Overview:
The Department of Wildland Resources and USU Ecology Center at Utah State University are seeking applications for a full-time 9-month tenure-track Assistant Professor position in terrestrial ecosystem ecology. The position consists of 50% research, 40% teaching, and 10% service, to start August 1, 2022. The appointed faculty member will develop an externally-funded research program that achieves both a national and international reputation for research and graduate training in the field of terrestrial ecosystem ecology. We are particularly interested in candidates who leverage an understanding of biotic and abiotic processes to scale from plots to landscapes, regions and continents or from individual organisms to higher levels of biological organization. Research areas of interest to the Department include, but are not limited to, the following ecological elements: carbon cycling, biogeochemistry, ecosystem modeling, disturbance and land cover shifts, and trophic interactions. In addition, we expect that the applicant’s research program will include robust translational elements, e.g., ecosystem services, ecological restoration, land management practices (especially public land issues such as fire and grazing), or actionable ecological forecasting.
Fundamental to this position is the ability to work across disciplinary and institutional boundaries, and to collaborate with federal and state agencies, as well as NGOs and private partners. Effective communication with a variety of stakeholders, including the general public, is essential and consistent with the land grant mission of Utah State University. The appointed faculty member will mentor and advise graduate students and post-doctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds, as well as teach graduate and undergraduate courses within their area of expertise, depending on the needs of the Department.
A candidate’s expertise should complement existing strengths in the Quinney College of Natural Resources and the Ecology Center. Through collaborations with faculty and extension personnel, the appointed faculty member is expected to become a key player in the highly productive team of ecologists at Utah State University. We are interested in applicants who can prosper within a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment of physical, life, and social scientists.
Minimum Qualifications:
1) An earned Ph.D. related to ecosystem ecology
2) Experience conducting research on ecosystem ecology, with a corresponding publication record
3) An ability to develop an externally funded, internationally recognized research program
Preferred Qualifications:
1) Relevant post-doctoral experience
2) A record of securing research funding
3) An interest in developing field-based research projects in Utah and the Intermountain West
4) A demonstrated ability and willingness to work productively with land management agencies and various stakeholder groups
5) A demonstrated ability to implement innovative teaching methods 6) A demonstrated commitment to promoting diversity in STEM fields