Columbia University has been a leader in higher education in the nation and around the world for more than 250 years. At the core of our wide range of academic inquiry is the commitment to attract and engage the best minds to pursue greater human understanding, pioneering discoveries, and service to society.

The School of Professional Studies at Columbia University offers innovative and rigorous programs that integrate knowledge across disciplinary boundaries, combine theory with practice, leverage the expertise of our students and faculty, and connect global constituencies. Through twenty professional master's degrees, courses for advancement and graduate school preparation, certificate programs, summer courses, high school programs, and a program for learning English as a second language, the School of Professional Studies transforms knowledge and understanding in service of the greater good.

Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies seeks candidates for the role of Course Associate in the school’s Master of Science degree program in Biodiversity Data Analytics for the fall 2026 semester. A Course Associate is a part-time instructional role that supports a Lecturer in teaching and course facilitation. Serving as a Course Associate is an excellent opportunity to bolster teaching skills while building a relationship with Columbia University.

The MS in Biodiversity Data Analytics prepares professionals to apply advanced data analytics and systems thinking to biodiversity conservation, environmental management, and nature-related decision-making across policy, finance, conservation, and industry. The program integrates ecological science with geospatial analysis, statistical modeling, and applied analytics and is delivered fully online.

The program will hire multiple Associates, across two online course sections:

• Graduate Seminar in Conservation Biology- Wednesdays 6:10-8:00pm
• Intro Statistics Ecology & Evolutionary Biology - Tuesdays 6:10-8:00pm

Course descriptions for both courses can be found here.

Responsibilities

• Total time commitment: ~ 10 hours/week (per course)
• Prior to semester, complete training for Canvas learning management system (~ 1 hour)
• Meet with Lecturer before semester starts (~ 1 hour)
• Attendance at all live (synchronous) online class sessions (class generally meets 2 hours once per week)
• Monitor student concerns and inquiries
• Evaluate student work as requested by the Lecturer
• Proctor the midterm and final exams
• Supplement course instruction on occasion, as requested by Lecturer

• Master’s degree in environmental science, biology, ecology, or a closely related discipline is required, particularly where quantitative methods are applied to ecological systems. Doctoral degree preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in areas related to biodiversity analytics, conservation science, sustainability, or environmental data fields
• 2+ years of professional experience 

Preferred Qualifications

• 2+ years teaching experience in a university setting at the graduate level.
• Peer-reviewed publications and/or contributions to area of discipline.

Compensation: $3,000 - $3,240 per course.

Review of applications begins immediately and will continue until positions are filled. All applicants must provide:

• A CV inclusive of university teaching experience (to be uploaded via the "Additional Attachment" button
• Cover Letter – indicating the course(s) for which you wish to be considered

Note: Columbia University’s Policy on Remote Work states that anyone teaching online classes must reside in one of the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran