Career opportunities at COA

Position Overview

College of the Atlantic seeks a full-time faculty member in agroecology who is actively interested in teaching and collaborating across disciplinary boundaries. We seek a practicing agroecologist with a strong foundation in plant and soil sciences, interdisciplinary research interests, and a strong commitment to teaching and mentoring students within COA’s single undergraduate degree in human ecology. Candidates at any career stage are welcome. A PhD in agroecology, agronomy, botany, soil science, ecology, or a related field is required by the anticipated start date (September 1, 2027). This is a full‑time (10-month), permanent, benefits eligible position.

The successful candidate will be an engaged scholar-practitioner who approaches agroecology as science, practice, and social movement. They will contribute to COA’s experiential, place-based pedagogy and interdisciplinary curriculum. Teaching responsibilities include undergraduate courses in food and farming systems—such as agroecosystems, soil ecology, seed systems, and organic farming and gardening—as well as contributing to the introductory biology and ecology curriculum. The teaching load is five courses across three 10-week trimesters (e.g., 1-2-2). Other responsibilities include mentoring and advising students, supervising senior capstone projects and independent studies, and contributing to college governance.

COA emphasizes experiential learning. The successful candidate will engage students through the college’s two organic farms, greenhouses, and community garden, using these as living laboratories for teaching and research. They will provide meaningful opportunities for students to engage in field-based inquiry and research, with possible areas of inquiry including agroecology and social movements, agroecosystem design, agroecology in urban contexts, climate change adaptation, and participatory or farmer-centered research.

All COA students design individualized, interdisciplinary degrees within our Bachelor of Arts in Human Ecology. Some students go on to graduate studies in food systems or closely aligned fields; others use their academic training in food systems to prepare for work on farms as growers and land stewards; in government, nonprofit, and policy roles advancing food access and sustainable agriculture and fisheries; and in politics and activism shaping food systems transformation. Others start or support values-driven food businesses, or bring agroecological perspectives into education, the arts, and community organizing. Successful candidates for this position will have experience working with diverse student populations and demonstrate strong potential for innovative teaching and transdisciplinary collaboration.

Compensation

Annual salary range is $75,000 to $105,000, commensurate with experience. Benefits package includes health, dental, and life insurance, retirement, vacation, short- and long-term disability, and College of the Atlantic tuition relief for employee and dependents.

To Apply

Interested candidates should submit the following materials here, combined as a single PDF file, in the following order:

• A cover letter describing their interest in and qualifications for this position
• A curriculum vitae including contact information for three professional references
• A statement of teaching philosophy
• A short descriptions of three courses you would be excited to teach at COA (course titles and one-paragraph descriptions, not syllabi).

Application review will begin on September 1, with successful candidates expected to visit campus in late October or early November. Questions about the search can be directed to the search committee co-chairs, Dr. Kourtney Collum at [email protected] and Dr. Doreen Stabinsky at [email protected].

Position Overview

College of the Atlantic seeks a full-time faculty member in chemistry to teach a wide range of courses to undergraduate students within our single interdisciplinary degree in human ecology. We seek a colleague who is actively interested in teaching and collaborating across disciplinary boundaries. The new faculty member will have curricular and creative control over the design of foundational and topical chemistry instruction for students at a variety of skill levels. Candidates at any career stage are welcome to apply. Candidates must have prior teaching experience and a PhD in chemistry or a related field by the anticipated start date of September 1, 2027. This is a full‑time (10-month), permanent, benefits eligible position.

The successful candidate will teach sequences in general chemistry, organic chemistry, and environmental chemistry. We are also interested in courses on: materials science, chemistry of food, green chemistry, biochemistry, geochemistry, and/or other courses that explore the intersections of chemistry with the human experience as well as the wider academic domains of the sciences, arts, and humanities. The teaching load is five courses across three 10-week trimesters (e.g., 1-2-2). Other responsibilities include mentoring and advising students, supervising senior capstone projects and independent studies, and contributing to college governance. Candidates for this position will also be expected to direct the management of chemistry teaching facilities alongside colleagues and work-study students or teaching assistants.

