Associate Professor or Professor - Colorado River Studies

Janet Quinney Lawson Endowed Chair In Colorado River Studies

The S.J. and Jessie

E. Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Utah State University (USU) invites applications for the Janet Quinney Lawson Endowed Chair in Colorado River Studies. The successful candidate will also serve as Director of the Center for Colorado River Studies in Utah State's Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air and as faculty in a research, teaching, and outreach role in one of the Quinney College's academic departments.

This flagship leadership position will situate Utah State University as a nationally and internationally recognized center for research, policy, and stakeholder engagement related to the Colorado River Basin. We seek an accomplished and visionary leader whose work has had substantial national and/or international impact on water science, policy, governance, management, or environmental decision-making.

The faculty rank for this position is Associate or Full Professor. We welcome applications from scientists, scholars, and policymakers who possess a strong record of funded research or policy experience relevant to the Colorado River Basin. This tenure-track, full-time (nine-month) position will be administratively based at the USU main campus in Logan, Utah, with possible collaborative arrangements with USU's statewide campuses (including locations in Salt Lake City, Price, Moab, the Uintah Basin, and Blanding).

Review of applications will begin October 1, 2026, and continue until the position is filled. Applicants must submit all application materials electronically via the Utah State University Human Resources web site.

Salary is negotiable and commensurate with qualifications and experience. USU offers competitive salaries and outstanding medical, retirement, and professional benefits.

For further information, contact Dr. Grant Cardon, Search Committee Chair.

Serve as Director of the Center for Colorado River Studies.

• Convene scholars, practitioners, agencies, tribal nations, NGOs, and policy leaders around emerging Colorado River Basin challenges.
• Build strategic partnerships across universities, governments, NGOs, tribal nations, and international organizations to inform policy and management related to the Colorado River.

Establish a strong record in a faculty role in research or in policy-relevant outreach and foster a collaborative culture focused on applied science and management of the Colorado River and its tributaries.

Provide leadership in land, water, and air issues in the Colorado River Basin as part of the leadership team for the Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air.

Seek extramural funding to support research, students, and outreach.

Advise and mentor graduate students and teach 1-2 courses per year in one of the Quinney College's departments.

Participate in faculty duties on campus as well as professional involvement off campus.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Earned Ph.D. or J.D. in any field of study applicable to science, policy or management in the Colorado River Basin.
• Demonstrated capacity to develop the Center for Colorado River Studies into an interdisciplinary Center focused on fostering the physical and social science needed to best manage the Colorado River and its basin.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated ability to shape regional, national, or international conversations related to water, adaptation, river governance, and/or environmental management.
• Experience working with local, state, tribal, or federal agencies or other organizations in the management of the Colorado River or its basin, and demonstrated interest in ongoing engagement with these stakeholder groups.
• National or international recognition for leadership and impact in research, policy, management, or stakeholder engagement related to major river systems, water governance, environmental sustainability, or the Colorado River Basin.
• Demonstrated understanding of the legal and policy environment in which the Colorado River and its basin are managed.
• Demonstrated potential to build and maintain a productive interdisciplinary research program, including the ability to secure competitive external funding.
• Distinguished record of published scholarship or professional accomplishment consistent with appointment at the rank of Associate or Full Professor.
• Demonstrated excellence in written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to a learning community with members from a range of backgrounds and experiences and to foster a sense of belonging for all participants and students.
• Experience teaching university-level courses relevant to large rivers.
• Experience organizing field experiences with students or stakeholder groups.
• Demonstrated success securing major philanthropic support or strategic partnerships.

Along with the online application, please attach:

• Curriculum vitae to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the…