laws and considers internal equity among

current employees when developing the final offer. Please keep in mind that the range mentioned above is

the base salary range for the role. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical in order to

allow for future and continued salary growth.

APPLICATION DEADLINE & INSTRUCTIONS

To be assured full consideration your application materials must be received by midnight Eastern time

(9:00 pm Pacific time) on Friday, October 16, 2026. Note:
Deadline extended to Friday, October 30, 2026.

Applicants must submit a complete application package electronically via Interfolio to be considered by the

search committee. https://apply.interfolio.com/191604

A complete application includes all of the following:

● Cover Letter that describes the education, experience, and/or skills you possess that are relevant to

the Required and Preferred Qualifications listed above.

● CV

● Teaching Philosophy/Statement. Please include pedagogical innovations and demonstrated

commitment to creating equitable learning opportunities and inclusive pedagogies for a diverse

student body.

● Research Statement.

● Names and email addresses of three references (letters will be solicited if candidates advance;

please do not submit letters in your initial application).

If you have any questions about the position, the application materials, or the application instructions, please

contact: UEP Search Committee/Department Chair Martha Matsuoka at matsuoka@oxy.edu or call (323) 259-

2971. If you have questions about Interfolio or the application process, please contact the Academic Support

Administrator, Beatrice Gonzales, at facultysearch@oxy.edu.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Occidental is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate against employees or

applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression,

pregnancy, breastfeeding or related medical condition, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital

status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic characteristic or information, military

and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. Occidental is strongly

committed to increasing the diversity of the campus community and the curriculum, and to fostering an

inclusive, equitable, and just environment within which students, staff, administrators, and faculty thrive.

Candidates who can contribute to this goal through their work are encouraged to identify their strengths and

experiences in this area. Individuals advancing the College’s strategic equity and justice goals and those from

groups that are underrepresented in the field are particularly encouraged to apply.

Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. A comprehensive benefits package is available that

includes: excellent health, dental, life, and retirement benefits;
tuition benefits for the employee, spouse,

domestic partner, and dependents; additional extras including use of gym facilities and the College Library. For

a detailed description of benefits: https:
//www.oxy.edu/offices-services/humanresources/benefits-

information

All qualified applicants will be considered for employment, including those with criminal histories, in a manner

consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair

Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.

Occidental College is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with

qualifying disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the

application or employment process, please contact Human Resources
(hr@oxy.edu).

As a condition of hire for a staff position and for appointment to a faculty position, Occidental College requires

that all candidates who have received a conditional offer of employment complete an application form (if they

have not already done so) and consent to a background check.
Satisfactory completion of a background check,

along with pre-employment verifications and references are required as a condition of employment, but only

as permitted by federal, state, and local law, including the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring

Ordinance.