Assistant Professor: Wildland Fire Extension Specialist

Assistant Professor: Wildland Fire Extension Specialist

Requisition ID: 2022-6003
# of Openings: 1
Location: US-UT-Logan
Category: Faculty
Position Type: Benefited Full-Time
Job Classification: Faculty
College: Quinney College of Natural Resourcs
Department: Wildland Resources
Advertised Salary: Commensurate with experience plus excellent benefits

Overview
The Department of Wildland Resources (WILD) in the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources at Utah State University seeks applicants for an Assistant Professor of Wildland Fire. The role statement for the position consists of 80% extension, 10% teaching, and 10% service, and will be based in Logan, Utah on the USU campus, with an anticipated (but negotiable) start date of July 1, 2023. This is a fiscal-year (12-month) position.

The successful applicant is expected to bring substantial expertise from outside academia, and the position may be filled as a Tenure-Track or Professional Practice Assistant Professor position. The Tenure-Track Position will be 0.8 FTE, and the successful applicant will be encouraged to write grants to support an additional 0.2 FTE salary. The Professional Practice position will be 1.0 FTE. Salary will be commensurate with experience. Job Posting Flyer

For full consideration, application must be received by March 10, 2023.

Responsibilities
Key areas of expertise will include wildland fire fuel reduction and management, treatments to build fire resistance and resilience, and post-burn restoration in both forest and shrubland/range ecosystems, including wildland-urban interface settings. The position will work cooperatively with other Extension personnel and faculty in WILD as well as with statewide Extension offices, and will be a source of information to other Extension personnel as well as to various public and private stakeholders.

Position Duties

Extension Development and Delivery - 80%

• Function as a resource for other Extension personnel and statewide stakeholders for information and recommendations related to wildfire prevention, preparation, and post-fire restoration in forest and rangeland ecosystems and wildland-urban interface settings.
• Design, develop and deliver educational programming to assist natural resource agency personnel, private forest and range landowners and land managers, wildland-urban interface homeowners, and the fire suppression and post-fire restoration workforce.
• Develop new core curriculum materials for use by other Extension Agents and Specialists. Serve as a mentor for Extension Agents and Specialists and participate fully in Extension programs.
• Conduct and publish Extension-related research.
• Develop a positive working relationship with USU research faculty, particularly those with research in fire ecology, forestry, and range. Track trends, initiatives, and developments in fire science, including landscape and cross-boundary efforts.
• Provide impact/outcome statement reports adhering to Extension criteria.
• Develop positive working relationships with statewide fire personnel, including external partners such as the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, USDA Forest Service, USDI Bureau of Land Management, USDI Park Service, Southern Rockies Fire Science Network, the Great Basin Fire Science Exchange, local fire departments, and the State Fire Marshal.
• Contribute to USU’s mission of equity, inclusion, and diversity as part of teaching, educational delivery, advising, research, Extension service, and/or scholarly outcomes.

Teaching - 10%

• Teach or co-teach one or two field-based short courses annually which contribute to existing WILD degree programs, and provide guest lectures for existing courses as extension activities allow. The teaching could, e.g., take the form of a half-semester lab section to accompany WILD 3100 Introduction to Wildland Fire.

Service- 10%

• Participate with local, state, and federal resource agencies and NGOs on emergency services and natural resource management advisory councils and committees.
• Serve on Department, College, and University committees.
• Represent the fire science discipline within the University.
• Participate in professional and scientific organizations.
• Contribute to a welcoming and inclusive workplace environment.

Qualifications
The position requires excellent oral and written English communication skills and strong interpersonal skills. A valid driver license and extensive statewide travel will be required. The successful candidate must live or relocate to a location within a commutable distance of Logan, Utah.

Minimum Qualifications
1) Graduate Degree:
a. Tenure-track Assistant Professor appointment: PhD degree in fire ecology, forestry, range science, or related field required.
b. Professional Practice Assistant Professor: MS degree in fire ecology, forestry, range science, or related field required, PhD preferred.
2) Substantial expertise and experience outside academia in wildfire or fuels management in forest and shrubland or range settings.
3) Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team setting with other professionals in the public and private sectors.

