Assistant Professor - Forestry

Job Title

Assistant Professor - Forestry

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Research

Department

Overton

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Overton, Texas

Job Type

Faculty

Job Description

Assistant Professor - Forestry

Overton, Texas

Position Description:

The Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Overton, TX seeks outstanding applicants for a non-tenure track Assistant Professor position in Forest Science to work on forest management and productivity and environmental sustainability. This is a 12-month appointment (100% research) and will be based at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Overton, TX and will be affiliated with the Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. The applicant will work closely with other scientists within the department, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M Forest Service and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension to build a highly impactful, externally funded, nationally recognized, and self-sustainable research program that addresses issues facing the forestry industry in Texas related to productivity and sustainability.

Position Responsibilities:

• Build an externally funded, nationally recognized, self-sustainable research program that addresses issues facing the forestry industry in Texas related to productivity and sustainability.
• Address the researchable issues related to 1) Reforestation and land management to produce crops and timber; 2) Utilization of wood and forest products; 3) Forest and rangeland management to produce forage for domestic animals and wildlife; 4) Forest protection against wildfire, pest and destructive agents; 5) Watershed management and water quality of forest areas; and 6) Forest management for recreation purposes. Each research trial will be focused on one or more of the topics listed but will be designed to also evaluate impacts on environmental sustainability including measures of greenhouse gas emissions and soil health parameters. These duties require operating a vehicle.
• Address additional researchable issues related to forestry especially as they pertain to adaptive silviculture strategies, GHG mitigation, soil health, advancement and valuation of ecosystem services (e.g. water, wildlife, recreation, etc.), wood fiber sustainability and forest ecosystem health.
• Publish in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals within the discipline. 
• Engage with industry professionals and cooperate in outreach activities relevant to stakeholders.
• Work with the Texas A&M Forest Service Silviculture Program and District Foresters, Texas Forestry Association, county extension agents, on-campus and other state-wide faculty, and other forestry professionals in the region and participate in activities of relevance to stakeholders.
• Participate in graduate student training and mentoring.
• Participate in appropriate programming to contribute tangible impacts on the economic viability and competitiveness of the Texas Forestry Industry.

Administrative Relationships:

• Reports directly to the Center Director, Texas A&M AgriLife Research-Overton, with guidance from the Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology at Texas A&M University, College Station. 
• Directs the work of support staff, and other technical personnel and graduate students assigned to the project.

Qualifications:  

Required job qualifications:

• Ph.D. in an area of Forest Science or a closely related field by hire date.
• Experience with forest production and management practices and related activities.
• Record of peer-reviewed publications of original research.​
• Valid drivers’ license/ability to obtain a valid driver’s license.

Preferred job qualifications:

• Prior academic, post-doctoral, or professional experience.
• Prior research experience on production forestry.
• Modest teaching experience that will enhance graduate student success.
• Modest outreach experience with stakeholder interaction.
• Grant writing experience and evidence of the ability to attract external funding.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellence in verbal and written communication, including a relevant publication record.
• Team-building skills, collaboration capacity, and project management abilities.
• Strong communication skills.

Location and Facilities:

The Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Overton is in northeast Texas approximately 160 miles from College Station. Research programs at Overton include Forage Physiology, Forage Breeding, Soil Microbiology, Beef Cattle Physiology, Biomathematical Modeling, and Ornamental Horticulture. Extension programs in Horticulture, Agronomy, 4H, Entomology, Animal Science, Fisheries/pond management and Honeybee management are represented at Overton. Forestry programs are conducted by the Texas A&M Forest Service. Research facilities and support include office and laboratory space as well as greenhouses, irrigated plot ground, pine forested areas and farm equipment.

The Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology (ECCB) in College Station, Texas is a nationally ranked program that engages in interdisciplinary research spanning the entire spectrum of ecological levels, from the smallest genetic components to entire ecosystems. Through these efforts, our students, staff, and faculty are dedicated to safeguarding biodiversity, sustaining essential ecosystem services, and preserving our precious natural resources in a changing world. ECCB has 34 faculty, 298 undergraduate and 86 graduate students, and is growing. The Ecology and Conservation Biology program is one of four tracks under the umbrella B.Sc. degree in Ecology and Conservation Biology. The other tracks are Vertebrate Zoology, Ecoinformatics, and the Forest Resources program. The Department is engaged in the campus-wide interdisciplinary programs of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, and Applied Biodiversity Science Program. The Department houses the Biodiversity and Teaching Collections and S.M. Tracy Herbarium, which are among the top 10 university-based biodiversity collections in the USA. World-class research programs in the department address fundamental questions in ecology, and related areas, at every level of ecological organization from genes to ecosystems, producing knowledge that is immediately applicable to the most pressing 21st century grand challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, ecological restoration, and integrative approaches to conservation.

Additional information about Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas A&M University Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology is available at:

Texas A&M AgriLife Research: https://agriliferesearch.tamu.edu/

Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center Overton: https://overton.tamu.edu

Texas A&M University Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology: https://eccb.tamu.edu/

Texas A&M Forest Service: https://tfsweb.tamu.edu

Application Procedure:

Applications will only be accepted online at (Insert Link).

Applicants must upload a

• Cover letter (two-page limit)
• Transcripts
• Curriculum vitae including a list of three references and their contact information within the CV
• Vision statements of research and service (two-page limit).

To be given full consideration, please submit applications by June 1, 2024. The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified. The anticipated start date is September 1, 2024. 

Questions: 

Address inquiries to Search Committee Chair: Dr. Gerald R. Smith, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Overton, [email protected] , 903-834-6191

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer.