The Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida in Gainesville is announcing a new tenure track position at the rank of Assistant Professor. This position announcement is part of the Provosts university-wide initiative to create tenure-track faculty positions emphasizing teaching-scholarship (http://news.ufl.edu/articles/2017/06/uf-to-hire-500-new-faculty-in-major-initiative.php). Our department (Wildlife Ecology and Conservation) recognizes the need for enhancing our student learning in quantitative approaches to studying wildlife ecology. Quantitative expertise for decision making in natural resources is a critical need at the state, regional, national, and international arenas. This hire is expected to further cement our department as a national leader in ecology and conservation of wildlife and its contribution to UFs reputation as a leading institution in natural resources education.
This position is a 12-month tenure-accruing appointment available in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), at the University of Florida (UF). The appointment will be 60% teaching (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences) and 40% research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station). Duties and Responsibilities: Assigned responsibilities will include: (1) Teaching undergraduate courses (one semester each) in the Wildlife Ecology undergraduate curriculum i) WIS 4501 Wildlife Population Ecology and ii) WIS 4601 Quantitative Wildlife Ecology. (2) Developing and teaching a quantitative course for graduate students in wildlife population estimation to be taught annually. 3) Developing an internationally recognized scholarly research program that incorporates quantitative approaches in the study of wildlife populations. Possible areas of specialty include capture-recapture modeling and design, parameter estimation, occupancy modeling, decision science, and adaptive management. The successful candidate will engage in activities related to instruction, including scholarship on teaching, mentoring of, and supervising undergraduate and graduate students in research and creative work, curriculum revision and enhancement; and engaging in professional teaching development activities, for which there are many resources available to UF faculty. The position will be 60% teaching and 40% research. Because of the IFAS land-grant mission, all faculty are expected to be supportive of and engaged in all three mission areasResearch, Teaching and Extensionregardless of the assignment split specified in the position description. Required Qualifications: A doctorate (PhD or DPhil) (foreign equivalent acceptable) with an emphasis on wildlife biology, ecology, biomath, or a related biological sciences or natural resources discipline is required. Candidates must have a demonstrated commitment to teaching, experience mentoring students, and promotion of a diverse educational and professional environment. Applicants will also be expected to illustrate evidence of scholarship and depth of knowledge in wildlife ecology and conservation; and willingness to work with natural resource agencies, NGOs, and stakeholders. Candidates will demonstrate their skills in verbal and written communication, interpersonal relationships across cultures, and commitment to grantsmanship. Candidates also must have a commitment to values of excellence, diversity, global involvement, and accountability. Preferred Qualifications: Preferred qualifications/attributes: 1) Candidates with a well-developed teaching portfolio and/or postdoctoral teaching experience (experience in quantitative ecology, such as courses listed above, will be ranked favorably). 2) Demonstrated commitment to developing a productive research program, commensurate with a 40% research appointment at an R1 academic institution is expected from candidates. 3) Candidates with a primary interest in research programs focusing on wildlife populations. Although the preference is for a research program emphasizing terrestrial vertebrates or marine mammals, other study systems will be considered. Topical expertise can be demonstrated by activities such as publication in peer-reviewed journals, demonstrated graduate student mentoring experience and/or philosophy, development of management or recovery plans for species and habitats of conservation importance, and securing research funding. Employment Conditions: This position is available 1 April 2018, and will be filled as soon thereafter as an acceptable applicant is available; specific start date is negotiable; however, the expectation is that the candidate will begin by the start of Fall term 2018. Compensation is commensurate with the education, experience, and qualifications of the selected applicant. Background Information: The University of Florida (http://www.ufl.edu) is a Land-Grant, Sea-Grant, and Space-Grant institution, encompassing virtually all academic and professional disciplines, with an enrollment of more than 53,000 students. UF is a member of The Association of American Universities. