Who We Are: The Wild Rockies Field Institute (WRFI) offers academic, field-based courses accredited through the University of Montana. Our courses take place in Montana, the Canadian Rockies, and the American Southwest, combining rigorous academic inquiry with cultural immersion and extended backcountry expeditions. Students join us from colleges and universities across North America and from a wide variety of majors. We currently offer courses in Native American Studies, Environmental Studies, Natural Resource Science & Management, Geography, and Philosophy. WRFI courses broaden the nature of a liberal arts education, teach critical thinking about environmental and social issues, and foster understanding of and respect for natural and human communities.
Job Title: Philosophy Instructor for our summer Environmental Ethics: Climate Change and Visions of a Sustainable Future field course. This course is interdisciplinary in nature and offers students a total of 3 upper-division (300-level) Philosophy credits from the University of Montana for their time in the field. The Philosophy Instructor will work with one co-instructor and a teaching assistant.
Course Description: This course will give students an introduction to contemporary approaches to environmental ethics that have developed from classic Western ethical traditions: deontological (Kantian) ethics, utilitarianism, and virtue ethics. In addition, the course will examine alternative understandings of relationships between humans and the natural world, including deep ecology, ecofeminism, Native American philosophies, and care ethics.
The course will focus on the application of environmental ethics to issues raised by global climate change. Students will learn the essential mechanisms of climate change science and observe the effects of climate change on local ecology and geological processes via studies of whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulus) ecosystems, pika (Ochotona princeps) populations, and glacial recession.
These explorations occur on two backpacking trips in the montane ecosystems of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, explorations of Glacier National Park, and meetings with concerned land managers, civic leaders, Indigenous leaders, and scientists. This course asks students to examine and morally justify the social, political, economic, and cultural shifts required to effectively address current and future climate change issues.
Qualifications: Candidates must have a Master’s degree or PhD in Philosophy. Prior college-level teaching experience; a background in outdoor leadership; flatwater canoe and/or kayaking experience; and Wilderness First Aid or First Responder certification is also required.
Location: This course takes place in northwestern Montana on successive explorations of the Rocky Mountain Front, Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, Blackfeet Nation, Glacier National Park, and other locations in western Montana.
Dates: The three-week Environmental Ethics field course typically runs from late July to mid-August. Candidates for this position must be available to be in the field for the entire three week duration of the course. In addition to time in the field, the instructor will be responsible for pre-course preparation and post-course wrap-up.
Compensation: Field pay ranges from $100 to $125 per day, depending on experience. Pre- and post-course work is compensated at $15 per hour. A food stipend and travel reimbursement will be provided.
How to Apply: Please send a cover letter, resume, and three references to [email protected].
Closing Date: Open until filled