Overview
The Department of Wildland Resources (WILD) in the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources at Utah State University seeks applicants for an Assistant Professor of Wildland Fire. The role statement for the position consists of 80% extension, 10% teaching, and 10% service, and will be based in Logan, Utah on the USU campus, with an anticipated (but negotiable) start date of July 1, 2023. This is a fiscal-year (12-month) position.
The successful applicant is expected to bring substantial expertise from outside academia, and the position may be filled as a Tenure-Track or Professional Practice Assistant Professor position. The Tenure-Track Position will be 0.8 FTE, and the successful applicant will be encouraged to write grants to support an additional 0.2 FTE salary. The Professional Practice position will be 1.0 FTE. Salary will be commensurate with experience.
Key areas of expertise will include wildland fire fuel reduction and management, treatments to build fire resistance and resilience, and post-burn restoration in both forest and shrubland/range ecosystems, including wildland-urban interface settings. The position will work cooperatively with other Extension personnel and faculty in the WILD department as well as with statewide Extension offices, and will be a source of information to other Extension personnel as well as to various public and private stakeholders.
Minimum Qualifications
1) Graduate Degree:
a. Tenure-track Assistant Professor appointment: PhD degree in fire ecology, forestry, range science, or related field required.
b. Professional Practice Assistant Professor: MS degree in fire ecology, forestry, range science, or related field required, PhD preferred.
2) Substantial expertise and experience outside academia in wildfire or fuels management in forest and shrubland or range settings.
3) Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team setting with other professionals in the public and private sectors.
4) Excellent oral and written English communication skills.
5) Strong interpersonal skills.
6) Valid driver license and the ability to travel extensively to statewide locations.
7) Live within a commutable distance of Logan, Utah during period of appointment.
Preferred Qualifications
1) Experience with outreach program development, delivery, and impact assessment related to
wildfire or fuels management.
2) Demonstrated ability to develop an externally-funded extension program meeting the needs of
stakeholders (e.g. landowners, and county-, state- and federal-level agencies).
3) Academic teaching experience.
4) Demonstrated ability to work independently in remote field settings.
5) Ability to connect current research to fire management and restoration practices.
6) Experience with populations that are underrepresented in natural resource professions.
Position Duties
Extension Development and Delivery – 80%
• Function as a resource for other Extension personnel and statewide stakeholders for information
and recommendations related to wildfire prevention, preparation, and post-fire restoration in
forest and rangeland ecosystems and wildland-urban interface settings.
• Design, develop and deliver educational programming to assist natural resource agency personnel,
private forest and range landowners and land managers, wildland-urban interface homeowners,
and the fire suppression and post-fire restoration workforce.
• Develop new core curriculum materials for use by other Extension Agents and Specialists. Serve as
a mentor for Extension Agents and Specialists and participate fully in Extension programs.
• Conduct and publish Extension-related research.
• Develop a positive working relationship with USU research faculty, particularly those with
research in fire ecology, forestry, and range. Track trends, initiatives, and developments in fire
science, including landscape and cross-boundary efforts.
• Provide impact/outcome statement reports adhering to Extension criteria.
• Develop positive working relationships with statewide fire personnel, including external partners
such as the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, USDA Forest Service, USDI Bureau of
Land Management, USDI Park Service, Southern Rockies Fire Science Network, the Great Basin Fire
Science Exchange, local fire departments, and the State Fire Marshal.
• Contribute to USU’s mission of equity, inclusion, and diversity as part of teaching, educational
delivery, advising, research, Extension service, and/or scholarly outcomes.
Teaching – 10%
• Teach or co-teach one or two field-based short courses annually which contribute to existing WILD
degree programs, and provide guest lectures for existing courses as extension activities allow. The
teaching could, e.g., take the form of a half-semester lab section to accompany WILD 3100
Introduction to Wildland Fire.
Service– 10%
• Participate with local, state, and federal resource agencies and NGOs on emergency services and natural resource management advisory councils and committees.
• Serve on Department, College, and University committees.
• Represent the fire science discipline within the University.
• Participate in professional and scientific organizations.
• Contribute to a welcoming and inclusive workplace environment.
Application
All application materials must be submitted electronically through the USU Human Resources website (https://careers-usu.icims.com/jobs/6003/job). We request a cover letter, a complete CV, and the names and e-mail addresses of three appropriate references. The position is open until filled, but application review will begin March 10, 2023.
Notice of Non-discrimination
In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law. For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact: U.S. Department of Education Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov; U.S. Department of Education, Denver Regional Office, 303-844-5695, OCR.Denver@ed.gov. USU endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access in all aspects of employment to qualified persons with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, please contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Human Resource office at 435-797-0122 or submit a request at hr@usu.edu.
USU Highlights
Utah State University is Utah’s land-grant university. USU is in Logan, offering the amenities of a college town within the Cache Valley metropolitan zone of 115,000 people. Cache Valley is a 90-minute drive to Salt Lake City, positioned along the scenic Wasatch Mountains and Bear River Range. Logan has a bonanza of outdoor activities within minutes of campus, and is within a day’s drive of seven national parks. Several local public schools offer dual language immersion programs, and the community supports many family-friendly activities, including programs through the Stokes Nature Center. Cache Arts and the Caine College of the Arts offer a range of concerts, performances and classes in Logan. The Quinney College of Natural Resources is a welcoming, socially active community of faculty, students and staff recruited to Logan from all parts of the US and the world.
USU and QCNR aspire to become increasingly diverse communities, illustrated by the recent hire of our first Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and our participation in the IChange initiative. We are committed to advancing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive institutional culture where everyone feels welcome, valued and supported for success.
As an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, USU is dedicated to recruiting 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.
Potential applicants with specific questions are welcome to contact the search committee chair, Darren McAvoy, darren.mcavoy@usu.edu.
