Assistant Professor in Movement Ecology

Overview

The Utah State University Department of Wildland Resources and the Ecology Center are seeking applications for a full-time, 9-month tenure-track faculty position in movement ecology. The position, to be filled at the Assistant Professor level, will be 50% research, 40% teaching, and 10% service.

Responsibilities

We seek an innovative scholar who will advance basic and applied research on the movement of organisms. Specific themes of interest include, but are not limited to: demographic and ecological consequences of movement, mechanisms underlying movement patterns, migration, trophic interactions, spatially explicit consumer-resource dynamics, coupling movement and environmental big data, using movement data to infer behavior, translating movement data into conservation and management outcomes. The appointed faculty member will be expected to develop an externally-funded research program that achieves an international reputation for research and graduate training in movement ecology. Fundamental to this position is working within and across disciplinary and institutional boundaries and collaborating with state and federal agencies. The appointed faculty member will mentor and advise undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds, as well as teach courses to undergraduate and graduate students within the area of expertise as allocated by the Department Head. An applicant's expertise should complement existing strengths in the Quinney College of Natural Resources and the Ecology Center. Through collaborations with faculty and extension personnel, the appointed faculty member will become a key player in the highly productive and collegial team of ecologists at Utah State University. We are interested in applicants who can prosper within a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment of physical, life, and social scientists.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: 

• An earned Ph.D. in fields such as, but not limited to, biology, ecology, environmental science, geography, mathematical biology, wildlife biology, statistics, and zoology.
• Demonstrated research expertise related to movement ecology.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Research experience relevant to at least one of the “themes of interest”, above, or any other significant theme related to movement ecology highlighted by the applicant.
• Record of peer-reviewed scientific publications related to the ecology and/or analysis of organismal movement, commensurate with the applicant's career stage.
• Evidence of leadership in the creation of the applicant's publications (e.g., conceived the ideas or experimental design, analyzed and interpreted the data; or wrote the manuscript).
• Demonstrated expertise in the ecology and analysis of movement and space use of mammals, birds, and/or herptiles.
• Potential to develop an externally funded research program in movement ecology.
• Potential to conduct applied research that addresses problems in conservation and management.
• Potential to work cooperatively and productively with personnel in state and federal natural resource agencies.
• Potential to serve as an effective teacher and mentor of undergraduate and graduate students.
• Potential to teach a graduate-level movement ecology course covering such topics as habitat selection and utilization models, occurrence and range estimation, discrete- and continuous-time movement models, behavioral inference, linking movement to population- and community-level processes, and data management.
• Demonstrated commitment to increasing the participation of under-represented groups in ecology and natural resources.

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

 

1) Curriculum vitae to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”

2) Cover Letter 

3) Statement of research experience and interests 

4) Statement of teaching philosophy 

 

Please do not attach required documents (#2-4) in the candidate profile; you will be instructed to copy and paste later on in the application.

 

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary

Commensurate with experience plus excellent benefits

ADA

Employees typically work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not necessarily, occasional temperature changes.  

College/Department Highlights

The S. J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources is a welcoming, socially active community of faculty, students, and staff, and houses the Wildland Resources, Environment and Society, and Watershed Sciences Departments. Wildland Resources is the largest of the three departments and is an internationally renowned center of ecological research. Located in Logan, USU offers the amenities of a college town within the Cache Valley metropolitan zone of over 155,000 people. The USU main campus is a 90-minute drive to Salt Lake City, positioned along the scenic Wasatch Mountains and Bear River Range. Logan has a bonanza of outdoor activities within minutes of campus and is within a day’s drive of seven national parks. The S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources is nationally and internationally recognized for its research, extension, and teaching on natural and socio-environmental ecosystems. It is a high-impact college at Utah State University with over $15M in research funding annually, 55 tenure-track faculty in three departments, and close partnerships with federal and state natural resource agencies.  

 

The Department of Wildland Resources in QCNR encompasses research in applied terrestrial ecology, including the ecology and management of wildlife, forests, rangelands, conservation biology, and climate change adaptation.  Award-winning faculty teach courses that prepare students for professional careers in many natural resources fields, including programs accredited by the Society of American Foresters and the Society for Range Management and aligned with the Society of Ecological Restoration. 

University Highlights

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant and space-grant university, with a strong commitment to excellence, access, and inclusion. USU serves approximately 27,500 students throughout the state at three residential campuses, eight statewide campuses, and 23 education centers. USU Online has served students from all 50 states and 55 countries for over 25 years, and USU Extension provides outreach and service to all counties in Utah.  

 

As a land-grant university, USU engages communities and empowers people to lead successful lives of involvement, innovation, and impact. As an R1 research institution, USU provides a high-quality undergraduate and graduate education at an affordable price. Washington Monthly has consistently ranked USU in the top 10 among public universities for contribution to social mobility, research, and public service.  

 

Utah State is committed to cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where different perspectives, values, cultures, and identities are acknowledged, welcomed, and valued. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Learn more about USU. 

 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or hr@usu.edu. 

 

About the Region

U.S. News and World Report ranked Utah first for its strong economy, fiscal stability, education, and health care. Outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities abound throughout the state, including five national parks, 43 state parks and recreation areas, and 15 alpine ski resorts. The home of USU’s main campus, Logan, is a city of 54,000-plus people in a picturesque mountain valley 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. The Logan metro area claimed the top spot in the Milken Institute’s 2022 ranking for best-performing small cities in the nation. 

 

*updated 7/2023

Notice of Non-discrimination

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

 

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Cody Carmichael, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov

*updated 09/2023