Assistant Professor in Ecology

The Department of Biology at San Francisco State University invites applicants for two Ecologists to start August 2023. These two positions are a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Plant Ecology/Biology and a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Global Change Ecology.  As a diverse and comprehensive biology department, we are interested in candidates who will engage students from diverse backgrounds. Applicants must be committed to developing an externally funded research program and contribute to both undergraduate and graduate programs through teaching and mentorship of student research. 

Assistant Professor in Plant Ecology: We seek applicants conducting research in Plant Ecology, broadly defined, which may include: effects of climate change on terrestrial or aquatic plant communities; interactions with animals, fungi, microbes, or viruses; habitat restoration; fire ecology; food insecurity; ethnobotany and Traditional Ecological Knowledge.  Scientists in other areas of interdisciplinary plant ecology research are also encouraged to apply. We are especially interested in applicants whose teaching and research will incorporate use of our core facilities which include a greenhouse and a permanent plant collection (800 species, 163 families) with dedicated research bays, an extensive herbarium (~ 220,000 specimens), the Sierra Nevada Field Campus, and the Estuary & Ocean Science Center.

Assistant Professor in Global Change Ecology: We seek applicants conducting research in Global Change Ecology broadly defined to include climate change, biodiversity loss, land use change, and invasive species. We welcome applicants with research programs focused on understanding of the effects, consequences, and mitigation of global change on ecological systems and organisms, biosphere-atmosphere interactions, and coupled natural-human systems across temporal and spatial scales. Research foci may include nature-based adaptation solutions to reduce the causes and impacts of global change (e.g., sea level rise, carbon emissions, fire, ocean acidification, nutrient pollution, hypoxia, etc.).  We are open to all research approaches, including experimental field-based research, computational or mathematical modeling, and/or machine learning within the context of natural communities or at the urban/natural ecosystem interface. For both positions, scientists in other areas of interdisciplinary Plant Ecology and Global Change Ecology research including issues of social justice within the context of natural or urban communities are also encouraged to apply.  Candidates will be expected to teach a core course for biology majors as well as additional courses within their area of expertise at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The mission of San Francisco State University is to create an environment for learning that promotes appreciation of scholarship, freedom, human diversity, and the cultural mosaic of the City of San Francisco and the Bay Area; to promote excellence in instruction and intellectual accomplishment; and to provide broadly accessible higher education.

Qualifications

Required

• Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree and post-doctoral experience in a biology or biology-related field are required.
• Record of scientific and mentorship accomplishments in biology and global change ecology Evidence of working and communicating effectively with colleagues and students

Preferred

As our department is committed to broadening access to STEM careers, a goal that aligns with the department, college, and university missions for equity and inclusion, we seek candidates with the following qualifications:

• Demonstrated ability to teach courses in Biology and a disciplinary specialty Because San Francisco State University has one of the most diverse student bodies in the U.S., we seek candidates with experience in teaching and mentoring of PEERs (Persons Excluded because of their Ethnicity or Race) students and students from historically under-represented communities
• Demonstrated record of research related to their specialty area and evidence of external support or the potential for external funding of these activities.
• Demonstrated record of incorporating or plan to incorporate diversity, inclusion, and social justice in their courses and scholarship/creative works.
• Demonstrated record of contributing to supportive and collaborative work environments

Rank and salary

This position will be filled at the Assistant Professor level, tenure track.  Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. The California State University (CSU) provides generous health, retirement, and other benefits, and San Francisco State University offers a wide range of faculty training programs in advance of the university’s mission (for more information, visit https://facaffairs.sfsu.edu).

To apply, submit the following materials online at 

https://careers.pageuppeople.com/873/sf/en-us/search/?search-keyword=Ecology&work-type=instructional%20faculty%20%e2%80%93%20tenured%2ftenure-track&job-mail-subscribe-privacy=agree

by September 28, 2022 for the Plant Ecology position and by October 15, 2022 for the Global Change Ecology position (review of applications will continue until the positions are filled):

1) letter of intent/interest

2) current CV

3) a statement on how your teaching and scholarship align with the commitment of the Biology Department to foster an inclusive and diverse academic community

4) teaching statement

5) research statement

6) representative sample of published 3-5 papers

7) contact information for three references (letters of recommendation will be requested at a later date).

SFSU is a comprehensive, urban university that serves the ethnically diverse Bay Area. SFSU and the Department of Biology are committed to a diverse professoriate that includes women and individuals from underrepresented minority groups. SFSU is an EEO/AA employer. For additional information, visit Biology web site at http://biology.sfsu.edu.