The Department of Wildland Resources at Utah State University is seeking applications for a full-time, 9-month tenure track faculty position in fire ecology and management. We are seeking a scholar dedicated to basic and applied fire science. The position, to be filled at the Assistant Professor level and starting by August 2017, will be 50% research, 40% teaching, and 10% service.
The successful candidate will develop a research program investigating the effects of fire on forests and woodlands. Research foci might include, for example, the effects of fire on plant performance, mortality, regeneration, or community composition, the study of mechanisms of fire ignition and spread, the interactions between fire and weather/climate, or the interactions among fire, other disturbances, and simultaneously acting plant stressors, among others. The department welcomes researchers examining scales from individual plants to entire watersheds, landscapes, and regions. Fundamental to this position is working across disciplinary and institutional boundaries, and collaborating with federal and state agencies in matters related to fire science. The successful candidate is expected to develop a research program that secures extramural funds and achieves national and international recognition. The individual will mentor and advise undergraduate and graduate students and post-doctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds, as well as teach at least two courses, one in fire ecology and management, and the other from the department's set of required undergraduate classes. Minimum Qualifications: An earned Ph.D. in fields such as, but not limited to, fire, geography, forestry, or ecology; working knowledge, experience, and training in the effects of wildland fire on forests and woodlands, with a corresponding publication record; ability to develop an externally funded research program based on innovative and transformative research; demonstrated ability to articulate natural resource science within and outside the classroom to diverse audiences; and demonstrated ability to work productively with land management agencies and various stakeholder groups. Preferred Qualifications: Postdoctoral experience is preferred. Demonstrated ability to teach undergraduate and graduate level classes in natural resource topics. Preference will be given to those candidates who will conduct a portion of their work in Utah or the Intermountain West and to those with practical experience in prescribed fire, wildland fire management, or fire effects monitoring. The candidate's expertise should complement existing strengths in the College of Natural Resources. Through collaboration with existing faculty and extension personnel who investigate fire as portions of their research programs, the candidate will help increase the scope of the fire program at USU. We are interested in candidates who can prosper within a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment of physical, life, and social scientists. An affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, USU is dedicated to recruiting stellar candidates from a diverse pool, including women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities. USU is sensitive to the needs of dual-career applicants and offers competitive salaries with outstanding medical, retirement, and professional benefits. Review of candidates begins on September 30, 2016. Apply on-line at jobs.usu.edu, job requisition number F1600167, http://usu.hiretouch.com/job-details?jobid=1484 For further questions, please contact search committee chair Jim Lutz, [email protected], 435-797-0478.
