Title: Assistant Professor – Global Change Ecology Location: Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Salary: Commensurate with Qualifications and Experience Review Date: For full consideration, candidates should apply and submit additional materials by 15 December 2014. The position will open until a viable applicant pool is determined. Duties and Responsibilities: This position is a 12-month tenure-accruing appointment available in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida. The appointment will be 40% teaching (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences) and 60% research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station). The successful candidate will develop an internationally recognized teaching and research program that addresses global change impacts on wildlife and biodiversity. Duties will include: (1) teaching an innovative, state-of-the-art undergraduate course that provides a foundation in the concepts and tools of global change ecology and its effects on behavior, ecology and population dynamics of wildlife; (2) teaching a graduate course that integrates quantitative, theoretical, and field approaches to address wildlife management and conservation in a global change context; and (3) developing and supporting a rigorous, internationally recognized research program focusing on how large-scale, natural and anthropogenic drivers of change (e.g., climate, sea-level rise, biological invasions, diseases, fire regimes, pollution, land-use transformation, human population growth and sociopolitical factors) affect wildlife diversity in Florida, the Southeastern US, and abroad. The successful candidate will engage in scholarly activities related to instruction, including teaching undergraduate and/or graduate courses, advising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, participating in curriculum revision and enhancement, seeking funding for the teaching program, supervising undergraduate and graduate research and creative work, publishing teaching-related scholarship, producing learning tools, and engaging in professional development activities related to teaching and advising. Faculty are encouraged to support and participate in the CALS Honors Program, distance education, and international education. Position assignment may change in accordance with the needs of the department. Because of the IFAS land-grant mission, all faculty are expected to be supportive of and engaged in all three mission areas—Research, Teaching and Extension—regardless of the assignment split specified in the position description. Qualifications: Candidates must possess a doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in wildlife biology, ecological or biological sciences, or related natural resources discipline; evidence of scholarship and depth of knowledge in global change ecology; experience and willingness working with resource agencies and stakeholders; and commitment to teach and inspire undergraduate and graduate students while promoting a diverse educational and professional work environment. Postdoctoral experience is desirable. Candidates should have demonstrated skills in verbal and written communication, interpersonal relationships, and procurement of extramural funding. Candidates must also have a commitment to IFAS core values of excellence, diversity, global involvement, and accountability. Background Information: The University of Florida (http://www.ufl.edu) is a Land-Grant, Sea-Grant, and Space-Grant institution, encompassing virtually all academic and professional disciplines, with an enrollment of more than 50,000 students. UF is a member of The Association of American Universities. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (http://ifas.ufl.edu) includes the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (http://cals.ufl.edu), the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station (http://research.ifas.ufl.edu), the Florida Cooperative Extension Service (http://extension.ifas.ufl.edu), the College of Veterinary Medicine (http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu), the Florida Sea Grant program (http://www.flseagrant.org/ ), and encompasses 16 on-campus academic departments and schools, 12 Research and Educational Centers (REC) located throughout the state, 6 Research sites/demonstration units administered by RECs or academic departments, and Florida Cooperative Extension Service offices in all 67 counties (counties operate and maintain). The School of Natural Resources and Environment is an interdisciplinary unit housed in IFAS and managed by several colleges on campus. IFAS employs over 2500 people, which includes approximately 900 faculty and 1200 support personnel located in Gainesville and throughout the state. IFAS, one of the nation’s largest agricultural and natural resources research and education organizations, is administered by a Senior Vice President and four deans: the Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Dean for Extension and Director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the Dean for Research and Director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Dean for the College of Veterinary Medicine. UF/IFAS also engages in cooperative work with Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. The programs of the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation emphasize biological and human dimensions of wildlife ecology and conservation in local to international arenas. Department faculty may be affiliated with the Center for Latin American Studies, Center for African Studies, and the School of Natural Resources and the Environment. Also housed with the Department is the Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, whose principal focus is on wetlands wildlife and ecosystem restoration and conservation. The nearby 3,600-hectare Ordway-Swisher Biological Station, managed by the UF Department of Wildlife Conservation and Ecology, provides an outdoor laboratory for teaching and a site for long-term field research, and has been designated to serve as a National Science Foundation NEON core site. Several units on or nearby the University of Florida campus complement the teaching and research programs of the Department, including The Florida Climate Institute, an interdisciplinary center hosted at UF and comprising 7 Florida universities; Biotechnologies for Ecological, Evolutionary, and Conservation Sciences; the Tropical Conservation and Development Program in the Center for Latin American Studies; Center for Natural Resources; Center for Wetlands; Center for Biological Conservation; Pre-eminence initiatives in Bioinformatics and Biodiversity; Florida Museum of Natural History; Northeast Regional Data Center; National Ecology Laboratory (Sirenia) of USGS; Florida Field Station (Gainesville) of the U.S.D.A. Wildlife Research Laboratory; Southeastern Forest Experiment Station unit of the U.S. Forest Service; The Nature Conservancy; the Wildlife Conservation Society; the Wildlife Research Laboratory of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; and others. Florida boasts a diversity of fauna and flora common to both southern temperate and subtropical climates and is replete with springs, rivers, backwater streams, lakes, freshwater and saltwater marshes, mangrove fringes, cypress swamps, hardwood hammocks, sandhills, scrub, pine flatwoods, and rangeland. Nested between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, Florida has more than 2,000 kilometers of coastal beaches and estuaries. Special features include the Florida Keys, which constitute an archipelago of picturesque subtropical islands, and the unique Everglades, or “river of grass,” which sprawls across the vast southern peninsula. As a gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America, Florida provides convenient access to tropical environments, and diverse expertise on campus. Employment Conditions: This position is available 1 July 2015, and will be filled as soon thereafter as an acceptable applicant is available; specific start date is negotiable. Compensation is commensurate with the education, experience, and qualifications of the selected applicant. Nominations: Nominations are welcome. Nominations need to include the complete name and address of the nominee. This information should be sent to: Dr. Bill Giuliano Chair, Search and Screen Committee University of Florida Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation P.O. Box 110430 Gainesville, FL 32611-0430 Telephone: (352) 846-0552 Facsimile: (352) 392-6984 Electronic Mail: [email protected] Application Information: Individuals wishing to apply should go online to http://jobs.ufl.edu/postings/58734 and submit: o Application o Cover letter that states applicant’s interest in the position and qualifications relative to the credentials listed above o Curriculum vitae o Statement of research and teaching/mentoring philosophies (4-page limit total – attach as ‘Other Document’) o Names and contact information for at least 3 references Official transcripts showing receipt of the doctoral degree should be sent to: Please refer to Requisition # 0906992 Dr. Bill Giuliano Chair, Search and Screen Committee University of Florida Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation P.O. Box 110430 Gainesville, FL 32611-0430 Telephone: (352) 846-0552 Facsimile: (352) 392-6984 Electronic Mail: [email protected] Final candidate will be required to provide official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible. Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org/. The University of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Institution dedicated to building a broadly diverse and inclusive faculty and staff. The selection process will be conducted in accord with the provisions of Florida’s ‘Government in the Sunshine’ and Public Records Laws. Persons with disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodation.
