Assistant Professor - Forestry

Assistant Professor - Forestry

Texas A&M Agri Life Research is seeking an outstanding, innovative, and dynamic individual to fill a 12-month, non-tenure track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor in Forest Ecology and Modeling Research. This 100% research appointment will be administratively based at the Blackland Research and Extension Center in Temple, Texas, with academic affiliation in the Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology at Texas A&M University in College Station, TX, and collaborative ties to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop a nationally recognized, externally funded research program that is collaborative, interdisciplinary, and self-sustaining. The program should address critical challenges related to the sustainability, health, productivity, and marketability of forested landscapes in Texas and beyond. The position will offer opportunities to work closely with faculty and researchers across the Texas A&M University System, including Agri Life Research, Agri Life Extension, and the Texas A&M Forest Service.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to applied forest science in a region facing significant ecological and economic shifts, and to support the development of resilient forest landscapes through cutting-edge research in forest ecology and modeling.

Responsibilities include the collection, analysis, and organization of data, as well as the development and application of algorithms and models to realistically simulate forest ecosystem dynamics under varying conditions of land use change, forest and land management, climate variability, and other environmental stressors.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in an area of forest science or a closely related field by hire date. Candidates with a degree in a closely aligned field must demonstrate a strong academic background or research program explicitly focused on forestry applications.
• Strong knowledge of forest ecology and related fields of study.
• Research experience in forest modeling, including expertise in biometrics and geospatial analysis.
• Evidence of, or the ability to produce, peer-reviewed publications of original research.
• Valid driver's license or the ability to obtain a valid driver's license.
• Excellence in verbal and written communication.
• Team-building skills, collaboration capacity, and project management abilities.
• Strong communication skills.
• Highly organized.
• Professional demeanor.
• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships.
• Knowledge and understanding of the mission and role of the Land Grant University System.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior academic, post-doctoral, or professional experience.
• Experience working with federal agencies or in other multi-agency collaborative settings.
• Modest teaching experience that will enhance graduate student success.
• Modest outreach experience with stakeholder interaction.
• Grant writing experience and evidence of the ability to attract external funding.

Location and Facilities:

This position will be affiliated with the Texas A&M University (TAMU) Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology and contribute to departmental programs. Stationed at the Texas A&M Agri Life Blackland Research and Extension Center in Temple, the proposed faculty member will work with other Blackland faculty and collaborate with USDA-ARS scientists, USDA-NRCS, and Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board staff in Temple.

The Blackland Research Center and the collocated USDA-ARS Grassland, Soil, and Water Research Laboratory have a long history of modeling crop and grazing land production and their effects on soil and water resources. The Blackland/Grassland team of agricultural and natural resources scientists anticipate expanding the modeling program with a forest scientist equipped to take the lead in the simulation of forest systems production and environmental impacts from Texas, throughout the United States, and in tropical and arctic environments.

The candidate will seek cooperators at all appropriate Agri Life units (especially Texas A&M Forest Service), both in…