AST CURATOR

Classification Title:

AST CURATOR

Job Description:

The Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida (UF) seeks qualified applicants for a 12-month tenure-track Assistant Curator of Mammalogy. This position will be filled at the Assistant faculty level in the Florida Museum’s Department of Natural History . The Division of Mammalogy contains >35,000 specimens representing over 1,200 species from 25 of the 27 orders of mammals, with strengths in small mammals, primarily rodents and bats of the southeastern U.S., Caribbean, and South America. Through long-term federal, state, and regional collaborations, the collection established a significant marine mammal collection with >300 manatee and >800 cetacean specimens. The collection also houses one of the largest collections of Pakistani mammals in the Western Hemisphere as well as the largest holdings anywhere of the iconic Florida panther due to partnerships with state and federal agencies. More information on these resources is available at the webpage of the Division of Mammalogy . The Florida Museum supports a rich research community studying vertebrates in neontological, paleontological, and anthropological contexts. In addition to collections at the Florida Museum, research is facilitated by UF resources for genetics and genomics, 3D-imaging, and research field stations.

The Florida Museum of Natural History is the official state museum of Florida and is located on the campus of the University of Florida, the State of Florida’s flagship university and ranked No. 5 among the nation’s top public research universities by U.S. News and World Report. The Florida Museum’s mission includes stewardship of 40 million specimens and artifacts, award-winning exhibitions, diverse public programs, and emerging virtual and digital engagement. The research and collections programs of the Department of Natural History are world class and attract about $10 million annually in government and philanthropic support. The Florida Museum is a national and international leader in biodiversity informatics, enhanced by its formative role in iDigBio , the national hub for digitization of natural history specimens.

The Florida Museum, a college-level unit within UF, is a vibrant community of about 300 employees, including 29 full-time faculty, UF undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral research associates, and museum collections, education, and administrative support staff. The museum has dedicated labs for digital imaging, molecular genetics and genomics, and preparing skeletal specimens, as well as a new building dedicated to housing fluid-preserved collections. The Florida Museum enjoys cross-campus collaborations with many of the 16 UF colleges, including those of potential relevance to this new faculty position: Agricultural and Life Sciences (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences), Education, Engineering, Libraries, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine. Other campus resources likely of interest to the holder of this position include the UF Genetics Institute, UF Biodiversity Institute, and the Ordway-Swisher Biological Station that is part of National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON).

Assistant Curator is equivalent to Assistant Professor and is a faculty-rank title at the University of Florida. This is a 12-month and tenure-accruing position.

Expected Salary:

Starting salary range for this position is $90,000 to $105,000 and negotiable based on experience.

Minimum Requirements:

We seek to hire a creative scholar whose research and teaching are specimen-based and focus on mammals. We invite candidates who address questions in the broad field of Ecology and Evolution and who would contribute to and make use of the Florida Museum’s mammalogy collection. We anticipate that the successful candidate’s research would bolster current strengths (e.g., evolutionary biology, systematics, biogeography) and grow others (e.g., global change biology, disease ecology, microbiomes, species interactions, marine mammals, conservation biology). An ideal candidate will contribute to the museum’s goals of understanding, preserving, and interpreting biological diversity, and conduct research with opportunities for integrative collaborations with other faculty and divisions within Florida Museum. We especially encourage applications from candidates who contribute to the diversity, inclusivity, and excellence of the academic community, who have experience working with underserved and/or underrepresented students, scientists, and communities, and who are committed to building a more diverse, inclusive, and safe environment within our academic community.

Successful candidates should have a Ph.D. in Biology or a related field, conduct specimen-based research on mammals, and have evidence of excellence in research.

Preferred Qualifications
None

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Application Information
Individuals wishing to apply should go online to Careers at UF ( http://apply.interfolio.com/ ) Please see Job Requisition #523761 . Complete applications must include (1) cover letter; (2) full curriculum vitae, including lists of peer-reviewed publications and grants received; (3) research statement describing the applicant’s current and planned research; (4) statement providing the applicant’s experience with museum collections and their vision for curating, using, and growing the Mammalogy collection; (5) statement about the applicant’s experience with teaching, mentorship, and outreach; (6) statement describing the applicant’s contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion through teaching, research, and/or service; and (7) list of the names and email addresses of a minimum of three professional references ( do not send letters ).

Review of applications will begin on October 24, 2022, and will continue until the position is filled.

The final candidate will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered official if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible. Degrees earned from an educational institution outside of the United States must be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) .

For inquiries concerning this position, contact Dr. David Blackburn, Search Chair, dblackburn (at) flmnh.ufl.edu.

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). Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. Searches are conducted in accordance with Florida’s Sunshine Law.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
At Florida Museum, we strive to create a more diverse and inclusive student, faculty, and staff experience at the University of Florida. As a university-based museum, we believe it is essential that we, as educators, develop pathways for learners of all ages and wide-ranging audiences toward increased diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion in STEM and Humanities disciplines and workforces. We are committed to the ongoing self-reflection and work needed to serve students from historically underrepresented groups within the greater University of Florida community, especially through student mentorship, teaching, and experiential learning opportunities. Candidates who, through their research, teaching, and/or service, will contribute to the diversity and excellence of the UF community are encouraged to apply.

The University of Florida is committed to non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations, genetic information and veteran status in all aspects of employment including recruitment, hiring, promotions, transfers, discipline, terminations, wage and salary administration, benefits, and training.

Health Assessment Required:
No