Preferred Qualifications
1) Experience with outreach program development, delivery, and impact assessment related to wildfire management.
2) Demonstrated ability to develop an externally-funded extension program meeting the needs of stakeholders (e.g. landowners, and county-, state- and federal-level agencies).
3) Academic teaching experience.
4) Demonstrated ability to work independently in remote field settings.
5) Ability to connect current research to fire management and restoration practices.
6) Experience with populations that are underrepresented in natural resource professions.

7) Live within a commutable distance of Logan, Utah during period of appointment.


Required Documents
Along with the online application, please attach:

1) Resume/CV to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the candidate profile under “Resume/CV”

2) Names and contact information for three professional references to be provided at the beginning of your application in the candidate profile.

3) Cover letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**


Advertised Salary
Commensurate with experience plus excellent benefits

ADA
Employees typically work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes.


University Highlights
The S. J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources is nationally and internationally recognized for its research, extension, and teaching on natural and socio-environmental ecosystems. It is a high-impact college at Utah State University with almost $11M in research funding annually, 61 tenure-track faculty in three departments, and close partnerships with federal and state natural resource agencies.

The Department of Wildland Resources in QCNR encompasses research in applied terrestrial ecology, including the ecology and management of wildlife, forests, rangelands, conservation biology, and climate change adaptation. Award-winning faculty teach courses that prepare students for professional careers in many natural resources fields, including programs accredited by the Society of American Foresters and the Society for Range Management and aligned with the Society of Ecological Restoration.

USU and QCNR aspire to become increasingly diverse communities, illustrated by the recent hire of our first Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and our participation in the IChange initiative. We are committed to advancing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive institutional culture where everyone feels welcome, valued and supported for success.
As an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, USU is dedicated to recruiting candidates from a diverse pool, including women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities.

Utah State University (USU) was founded in 1888 and is Utah’s land-grant and space-grant university. USU is one of only 146 research institutions in the U.S. classified as R1 “very high research activity” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. As one of the two premier research institutions in Utah, USU provides a high-quality education at an affordable price. With its main campus in Logan, the university serves approximately 27,500 students, including 24,255 undergraduates and 3,171 graduate students. USU Online has served students from all 50 states and 55 countries for 25 years.

USU’s statewide system features three residential campuses, 30 total campus locations, and 23 Extension education centers. The university employs 903 full-time faculty members, 124 executive administrators, and 1,649 full-time support staff. USU offers 115 undergraduate majors, as well as 91 master’s and 42 doctoral degrees. Learn more about USU.

A core characteristic of USU is engagement with communities and people in economic development, improvements to quality of life, and human capital. Through the practical application of knowledge, the University and its faculty engage and share expertise with the state, nation, and world, preserving the historical land-grant tradition of partnering with communities to address critical societal issues in the interest of the public good.

The USU main campus is located in beautiful Logan, Utah, a city of about 50,000 situated in a picturesque mountain valley about 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. Outstanding recreational opportunities abound in the nearby mountains and proximate region.

USU is sensitive to the needs of dual career couples and provides a Dual Career Assistance program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment.

USU endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access in all aspects of employment to qualified persons with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, please contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Human Resource office at 435-797-0122 or submit a request at hr@usu.edu.



USU Land Acknowledgment

Please visit our website to learn about Utah State’s land acknowledgment of the eight tribes of Utah.

Notice of Non-discrimination

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Matthew Pinner, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, Ut 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov

U.S. Department of Education, Denver Regional Office, 303-844-5695, OCR.Denver@ed.gov

*updated 11/2022


To apply, visit https://careers-usu.icims.com/jobs/6003/assistant-professor%3a-wildland-fire-extension-specialist/job?in_iframe=1
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