Assistant or Associate Professor - Forestry

Position Description

The Texas A&M Agri Life Research and Extension Center at Overton, TX seeks outstanding applicants for a non-tenure track Assistant or Associate Professor position in Forest Science to work on forest management and productivity and environmental sustainability. This is a 12-month appointment (75% Texas A&M Agri Life Research and 25% Texas A&M Forest Service) and will be based at the Texas A&M Agri Life Research and Extension Center in Overton, TX and will be affiliated with the Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.

The applicant will work closely with other scientists within the department, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Agri Life Research, Texas A&M Forest Service and Texas A&M Agri Life Extension to build a highly impactful, externally funded, nationally recognized, and self-sustainable research program that addresses issues facing the forestry industry in Texas related to productivity and sustainability.

Position Responsibilities:

• Build an externally funded, nationally recognized, self-sustainable research program that addresses issues facing the forestry industry in Texas related to productivity and sustainability.
• Address the researchable issues related to
  1) Reforestation and land management to produce crops and timber;
  2) Utilization of wood and forest products;
  3) Forest and rangeland management to produce forage for domestic animals and wildlife;
  4) Forest protection against wildfire, pest and destructive agents;
  5) Watershed management and water quality of forest areas; and
  6) Forest management for recreation purposes. Each research trial will be focused on one or more of the topics listed but will be designed to also evaluate impacts on environmental sustainability including measures of greenhouse gas emissions and soil health parameters.
• Address additional researchable issues related to forestry especially as they pertain to adaptive silviculture strategies, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) mitigation, soil health, advancement, and valuation of ecosystem services (e.g., water, wildlife, recreation, etc.), wood fiber sustainability and forest ecosystem health.
• Publish in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals within the discipline.
• Engage with industry professionals and cooperate in outreach activities relevant to stakeholders.
• Work with the Texas A&M Forest Service Silviculture Program and District Foresters, Texas Forestry Association, county extension agents, on-campus and other state-wide faculty, and other forestry professionals in the region and participate in activities of relevance to stakeholders. These duties require operating a vehicle to perform duties.
• Participate in graduate student training and mentoring.
• Participate in appropriate programming to contribute tangible impacts on the economic viability and competitiveness of the Texas Forestry Industry.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Administrative Relationships:

• Reports directly to the Center Director, Texas A&M Agri Life Research and Extension Center at Overton, with guidance from the Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology at Texas A&M University, College Station.
• Directs the work of support staff, other technical personnel and graduate students assigned to the project.

Required job qualifications:

• Ph.D. in an area of Forest Science or a closely related field by hire date.
• Experience with forest production and management practices and related activities.
• Record of peer-reviewed publications of original research.
• Valid drivers  license or ability to obtain a valid driver s license.

Preferred job qualifications:

• Prior academic, post-doctoral, or professional experience.
• Prior research experience on production forestry.
• Modest teaching experience that will enhance graduate student success.
• Modest outreach experience with stakeholder interaction.
• Grant writing experience and evidence of the ability to attract external funding.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellence in verbal and written English communication, including a relevant publication record.
• Team-building skills, collaboration capacity, and project management abilities.

The Texas A&M Agri Life Research and Extension Center at Overton is in northeast Texas approximately 160 miles from College Station. Research programs at Overton include Forage Physiology, Forage Breeding, Soil Microbiology, Beef Cattle Physiology, Biomathematical Modeling, and Ornamental Horticulture. Extension programs in Horticulture, Agronomy, 4H, Entomology, Animal Science, Fisheries/pond management and Honeybee management are represented estry programs are conducted by the Texas A&M Forest Service.

Research facilities and support include office and laboratory space as well as greenhouses, irrigated plot ground, pine forested areas and farm equipment.

The Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology in College Station, Texas is a nationally ranked program that engages in interdisciplinary research spanning the entire…