Assistant Professor of Applied Quantitative Ecology

Montana State University, United States

Updated: 1 day ago
Location: Bozeman, MONTANA
Deadline: ;

Position Details
Position Information


Announcement Number FAC - VA - 24122
For questions regarding this position, please contact:
Bernadette Diaz
Business Operations Manager
(406) 994-4481
[email protected] .
Classification Title
Working Title Assistant Professor of Applied Quantitative Ecology
Brief Position Overview
The Ecology Department at Montana State University seeks applicants for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Applied Quantitative Ecology whose research uses cutting-edge quantitative approaches, including decision science, to address conservation challenges and who can contribute to undergraduate and graduate education.
Faculty Tenure Track Yes
Faculty Rank Assistant Professor
Position Number
Department Ecology
Division College of Letters & Science
Appointment Type Faculty
Contract Term Academic Year
Semester
If other, specify From date
If other, specify End date
Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining
FTE 1.0
Benefits Eligible Eligible
Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications.
Contract Type MUS
If other, please specify
Recruitment Type Open

Position Details


General Statement
The Ecology Department at Montana State University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Applied Quantitative Ecology. The department seeks candidates using cutting-edge quantitative approaches, including decision science, to help solve today’s complex conservation and management issues and educate future generations of applied ecologists. The successful candidate will help the department meet the research needs of natural resource organizations, play a stronger role in regional conservation and management, improve our understanding of regional ecology, and capitalize on our current strengths in ecology, conservation, and management.
We are especially interested in candidates with expertise that is synergistic with that of existing faculty and who have a strong interest in collaborative research with state and federal agencies. Such a faculty member will bring their decision-making skills and analytical tools to take the lead on a broad array of conservation problems (e.g., endangered species, management of water, and adaptive strategies for responding to changes in environmental conditions, etc.).
The Department of Ecology is highly committed to undergraduate and graduate education, and the successful candidate is expected to participate actively in the department curriculum. The Department seeks faculty who can teach students and collaborate with professionals of diverse backgrounds, so underrepresented minorities in science are encouraged to apply.
Duties and Responsibilities
The successful candidate will be expected to maintain an innovative research program in applied quantitative ecology funded by extramural and competitive grant programs and to publish in peer-reviewed journals.
The successful candidate will contribute to undergraduate and graduate education. The specific teaching assignment will be worked out with the Department Head, but will include courses for undergraduate and graduate students on optimal decision making for conservation and management issues, as well as undergraduate and graduate courses related to the candidate’s expertise and teaching needs of the department. The successful candidate also will advise undergraduates and mentor graduate students.
Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills
  • Ph.D. (or degree before date of hire) in ecology or a discipline closely related to applied quantitative ecology.
  • Strong background and interest in undergraduate and graduate education with a demonstrated record of, or high potential for, effective teaching at the college or university level.
  • Demonstrated record of, or high potential for, securing competitive, extramural funding.
  • Solid record of research and publication in applied quantitative ecology, commensurate with time since degree.
  • Expertise in diverse quantitative approaches for the analysis of complex ecological data, including decision science.
  • Demonstrated record of applying quantitative approaches to address ecological questions.
  • High potential for collaboration with existing faculty at MSU.
  • Ability to effectively mentor a diverse student body, including underrepresented groups.
    		•
    Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills
  • Demonstrated record of, or high potential for, working with federal, state, and private agencies on conservation problems of mutual interest.
  • Potential to promote a diverse, inclusive, and equitable working environment, through research, teaching, advising/mentoring, and/or service.
    		•
    The Successful Candidate Will
    • Be an excellent scientist.
    • Be an excellent teacher.
    • Have excellent written and oral communication skills.
    • Have the ability to inspire and mentor students.
    • Demonstrate an appreciation for diverse constituencies and the ability to help students from underrepresented backgrounds succeed.
    • Have effective interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate successfully and maintain cooperative working relationships with faculty, staff, and students.
    Position Special Requirements/Additional Information
    This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
    Physical Demands
    To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
    The Program
    The Department
    The Department of Ecology at Montana State University is part of the College of Letters and Science. Ecology is a leading department in teaching and research that addresses fundamental and applied ecological questions for Montana, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the Northern Rockies, and farther afield. The department offers a B.S. degree in Biology with four options (Conservation Biology and Ecology, Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Management, Organismal Biology, and Biology Teaching), and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Fish and Wildlife Biology, and Biological Sciences. With 560 undergraduate majors and 45 graduate students, the department is one of the largest and most active programs at Montana State University. The department also houses Montana’s USGS Cooperative Fishery Research Unit. The department maintains ties with the Montana Institute on Ecosystems, and the Departments of Mathematical Sciences, Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Plant Science and Plant Pathology, and Animal and Range Sciences. Collaborating resource agencies include Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the USGS Northern Rockies Science Center (both headquartered near campus), Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, the Custer-Gallatin National Forest (and many others). Montana State University is a founding member of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) and affiliated with the Yellowstone NEON ecological observatory.
    The College
    Montana State University values diverse perspectives and is committed to continually supporting, promoting and building an inclusive and culturally diverse campus environment. The College of Letters & Science (CLS) at Montana State University encourages individuals interested in advancing the University’s Strategic Plan diversity, equity, and inclusion goals to apply. Links to the University Strategic Plan ; Office of Diversity and Inclusion ; Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Plan ; CLS Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ; and CLS newsletter, Diversity Matters are all embedded here for reference. CLS is committed to developing a diverse faculty, staff, and student body and to modeling an inclusive campus community which values the expression of differences in ways that promote excellence in research, teaching, and service/outreach engagement, and institutional success. In keeping with this commitment, the College encourages applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds. We recruit, employ, train, and promote regardless of race, gender, sex, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, color, national origin, disability, age, veterans status, and other underrepresented groups. MSU also recognizes the importance of work-life integration and strives to be responsive to the needs of dual career couples .
    CLS, the largest center for learning, teaching and research at Montana State University, offers students an excellent liberal arts and sciences education in nearly 50 majors, 25 minors and over 25 graduate degrees within the four areas of the humanities, natural sciences, mathematics and social sciences.
    Building on the great strength of our traditional disciplines, the college provides exciting opportunities for faculty and students at the cutting edge of interdisciplinary inquiry. CLS is dedicated to supporting student success, discovering and disseminating new knowledge, and providing an atmosphere in which discovery and learning are integrated and valued. CLS is at the confluence of intellectual tradition, discovery, and innovation.

