Assistant or Associate Professor Forest Ecosystem Service Valuation and Assessment

Position

This is a full‑time, nine‑month, tenure‑track position at either the Assistant or Associate Professor level in the Department of Forestry, College of Forest Resources, Forest and Wildlife Research Center, Mississippi State University.

Responsibilities will include participation in the Department’s teaching, research, and service activities. Teaching will consist of both undergraduate‑ and graduate‑level courses on forest recreation, non‑market values of forests and natural resources, and the social aspects of decision‑making across various landowner groups, including small‑scale properties owned by private individuals and families, large‑scale industrial and institutional forest landowners (e.g., TIMOs and REITs), and publicly held forest lands.

The incumbent will also be expected to develop additional courses and establish strong mentoring programs for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.

The successful candidate will be required to grow an interdisciplinary and extramurally funded research program that supports sustainable forest recreation and ecosystem service valuation and assessment through collaboration with faculty from forestry, wildlife, and social and spatial technology sciences.

Service responsibilities will include participation in department, college, and university activities; advising student organizations; participating in student recruitment activities; and networking with forestry and natural resource stakeholders, professional organizations, and agencies. Opportunities exist for research collaboration with the USDA Forest Service, other federal and state agencies, the forestry industry, non‑governmental organizations, forest landowners, and land and resource managers.

A Ph.D. with a specialization in forest, natural resource, ecological, or environmental economics; outdoor recreation management; forestry with specialization in social sciences (e.g., human dimensions of forestry and natural resource management); or a closely related field.

Experience in using spatial technologies (e.g., GIS, remote sensing, spatial statistics) to conduct research and/or provide instruction regarding forestry, natural resources, ecosystem services, and associated areas.

At least one degree from a professional forestry or natural resources‑related program is required. All but dissertation (ABD) applicants will be considered.

A strong record of scholarly publications, potential to secure extramural funding, demonstrated excellence in teaching both traditional and distance learning courses, potential to develop a collaborative and interdisciplinary research program, and excellent communication skills.

Strong candidates will possess a background in non‑market valuation techniques, outdoor recreation planning and management, and proficiency in applying spatial technologies to analyze social aspects of landowner behavior and supply and demand for ecosystem services.

Tenure‑track, full‑time, 9‑month appointment. Salary is negotiable and commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The Department of Forestry is one of three departments in the College of Forest Resources and the Forest and Wildlife Research Center at Mississippi State University. Faculty members have diverse expertise in teaching, research, and outreach, encompassing forest biology and watershed management, forest resource economics, management, and policy, and forest measurements, biometrics, and spatial technologies.

The Department offers two undergraduate degree programs:
Forestry and Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation, both accredited by the Society of American Foresters. These programs serve approximately 200 students, including 40 graduate students in both on‑campus and distance education programs.

The University’s John W. Starr Memorial Forest (an 8,000‑plus‑acre research and teaching forest), the 48,000‑acre Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, and the 67,000‑acre Tombigbee National Forest are located in proximity to the University and used for…