Associate Professor of Climatology / State Climatologist

The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.

If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at (775) 784-1495 or [email protected] . For UNR Med professional job postings, please contact the Office of Professional Recruitment at (775) 784-6778. 

Job Description

The Department of Geography at the University of Nevada, Reno seeks applicants for an Applied Climatologist to be the new Nevada State Climatologist. This tenure-track position will be at the Associate Professor level and will lead Nevada’s climate program with the mandate to provide Nevadans with up to date and relevant climate services and climate information. The role of State Climatologist involves being the point of contact for all Nevadans on climate and includes a mandate to maintain descriptions of all information on climate in the state, including atmospheric conditions and levels of precipitation; and to publish findings concerning the climate in the state at least quarterly. We are, therefore, seeking applicants with a research focus on Climate Adaptation Planning, Synoptic Climatology, Urban Climatology, Climatology of Extreme Events, Climate Justice and/or other areas that complement existing strengths within the department. A research focus on western US climate would be an asset. The Department places a high value on interdisciplinary scholarship with opportunities for collaborative research within the Department and throughout campus, including the Atmospheric Sciences & Hydrologic Sciences interdisciplinary graduate programs; and centers focused on water resources, uncrewed aerial systems, and transdisciplinary climate science research. Off campus collaborations with the Western Regional Climate Center (WRCC) based here in Reno are also possible. The successful candidate is expected to develop and maintain an externally funded research program that supports the University’s land-grant mission, though teaching, research, and service to the state.

We seek candidates who can create an inclusive learning environment for all students regardless of background. A commitment to active pedagogy, student success, and excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching is essential. Desired qualities include an ability to teach graduate and undergraduate courses, such as Climatology, Weather/Climate & Society, Climate Adaptation Planning, Climate Change and/or courses related to the candidate’s area of specialization. A reduced teaching load is offered to accommodate the service demands of State Climatologist. We also seek candidates with a commitment to excellence in public outreach. Experience in speaking with the media would be an asset. A PhD in Geography, Atmospheric Sciences, or a closely related field is expected. Although this position is advertised at the Associate Professor level, we would encourage senior Assistant Professors who are on track for promotion to consider applying.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in geography, atmospheric sciences, climate science, or a closely related field at the time of appointment

• Expertise in applications of climate science for decision-making

• Excellent oral, written, and visual communication skills with an emphasis on communicating complex climate issues to a variety of stakeholders.

• Experience interpreting and analyzing weather and climate data for governmental agencies, tribal organizations, industry, media, and/or the general public through formal or informal reports and/or presentations.

• Commitment to excellence in public engagement and teaching

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience engaging in scientific teamwork to address major issues related to climate science.

• A record of excellence in teaching and public engagement.

• Experience collaborating with climate research and outreach centers and/or state/tribal/federal climate agencies

• Demonstrated track record of extramural funding

• Evidence of work with diverse or underrepresented communities or groups

Compensation Grade

Associate Professor, 9-month

To view the salary schedule for this position, please visit: Salary Schedules and select Academic Faculty (Nine-month), Assistant Professor or Professor. Salary is competitive and commensurate with related education and experience.

Remarkable Retirement!

Our retirement plan is beyond compare. Your 17.50% contribution is generously matched by the University.   With the faculty retirement plan, you are 100% vested your first day. Sit back and watch your retirement dollars grow!  All permanent employees on an annual "A" or "B" contract who are employed at least 50% full-time are eligible to participate in the NSHE retirement program unless they are members of PERS of Nevada.

Perks of Working at UNR!

• Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance

• E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers an annual or semester membership and family membership options.  E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center

• Reno is proud to be a University town! Many local businesses offer discounts to WolfCard holders

• Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.

• Several Diversity Committees and Affinity Groups focusing on campus-wide diversity initiatives to ensure we are working to create a diverse and welcoming campus climate. Diversity Groups

• Faculty Senate is the principal representing body for faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. Faculty Senate

• No state income tax

Grants-in-aid for Faculty Employees

The University is proud to provide a reduced-rate tuition benefit to faculty and qualified dependents. Faculty can take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate. Dependents of faculty have unlimited credits, but in order to be eligible children must be unmarried and under the age of 24 and must receive at least 50% of their financial support from the employee and/or employee’s spouse or domestic partner.  Faculty Grants-in-Aid

Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program

The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a dual career assistance program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them to identify career opportunities in Northern Nevada. Dual Career Assistance Program

Total Compensation

The total compensation package includes a competitive salary, moving allowance (if applicable), a rich retirement plan, health insurance options that include dental and vision, life insurance, along with many other benefits. Additionally, there is a grant-in-aid educational benefit for faculty and dependents.  For more information, please visit: UNR Benefits

Department Information

Geographers at the University of Nevada Reno employ innovative techniques and methods to examine the complex relationship between humans and their environment and the spatial dimensions of our world’s most pressing challenges. Faculty and student research and teaching extend across the full breadth of the discipline, exploring issues of climate and climate change, water resources geography, environmental justice, sustainability, and social inequality, along with the applications of GIS and spatial analysis in geographic research.

The Department of Geography at the University of Nevada, Reno offers Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees as well as minors in Geography, Geotechnologies, and Climate Change. We also offer an undergraduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Sciences. At the graduate level, the department offers both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Geography and focuses on training students for professional careers in academia, government, NGOs, and the private and nonprofit sector. More information regarding the Department of Geography can be found here: https://www.unr.edu/geography

Contact Information

Beth Jacobsen at 775-682-8787 or [email protected]

Exempt

Full-Time Equivalent

Required Attachment(s)

Please note, once you submit your application the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments, prior to the committee review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at [email protected] .

Attach the following attachments to your application

1) Resume/CV

2) Cover Letter

3) Statement describing your philosophy of climate engagement with the public (one page maximum)

4) Statement of research agenda (two pages maximum)

5) Statement of teaching interests (one page maximum)

6) An example of a climate-related communication product targeted to a non-academic audience (optional)

7) Contact Information for Five Professional References

8) Please write a brief statement (one page maximum) about how you would contribute toward our mission of creating a culturally inclusive environment in the role for which you are applying.

Application Review

Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply immediately. Committee will begin application review on April 1, 2024.

This posting is open until filled

Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply immediately. This search will close without notice when a sufficient number of applications are received or a hiring decision has been made.

Posting Close Date

Note to Applicant

A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.

Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.

The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes). 

About Us

The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading American public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves 21,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.

Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”

Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school – the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine – and it delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.

The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. In recent years, the University has expanded to include two additional locations: the Redfield Campus in south Reno and the Wayne L. Prim campus in Incline Village, which is the home of the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe.

 As part of the Nevada System of Higher Education – comprised of two research universities, one state college, four community colleges and an environmental research institute –  the University is committed to developing strong partnerships with each of these institutions for the benefit of all Nevadans.

Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its nearly 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.

The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.

Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement – all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.

For more information, please visit the University’s website .

University of Nevada, Reno