Department Head and Professor of Natural Resource Management

The Department of Natural Resource Management at South Dakota State University (SDState) invites applications for Department Head and Professor. We are seeking a visionary and dynamic leader with a strong record of teaching, scholarship, and service, who can provide strategic direction and foster excellence in education, applied research, Extension outreach, and collaboration. The Department Head will report directly to the Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences.

Located in Brookings, South Dakota, this is a 12-month administrative appointment with an academic rank of Professor.

SDState is the state’s largest, most comprehensive land-grant university with over $94 million in annual research expenditures, more than 200 academic programs, and an enrollment of approximately 12,000 students. The university is part of a dynamic community for families, students, young professionals, and retirees, which offers an abundance of attractions and activities.

The Department of Natural Resource Management (NRM) is a dynamic, collaborative community advancing education, research, and outreach in conservation, management, and restoration to empower people with the knowledge to address environmental and natural resource challenges. With approximately 265 undergraduate students, 60 graduate students, and 30 faculty/staff, the department offers undergraduate programs in Conservation Planning and Park Management, Ecology and Environmental Science, Natural Resource Law Enforcement, and Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences along with M.S. and Ph.D. graduate programs in Biological Sciences and Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences.

Faculty and students engage in innovative applied research and Extension activities for the conservation, restoration, and management of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems including fish, wildlife, rangelands, and native plants. Our work scales from applied molecular techniques to integrated socio-ecological systems. NRM houses the C.A. Taylor Herbarium and regularly conducts research and programming at Oak Lake Field Station and Cottonwood Field Station, and outreach through SDState Extension.

The department works closely with the SDState hosted South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, which exists in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, the Wildlife Management Institute, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We offer a collaborative environment where faculty, staff, and students work together to tackle real‑world challenges and make a meaningful impact.

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Must be authorized to work in the U.S. Sponsorship is not available for this position.

• Provide strategic leadership for the department’s teaching, research, and Extension programs, ensuring excellence and relevance in all areas;
• Establish goals and objectives, foster collaboration, and build strong relationships within the department, across campus, among local conservation agencies, and with stakeholders throughout the state;
• Recruit, mentor, evaluate, and retain faculty, staff, and students;
• Develop and manage departmental budgets, coordinate fundraising efforts, and oversee revenue‑generating activities;
• Oversee management and maintenance of departmental facilities and resources;
• Facilitate research and intellectual property development opportunities for faculty and students;
• Represent the department in official communications with the college, university, governmental and non‑governmental conservation partners, and other external stakeholders; and
• Maintain an active program of teaching, research, and/or scholarship consistent with the rank of Professor for the agreed upon workload percentage, contributing to the department’s academic mission.

The minimum salary for this position is $175,000 at the Professor rank. This is comprised of a faculty and administrative salary and is contingent upon qualifications and experience.

SDState offers a wide range of excellent benefits including medical, dental, and flexible benefits, retirement plans,…