Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biology

The Department of Biology at St. Olaf College invites applications for a part-time (.3 FTE), one-semester position in Cell Biology at the level of Adjunct Instructor or Assistant Professor, to begin February 1, 2026.  

Teaching responsibilities consist of our Cell Biology course (BIO227; one lecture section and two 3-hour labs). The course provides a comprehensive overview of cellular structure and function including cellular compartments, macromolecular structures, and life processes such as energy and material flux, cell division, and control mechanisms. Labs introduce students to cell biology techniques and emphasize data analysis, interpretation and presentation. 

Salary: $13,500 - $14,040 

Qualifications
Our ideal candidate will have completed or nearly completed a Ph.D. in Biology and have some experience teaching, including lab techniques.

About the Department
Our Biology Department is housed in a state-of-the-art science building that is uniquely equipped with the resources and infrastructure (e.g., cell culture facility, microscopy suite, vivarium, greenhouse and growth chambers) to support our excellent record of teaching. For more information about the department, visit https://wp.stolaf.edu/biology/.

We strive to be a campus of welcome where students, faculty, and staff thrive by bringing their full humanity—gender identity, sexuality, race, ethnicity, national origin, socioeconomic class, disability, religion, spirituality, and age—to St. Olaf each day. Our goal is to generate conversations and processes that over time create greater clarity, transparency, trust, cooperation, consensus, respect, and measurable outcomes. Practices that support this goal include listening, cultivating a growth mindset, respecting those with different views, being informed by data, and understanding that the work is ongoing, collaborative, organic, and ever evolving. We encourage applicants to familiarize themselves with our Community and Belonging webpage to learn more about our commitment and to identify how you might contribute to these efforts.

How to Apply
A complete application includes the following:

References: Provide contact information for three professional references who can speak to your abilities in teaching and scholarship. 

Supporting Documents and URLS:

1. Cover letter outlining your qualifications and why you are interested in this particular position
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Graduate Transcript (unofficial) Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Questions about the position, department, or college may be directed to Steve Freedberg, Department Chair, at freedber@stolaf.edu.

Who We Are:

Founded in 1874, St. Olaf College is a residential, coeducational liberal arts college with approximately 3,000 students and 800 faculty and staff. The college is located on a picturesque 300-acre campus in Northfield, Minnesota, a vibrant, historic river town of 20,000 located 45 minutes south of culturally rich and diverse Minneapolis and St. Paul. 

The college offers an academically rigorous, nationally ranked liberal arts education that fosters the development of the whole person in mind, body, and spirit and emphasizes learning in an inclusive and globally engaged community. We encourage applications from candidates committed to multicultural understanding and the enrichment of our diverse community.

The college offers a comprehensive benefits package, including a 9% retirement match, contributions to eligible employees' health savings accounts, a significant tuition discount (up to a 90% reduction) at ACM, GLCA, and ELCA colleges and universities for employees' children, and generous paid time off. For a full review of the college's benefits, please see the summary of our benefits here: https://wp.stolaf.edu/hr/benefits/

To provide a safe and secure educational environment, St. Olaf College verifies the accuracy of all credentials presented by applicants and conducts a criminal background check on every new hire.

• A summary of the Flexible Work Policy for staff: https://wp.stolaf.edu/hr/flexible-work-policy/
• A link to our Community and Belonging page: https://wp.stolaf.edu/equity-inclusion/
• A virtual campus tour: https://www.stolaf.edu/multimedia/play/?p=483
• An overview of Northfield: https://wp.stolaf.edu/admissions/visit/northfield/
• An overview of the Twin Cities: https://wp.stolaf.edu/admissions/visit/twincities/

For Staff Application Assistance:

Hrstaff@Stolaf.Edu

507-786-3068

• For Faculty Application Assistance:
• facultysearch@stolaf.edu
• 507-786-3356

Nondiscrimination Policy

St. Olaf College does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, creed, national origin, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, marital status, veteran status, or status with regard to public assistance.  St. Olaf College prohibits discrimination and harassment based upon these and any other legally protected status in any education program or activity that it operates, including in admissions and employment. 

Inquiries about this nondiscrimination policy may be referred to St. Olaf College's Director of Equal Opportunity, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, or both. St. Olaf's Director of Equal Opportunity (who serves as the College's Title IX, Title VI, and Section 504 Coordinator) is Pamela McDowell, Tomson Hall, mcdowell@stolaf.edu, (507) 786-3465.