Institutional Mission:
The School for Field Studies (SFS) creates transformative study abroad experiences through field-based learning and research. Our educational programs explore the human and ecological dimensions of the complex environmental problems faced by our local partners, contributing to sustainable solutions in the places where we live and work. The SFS community is part of a growing network of individuals and institutions committed to environmental stewardship.
Position:
Lecturer in Freshwater Ecology
Reports To:
- Center Director
- Dean, Office of Academic Affairs
Location:
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Start Date:
January 5th, 2026
Compensation/Benefits:
This is an academic year contract position, with the possibility of annual renewal depending on successful completion of duties. Salary is dependent on experience and qualifications. Comprehensive benefits package and on-site room and board included.
Position Summary:
The SFS Center for Environmental Justice and Mekong Ecologies, located in Siem Reap, Cambodia, seeks an enthusiastic, team-oriented individual to serve as part of a team of faculty and staff that delivers an interdisciplinary, hands-on learning experience to students spending a semester in Cambodia. On a contract basis, the Lecturer in Freshwater Ecology will deliver the 50-hour Freshwater Ecology course during the fall and spring semesters. Additionally, during fall and spring, they will co-teach the 50-hour Directed Research course with other faculty members, leading a faculty-developed directed research project with a small group of students.
SFS programs are field-based and experiential. This position will engage students in a classroom and through extensive time spent in the field. We encourage faculty to integrate as much fieldwork and hands-on experience into their courses as possible.
SFS programs do not follow a nine to five model. Faculty are also integral members of the Center’s communal living model, eating and working with the student cohort.
Faculty are expected to be active members in the community-building process. Additional responsibilities outside of teaching may include participation in community engagement days, involvement in student life, organization of laboratory space, and general Center upkeep. We are especially interested in candidates with experience teaching to a diverse student body, and demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion, and cultural competence in a learning environment, conservation, and the Center’s host community.
Center Focus:
The SFS Center for Environmental Justice and Mekong Ecologies seeks to understand both the conflicts and synergies of conservation and development. Students gain a sense of the richness of the greater Mekong region—biodiversity, social and cultural diversity, and ecosystem services—while exploring strategies for sustainable livelihoods within Cambodia, a highly productive and diverse country in Southeast Asia.
The interdisciplinary themes of natural sciences, socio-ecological resilience, environmental ethics and justice, and conservation guide our inquiry. Through coursework, field exercises, and Directed Research, students study people’s dependence on the environment, examine various threats to the environment and to livelihood resilience, and explore the tools and strategies for mitigating the threats and promoting well-being among rural communities.
SFS Position on Diversity and Inclusion:
SFS was founded with the belief that stewardship of our planet is the responsibility of people all around the world. Addressing complex global issues requires the active inclusion of stakeholders with varying perspectives and identities. We recognize that to successfully address threats to our natural world, we must look beyond social constructs designed to divide us. Just as we value biodiversity in all its forms, we value and engage with a multitude of diverse perspectives and people in the countries where we work and the students and staff we serve.
Duties and Responsibilities
SFS Lecturer positions are different than many other university teaching positions. Lecturers are integral members of the Center’s communal living model. The faculty team works closely and collaboratively to deliver a field-based interdisciplinary program, where programming days can be long and active. In addition to providing high quality, inquiry-based teaching, faculty also participate fully in student life and in the implementation of the Center’s research plan. The publication of both student-assisted and independent research results is encouraged and supported.
Teaching
- As part of an interdisciplinary teaching team, teach and co-teach the Freshwater Ecology and Directed Research courses, respectively. Course descriptions are found below.
- Plan, revise, and effectively deliver a challenging, problem-based interdisciplinary curriculum to learners from diverse disciplinary and cultural backgrounds
- Organize lectures, prepare course materials, and adhere to a daily academic schedule in a timely and professional manner
- Actively support and counsel students on academic issues
- Prepare, administer, and grade assignments, quizzes, and assessments
- Supervise and mentor a student research group during the Directed Research course
- Maintain an organized course portfolio
- Participate in preparation of final reports, academic handbook revisions, and other required administrative tasks
- Maintain equipment as required for teaching in the field
Research
- Participate in the development and upkeep of the Center’s Strategic Research Plan (SRP) and conduct designated and aligned independent research
- Identify appropriate components of the SRP suitable for student DR projects that prioritize community needs and build on local knowledge networks
- Prepare research results for community stakeholders and broader scientific and non-scientific audiences using accessible communication methods
- Assist, as required, with reviewing program research policies, priorities, and budgets
- Follow data management, record keeping, and reporting systems
- Represent SFS and/or present research at local, regional, or international meetings and conferences
Daily Center Life
- Work flexible hours and live on site or nearby the field station with a small team of permanent staff and groups of US undergraduate students.