All COA students design individualized, interdisciplinary degrees within our Bachelor of Arts in Human Ecology. We seek a colleague who is interested in collaborating on teaching and research projects across disciplines in order to offer challenging and engaging opportunities for students with a wide range of interests. We invite imaginative thinking about how candidates might use the college’s flexible curricular structure to offer collaborative, experimental, experiential, or travel courses. COA faculty have the opportunity to develop curricular and co-curricular projects connected to the resources available on campus and in the surrounding area, including the Dorr Museum of Natural History, the college waterfront, the school’s fleet of boats, Beech Hill and Peggy Rockefeller farms, and the Cox Protectorate; the college’s field stations located on Great Duck Island, Mount Desert Rock, and in Willimantic, Maine; as well as the college’s proximity to and relationship with Acadia National Park, the Jackson Laboratory, Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, and other local and regional communities and institutions.

Compensation

Annual salary range is $75,000 to $105,000, commensurate with experience. Benefits package includes health, dental, and life insurance, retirement, vacation, short- and long-term disability, and College of the Atlantic tuition relief for employee and dependents.

To Apply

Interested candidates should submit the following materials here, combined as a single PDF file, in the following order:

• A cover letter describing their interest in and unique qualifications for this position
• A curriculum vitae including contact information for three professional references
• A teaching statement that describes the following: a) specific examples of their teaching experience and pedagogical approaches, b) how they engage undergraduates as student researchers both inside and outside the classroom, and c) how their experience will inform their teaching and advising at COA
• Brief course descriptions (course titles and one-paragraph descriptions, not syllabi) for three potential course offerings that would complement and extend the COA curriculum

Application review will begin on November 1, with successful candidates expected to visit campus for interviews in Jan-Feb 2027. Questions about the search can be directed to the search committee chair, Dr. Sarah Hall at [email protected].

Summary
The Chief Financial Officer/Administrative Dean (CFO/AD) is a senior leadership position responsible for the finances and human resources of the institution, as well as providing oversight of several areas such as the business office, facilities/safety, energy/sustainability, and information technology. Reporting to the president, the CFO/AD partners closely with institutional leadership and the Board of Trustees to guide financially sound decision-making and ensure the college’s long-term financial health in alignment with its mission and goals.

Essential job functions

• Lead financial strategy, budgeting, forecasting, and long-term planning
• Serve as senior HR leader, overseeing policies, benefits, and systems for employee recruitment and retention, liaising with legal counsel as needed, and chairing the college’s Personnel Committee
• Oversee cash flow management and financial performance
• Provide clear financial reporting and analysis to the president, cabinet, Board, and other stakeholders including students, faculty, and staff
• Support institutional sustainability through revenue planning, cost management, and risk mitigation
• Partner with academic leadership to align financial and programmatic priorities
• Serve as staff liaison to Board Finance, Investment, and Audit Committees
• Supervise direct reports including the controller, chief facilities and safety officer, IT staff, Title IX coordinator, and the director of energy
• Oversee audits, compliance, internal controls, and institutional risk management
• Foster a collaborative, transparent, and accountable organizational culture
• Serve as a member of the president’s cabinet
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications
Required

• Bachelor’s degree
• Significant leadership experience in nonprofit financial and administrative management
• Expertise in financial planning, budgeting, and organizational strategy
• Knowledge of accounting principles, investments, cash management, HR practices, and risk management
• Experience leading diverse teams and complex operations
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, shifting priorities, and time-sensitive work
• Strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills
• Integrity, sound judgment, and ability to manage confidential information

Preferred

• Advanced degree in a relevant field
• Experience in higher education finance, especially small institutions
• Experience working with boards and shared governance
• Demonstrated ability to build and retain strong teams
• Familiarity with institutional facilities and technology operations

Working conditions / physical demands
The statements below describe the general working conditions and physical/mental demands typically associated with positions at the college. They are not intended to cover every situation or to imply that all duties are required for every role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

• Work will typically occur in an office setting; some work may occur in outdoor campus areas, on other college facilities and online.
• Typical physical demands include: Extended periods of computer use, including keyboard and mouse; Remaining seated or standing for extended periods while working at a computer or in meetings; Navigating a multi-story campus, including using stairs in buildings without elevators; Lifting or moving items up to 10 pounds.
• Work during weekends and evenings will at times be required.

Compensation
Annual salary range is $105,000-$130,000, commensurate with experience.

Benefits package includes health, dental, and life insurance, retirement, vacation, short- and long-term disability, and College of the Atlantic tuition relief for employee and dependents.

To apply
Interested candidates should submit the following materials to [email protected]: a cover letter describing your interest in, and qualifications for, this position; a resume or curriculum vitae; and contact information for three professional references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.