Assistant Professor of Global Change Ecology

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is committed to creating an environment that affirms diversity across a variety of dimensions, including ability, class, ethnicity/race, gender identity and expression. We particularly welcome applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service. We strongly encourage historically underrepresented groups to apply.

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF .

This is a 12-month tenure-accruing position that will be 70% research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station) and 30% extension (Florida Cooperative Extension Service), available at the Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center (FLREC), Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), at the University of Florida.  This assignment may change in accordance with the needs of the unit.  Duties will include development of a productive, interdisciplinary, extramurally funded research program on understanding causes and consequences of natural and anthropogenic drivers of change (e.g., climate, sea-level rise, biological invasions, pollution, urbanization, and human population growth) that affect biodiversity in Florida. This may include but not limited to the application of field-based approaches, computational modeling, machine learning, and population genetics within the context of a complex urban/natural ecosystem interface. The candidate is encouraged to take a system approach and integrate across multiple disciplines to contribute to the field of global change research, and is not specifically organism-driven (e.g., plants, animals, etc.). The candidate will need to maintain a global perspective to be prepared to deal with unique socio-ecological challenges in the region (e.g., climate change, sea-level rise, urbanization). Extension responsibilities may include developing educational programs and toolkits on detecting and controlling invasive species, restoring natural and man-made ecosystems, and adapting and mitigating impacts from global change.  The incumbent will provide proactive leadership, training, and assistance to county faculty. Interaction with local, state, and federal agencies will be important to this position. The tenure home will be in an IFAS department to be determined by the selected candidate. The faculty member will actively participate in graduate education by chairing graduate committees, serving on graduate committees, supervising thesis and dissertation research, supervising undergraduate research, and publishing the results with their graduate students.  Faculty are encouraged to participate in professional development activities related to teaching and advising and may teach courses and seminars.  The faculty member will actively seek extramural funding to support their program, publish in refereed journals, and produce extension publications.  The faculty member will engage in Extension activities in their program area. 

Because of the IFAS land-grant mission, all faculty are expected to be supportive of and engaged in all three mission areas—Research, Teaching and Extension—regardless of the assignment split specified in the position description.

Qualifications

Required:

A doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in biology, environmental science, ecology, soil and water sciences, wildlife ecology, or a closely related discipline is required.  Candidates must have experience mentoring students and promoting a diverse educational and professional environment. They must have clear evidence of scholarship through first-authored publications and an in-depth of knowledge of how global change ecology, conservation and land management decisions are made and implemented. Candidates should have experience with and be willing to work with natural resource agencies, NGOs, private landowners, and stakeholders. Additionally, candidates must demonstrate the potential to develop a dynamic, externally funded lab of graduate students, undergraduates, and postdocs. Candidates should be exceptional communicators (verbal and written) with strong interpersonal skills and a commitment to diversity, global involvement, working across cultures, accountability, and excellence. Candidates must be supportive of the mission of the Land-Grant system.

Preferred:

Postdoctoral experience with a publication record is desirable. 

Preferred qualifications/attributes: Demonstrated commitment to developing a productive research program focusing on global change ecology. Topical expertise can be demonstrated by activities such as publication in peer-reviewed journals, demonstrated graduate student mentoring experience and/or philosophy, development of management or recovery plans for species and habitats of conservation importance, and securing research funding.

Application Information

• Individuals wishing to apply should go online http://apply.interfolio.com/93163 and submit:
  • Cover letter that states applicant’s interest in the position and qualifications relative to the credentials listed above
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Statement related to research and extension goals
  • Diversity statement
  • Contact information (including email addresses) for 3 individuals willing to write letters of recommendation
  • Unofficial transcripts