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (http://ifas.ufl.edu) includes the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (http://cals.ufl.edu), the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station (http://research.ifas.ufl.edu), the Florida Cooperative Extension Service (http://extension.ifas.ufl.edu), the College of Veterinary Medicine (http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu), the Florida Sea Grant program (http://www.flseagrant.org/ ), and encompasses 16 on-campus academic departments and schools, 12 Research and Educational Centers (REC) located throughout the state, 6 Research sites/demonstration units administered by RECs or academic departments, and Florida Cooperative Extension Service offices in all 67 counties (counties operate and maintain). The School of Natural Resources and Environment is an interdisciplinary unit housed in IFAS and managed by several colleges on campus. IFAS employs over 2500 people, which includes approximately 900 faculty and 1200 support personnel located in Gainesville and throughout the state. IFAS, one of the nations largest agricultural and natural resources research and education organizations, is administered by a Senior Vice President and four deans: the Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Dean for Extension and Director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the Dean for Research and Director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Dean for the College of Veterinary Medicine. UF/IFAS also engages in cooperative work with Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. The programs of the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation emphasize biological and human dimensions of wildlife ecology and conservation in local to international arenas. The Departments existing strengths in spatial ecology, population modeling, wildlife disease ecology, conservation genetics, and environmental communication, among others, support strong collaborations. Department faculty may be affiliated with the Center for Latin American Studies, Center for African Studies, and the School of Natural Resources and the Environment. Housed with the Department is the Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, whose principal focus is on wetlands wildlife and ecosystem restoration and conservation. The nearby 3,600-hectare Ordway-Swisher Biological Station, managed by the Office of the IFAS Dean of Research, provides an outdoor laboratory for teaching and a site for long-term field research, and has been designated to serve as a National Science Foundation NEON core site. Several units on or nearby the University of Florida campus complement the teaching and research programs of the Department, including The Florida Climate Institute, an interdisciplinary center hosted at UF and comprising 7 universities; the Tropical Conservation and Development Program in the Center for Latin American Studies; Wildlife Conservation Society; Center for Natural Resources; Center for Wetlands; Center for Biological Conservation; Pre-eminence initiatives in Bioinformatics and Biodiversity; Florida Museum of Natural History; Northeast Regional Data Center; National Ecology Laboratory (Sirenia) of USGS; Florida Field Station (Gainesville) of the U.S.D.A. Wildlife Research Laboratory; Southeastern Forest Experiment Station unit of the U.S. Forest Service; The Nature Conservancy; the Wildlife Research Laboratory of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; and others. Florida boasts a diversity of fauna and flora common to both southern temperate and subtropical climates and is replete with springs, rivers, backwater streams, lakes, freshwater and saltwater marshes, mangrove fringes, cypress swamps, hardwood hammocks, sandhills, scrub, pine flatwoods, and rangeland. Nested between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, Florida has more than 2,000 kilometers of coastal beaches and estuaries. Special features include the Florida Keys, which constitute an archipelago of picturesque subtropical islands, and the unique Everglades, or river of grass, which sprawls across the vast southern peninsula. As a gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America, Florida provides convenient access to tropical and temperate environments in the southern hemisphere, and diverse expertise on campus. Gainesville is a small city with culture and character directly linked to the university. Attributes of Gainesville include proximity to many natural areas, expansive media, and many cultural and historical landmarks. Cost of living in Gainesville is slightly below the national average, making it an attractive place to live. Employment Conditions: This position is available 1 April 2018, and will be filled as soon thereafter as an acceptable applicant is available; specific start date is negotiable; however, the expectation is that the candidate will begin by the start of Fall term 2018. Compensation is commensurate with the education, experience, and qualifications of the selected applicant. Application Information: Individuals wishing to apply should go online to http://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/cw/en-us/job/504668 and submit: Application materials described and required via the website Cover letter that clearly states applicants interest in the position and qualifications relative to the required and preferred qualifications listed above Full curriculum vitae A statement of teaching/mentoring philosophies and research goals (4-page single spaced limit) Names and contact information for at least 3 references, preferably who can speak to the applicants teaching and mentoring experience Nominations are also welcome. Nominations need to include the complete name and address of the nominee. All information should be sent to: Please refer to Requisition # 504668 Dr. James Austin Chair, Search and Screen Committee University of Florida Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation P.O. Box 110430 Gainesville, FL 32611-0430 Telephone: (352) 846-0646 Facsimile: (352) 392-6984 Electronic Mail: aust...@ufl.edu
