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 Title:

Lecturer in Political Ecology

Reports To:

Center Director, Center for Amazon Studies

Dean, Office of Academic Affairs

Location:

Center for Amazon Studies,Tarapoto, Peru

Start Date:

The selected candidate will begin required virtual onboarding and training on January 4, 2027, followed by arrival at the Center for Amazon Studies and the start of on-site training on January 10, 2027.

This is an academic year contract position. Non-Peruvian national candidates must be able to commit to an initial 13-month contract to satisfy Peru's visa sponsorship and employment authorization requirements. Renewal opportunities may be available following a performance discussion with your supervisor and institutional needs.

Salary is dependent on experience and qualifications. Comprehensive benefits package and on-site room and board included.

Position Summary:

The SFS Center for Amazon Studies, located in Tarapoto, Peru 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 Peru. On a contract basis, the Lecturer in Political Ecology will deliver the 50-hour Political Ecology of Peru 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. Consistent with SFS's academic model and program delivery needs, the position will be expected to assist with the coordination and teaching of the summer academic programming, including the 50-hour summer course Amazon Plant Biodiversity and Traditional Medicine.

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 Amazon Studies seeks to understand both the conflicts and synergies of conservation and development. Students will gain a sense of the richness of the Amazon region—biodiversity, social and cultural diversity, and ecosystem services—while exploring strategies for sustainable livelihoods in this highly productive and diverse region of South America.

The interdisciplinary themes of socio-ecological resilience, environmental justice, and conservation will guide our inquiry. Through coursework, field exercises, and Directed Research, students will study people’s dependence on the environment, examine the threats to the environment and to social networks, and explore the tools and strategies for mitigating the threats and promoting well-being among rural communities. A strong component of the program will be examining the ecological patterns and processes that underpin the high diversity of the region.

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 general 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 i

📌 Lecturer in Political Ecology (Tarapoto)
🏢 The School For Field Studies
📍 Tarapoto