Position: This is a full-time, nine-month, tenure-track position at either the Assistant or Associate Professor level in the Department of Forestry, College of Forest Resources, Forest and Wildlife Research Center, Mississippi State University.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Responsibilities will include participation in the Department's teaching, research, and service activities. Teaching will include both undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in Forest and Natural Resource Management for on-campus and distance education programs. These courses focus on topics related to forest and natural resource management and planning across various spatial scales and forest landowner types, including large-scale industrial forest managers and landowners (e.g., TIMOs and REITs) and small-scale nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowners. The incumbent will have opportunities to develop additional courses as well. The successful candidate will be expected to develop and conduct an extramurally funded research program in the areas of forest and natural resources management and planning, sustainable forest resource utilization, timber supply and demand, forest management for carbon, and other emerging ecosystem service markets.
Candidates with experience in working across diverse forest landownership clientele and understanding their planning needs will be strongly considered. Service responsibilities will include participation in department, college, and university activities; developing strong mentoring programs for undergraduate and MS and Ph.D. graduate students; and networking with constituents and professional organizations.
Minimum Qualifications
A Ph.D. with a specialization in forest resource management and economics, forest management planning, harvest scheduling, or closely related fields. All but dissertation (ABD) applicants will be considered.
Preferred Qualifications
Preferred candidates should have a strong record of scholarly publications, potential to secure extramural funding, and demonstrated experience in teaching both traditional and distance learning courses. At least one degree from a professional forestry or natural resources-related program is preferred. Strong candidates should have an extensive background in linear and other mathematical programming techniques including heuristics, as well as economics, forest regulation, forest growth and yield models, and risk and financial decision-making.
Departmental Profile
The Department of Forestry is one of three departments in the College of Forest Resources and Forest and Wildlife Research Center at Mississippi State University. Faculty have diverse teaching, research, and outreach expertise which includes forest biology and watershed management; forest resource economics, management, and policy; and forest measurements, biometrics, and spatial technologies. The Department has two undergraduate degree programs, Forestry and Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation, both accredited by the Society of American Foresters with~200 students, which includes ~40 graduate students in both on-campus and distance education programs. The University's John W. Starr Memorial Forest (an 8,000 plus acre research and teaching forest), the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, and the Tombigbee National Forest are located in close proximity to the University and used for teaching, research, service, and extension/outreach activities. The College of Forest Resources has also recently acquired a 14,000 plus acre research and teaching forest near the Wolf River in Southern Mississippi.
Mississippi State University is a Carnegie Very High Research Activity (R1) institution and a land grant university with a strong connection to the state-wide Extension Service. The University is located in Starkville, a beautiful college town in northeast Mississippi (www.msstate.edu/web/about).
Application Procedure
Screening of applicants will begin August 31, 2023, and will continue until a suitable applicant is found. Applications must be submitted through the Mississippi State University Careers website via the link https://explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/en-us/listing/ (search PARF Number 506420), where the full position description can be viewed. Applicants should complete the online application and upload PDF files of the following documents: cover letter; curriculum vitae; unofficial transcripts for all degrees with social security numbers redacted (official copies will be required upon hire); a brief statement of research and teaching philosophy and interests; and contact information for three references. Questions may be directed to Dr. Adam Polinko, Search and Screening Committee Chair, at adam.polinko@msstate.edu.
MSU is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy, gender identity, status as a U.S. veteran, and/or any other status protected by applicable law. We always welcome nominations and applications from women, members of any minority group, and others who share our passion for building a diverse community that reflects the diversity in our student population. In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation to apply for a position with Mississippi State University, please contact the Department of Human Resources Management at tel: (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu.
If you have any questions regarding the ADAAA policy, contact the Department of Human Resources Management at (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu. Upon request, sections of this job listing are available in large print, and readers are available to assist the visually impaired.