- Contribute to the creation of a living-learning community that is inclusive of diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds, in which all learners have the opportunity to thrive
- Actively model skills in competence, awareness, and knowledge necessary for meaningfully working with, interacting with, and learning from others who may differ from oneself in identity and/or lived experience
- On a rotating basis, act as on-call “staff of the day/week” 
- Participate in the planning of activities and semester calendar prior to the start of the program and in training for new program staff
- Participate in and lead parts of the orientation and re-entry components of the program presented to students at the beginning and end of each program
- Participate in regular evaluations and reflection discussions following students’ departure
- Take part in, and occasionally lead, community outreach events, site upkeep projects, and field activities
- In cooperation with other program staff, provide day-to-day coordination of interns and/or field assistants as delegated by the Center Director
- As requested by the Center Director, assist with other logistical, group management, and administrative tasks
- At all times, work to ensure good relations between the SFS and the local community
- Drive standard transmission vehicles and boats as needed (driving license may be required)
Safety and Wellbeing
- Take responsibility, as an individual and as a member of the Center team, for the safety of all program participants
- Complete Risk Management Plans in a timely fashion for each field outing
- Participate in resolving group management issues and student discipline problems
- Adhere to, actively model, and enforce all SFS and program policies and procedures, including the values of the SFS Position on Diversity and Inclusion
- Participate in the review and revision of program risk assessment and management plans
- Know the emergency procedures plan for the field station, including evacuation plan
- Participate in the safety portions of the on-site orientation and conduct safety briefings for students and/or staff
- Complete incident reports when appropriate and contribute to safety audits.
- Obtain Wilderness First Aid certification prior to first day of work (SFS support and reimbursable available) and ensure first-aid certifications are kept up to date
Minimum Qualifications:
- Ph.D. and university-level teaching experience in freshwater or aquatic ecology, environmental science, conservation biology, or related fields. Candidates with a Master’s degree and significant scholarship may be considered.
- Fluency in English (all courses taught in English)
- Field research experience, preferably in the fields of freshwater ecology, conservation biology, natural resource management, or related fields.
- Strong skills in quantitative research methods
- Extensive knowledge and experience in statistical analysis
- Demonstrated commitment to creating inclusive learning environments
- Demonstrated ability to work as part of an interdisciplinary teaching and research team
- Track record of research publications
- Demonstrated commitment to environmental issues
Preferred Qualifications:
- Candidates with pre-existing work authorization for Cambodia and/or are a Cambodian national are preferred
- Experience working in SE Asia, particularly Cambodia
- Experience teaching field courses
- Experience with residential student group management and/or risk management
- Fluency or proficiency in Khmer
- Experience cross-teaching or collaborating on projects in conservation biology, natural resource management, or interdisciplinary environmental studies with a focus on human–environment interactions
- Able to operate standard transmission vehicles (driving license may be required)
- Track record of grant writing success
- Current First Aid, CPR, and/or Wilderness First Aid certification
Expectations for Faculty Conduct:
The School for Field Studies strives to create and maintain a work environment in which people are treated with dignity, decency, and respect. The SFS environment is characterized by mutual trust and the absence of intimidation, oppression, and exploitation. SFS will not tolerate unlawful discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment, of any kind. Through enforcement of this policy and by education of employees, SFS seeks to prevent, correct, and discipline behavior that violates this policy.
All offers of employment at The School for Field Studies Cambodia are contingent upon clear results of a thorough background check. Background checks will be conducted on all final candidates and on all employees as deemed necessary.
Course Descriptions:
Freshwater Ecology: This course introduces students to the freshwater ecology of Cambodia’s Mekong River and Tonle Sap Lake, one of the world’s most interesting flood-pulse ecosystems. Students investigate key ecological processes such as primary productivity, nutrient cycling, food webs, and species interactions in river–lake systems shaped by seasonal hydrology. Hands-on training includes fish morphology and assemblage identification, water quality sampling, species surveys, and biodiversity indices to assess ecosystem health. To complement ecological fieldwork, students conduct interviews and stakeholder analyses to explore how fishing livelihoods, agricultural expansion, and resource use intersect with water quality and ecosystem dynamics. Through this integrated lens, students develop a deeper understanding of the ecological and human dimensions that sustain and challenge Cambodia’s freshwater systems.
Directed Research: This course provides students with the opportunity to apply ecological, biological, and/or social-scientific methods to a field research project that addresses a local issue related to the environment. We will also investigate the ways that various methods and theories distinguish (or don’t) fact from interpretation, cause from correlation, and advocacy from objectivity. The directed research topics are derived from the SFS Center’s Research Plan as defined by the Center staff and local stakeholders. Through the Directed Research project, students will contribute to a growing body of scientific research that informs local conservation and resource management decisions. SFS program lecturers lead a small group of students in this research component of the program.
To Apply: Submit a cover letter and resume outlining relevant experiences via the online application on the SFS Careers page at https://fieldstudies.catsone.com/careers/
U.S. applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)
Equal Opportunity Employer:
SFS is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, creed, caste, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetics, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, national origin or ancestry, ethnic origin, or veteran status.