    Posting Detail Information


    Number of Vacancies 1
    Desired Start Date August 2024
    Position End Date (if temporary)
    Open Date
    Close Date
    Applications will be:
    Screening of applications will begin on March 5, 2024 and applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established. On-campus interviews are planned to take place during Spring semester 2023.
    Special Instructions
    Required applicant documents:
  • A letter of interest addressing the required and preferred qualifications.
  • A CV.
  • A description of research approaches, accomplishments, and future directions.
  • A statement of teaching experience and philosophy that describes your goals as an educator, the methods you use, and how you assess teaching and learning.
  • A statement demonstrating a commitment to fostering diversity, equity, inclusive excellence, and belonging in teaching, scholarship, and service.
  • Copies of up to 3 publications.


    • Please note: A list of 3 references with their contact information will be required on the online application form when applying for this position. Applicants without a PhD at the date of submission should provide at least one reference who can discuss the applicant’s progress toward their degree.
    Diversity Statement
     Montana State University values diverse perspectives and is committed to continually supporting, promoting and building an inclusive and culturally diverse campus environment. MSU recognizes the importance of work-life integration and strives to be responsive to the needs of dual career couples .
    Montana State University is committed to providing a working and learning environment free from discrimination. As such, the University does not discriminate in the admission, access to or conduct of its educational programs and activities nor in its employment policies and practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, gender, age, political beliefs, marital or family status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation or preference. In support of the University’s mission to be inclusive and diverse, applications from qualified minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities are highly encouraged.
    Montana State University makes accommodation for any known disability that may interfere with an applicant’s ability to compete in the hiring process or an employee’s ability to perform the duties of the job. To request an accommodation, contact the Human Resources Office, PO Box 172520, Montana State University, Bozeman MT 59717-2520; 406-994-3651; [email protected] .
    In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.
    MSU’s Non-Discrimination Policy and Discrimination Grievance Procedures can be located on the MSU Website: https://www.montana.edu/hr/recruitment-guidelines/affirmative_action_plan.html .

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