Assistant/Associate/Full Professor - Aquaculture or Fisheries Ecology and Management

Position Title:
Assistant/Associate/Full Professor - Aquaculture or Fisheries Ecology and Management

Appointment Type:
Faculty

Job Description:
Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

The Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management (NREM) at Iowa State University (ISU) is recruiting an Assistant/Associate/Full Professor (tenure-track) with expertise in Aquaculture, Fisheries Ecology and Management, or a related discipline consistent with ISU priorities. The position is a 12-month appointment and has responsibilities in research (60%) based on their area of expertise and administration (40%) by serving as the Director of the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC).  Academic rank and offer of tenure will be determined at the time of hire based on the candidates’ qualifications and experience. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing a nationally recognized research program, securing external grants, and mentoring graduate and undergraduate students. The NREM department has indoor aquatic research lab space on campus, access to small aquatic research ponds at a nearby ISU facility and is in the process of constructing an indoor/outdoor research facility. The recently opened ISU Kent Corporation Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex may be used for aquaculture feed development. NREM also has a partnership with Iowa Department of Natural Resources fisheries staff including those at several DNR hatcheries with tank and pond facilities throughout the state.

NCRAC is one of five regional aquaculture centers in the U.S. supported by USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA). In collaboration with the NCRAC Board, the Director provides oversight of the center, manage the center’s research and Extension funding through subcontracts (~$700K per year), represent the center at national and international meetings, and regularly engages with the U.S. Department of Agriculture staff, other regional aquaculture center Directors, and regional and national partners and aquaculture stakeholders. Responsibilities also include supervision of a full-time Business Manager, who is responsible for day-to-day center operations, grant and budget coordination/management, and other related duties. The Director’s role is primarily to provide leadership and serve as a liaison to the NCRAC community. A competitive candidate will have strong administrative and leadership skills, and general knowledge of aquaculture, fisheries science or similar fields.

Required Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. or equivalent demonstrated work experience in aquaculture, fisheries, or a closely related natural resource field.

• Demonstrated research experience related to aquaculture or fisheries science.

• Demonstrated administrative experience including program leadership and budget and personnel management.

• Successful leadership and management of diverse programs with impact for stakeholders.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills appropriate for both technical and non-technical audiences using a variety of media.

Associate Professor: For consideration at the associate professor rank, applicants must meet, in addition to the above requirements for this position, the department, college and university standards for appointment at the associate professor rank with tenure including excellence in scholarship that establishes significant contributions to the field or profession with potential for national distinction, and a high likelihood of sustained contributions to the field or profession and to the university.

Professor: For consideration at the professor rank, applicants must meet, in addition to the above requirements for this position, the department, college and university standards for appointment at the professor rank with tenure, including national distinction in scholarship, as evident by wide recognition and outstanding contributions to the field or profession and the ability to sustain contributions to the field or profession and to the university.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Post-doctoral or equivalent experience beyond terminal degree.

• Successful grant writing experience and demonstrated ability to obtain external funding to support research activities.

• Demonstrated record of peer-reviewed research publications.

• Experience supervising and mentoring staff and graduate and undergraduate students.

• Demonstrated ability to work in a team-based, collaborative environment that includes federal, state, or industry partners.

Department/Program & College Description:

The NREM Department is housed in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, which is dedicated to the Land Grant missions of teaching, research, and Extension. The Department is broad in scope, with >500 undergraduate students in two majors, Animal Ecology and Forestry, and >50 graduate students in Fisheries Biology, Forestry, and Wildlife Ecology. The department has been home to the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center since 2012 after housing the associate Center Director since 2000. The North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC) is one of the five Regional Aquaculture Centers established by Congress that are administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). NCRAC is an administrative unit that serves the twelve states in the North Central Region: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The NCRAC Director is a member of the NREM faculty and is expected to contribute to department, college, and university missions. The department also houses the U.S. Geological Survey’s Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.

Department Unit/Website:

Department of Natural Resource Ecology & Management (https://www.nrem.iastate.edu/)

North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (https://www.ncrac.org/)

Proposed Start Date:
July 1, 2024

Number of Months Employed Per Year:
12 Month Work Period

Time Type:
Full time

Application Instructions:

To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:
1) Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2) Letter of Application/Cover Letter
3) Contact Information for Three References

4) Two philosophy statements: 1. Research and 2. NCRAC Director

5) Unofficial graduate transcripts from all institutions attended (attach as "other documents")

Please ensure that all attachments above are included in the application before submittal. Applications that do not include all required attachments will not be reviewed. For guaranteed consideration, all application materials must be received by January 12, 2024.

If you have questions regarding this application process, please email [email protected] or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.
Why Choose ISU?
Our Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental; as well as:
• Retirement benefits, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans;
• Generous leave plans;
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa);
• Life insurance and long-term disability;
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts;
• Employee Assistance Program;
• Wellbeing program.

Original Posting Date:
November 29, 2023

Posting Close Date:

Job Requisition Number:
R13535