Assistant Professor Forestry

Job description

Job Description

About Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Texas A&M AgriLife Research

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University

Texas A&M Forest Service

Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System.

With over 5, employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.

Click here to learn more about how you can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!

Position Information

Texas A&M AgriLife 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 % 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 AgriLife Research, AgriLife 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.

Forests in Texas are abundant, diverse, and ecologically significant, covering approximately 35% of the state’s land area.

According to the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program, Texas contains an estimated 60 million acres of forestland, with nearly 48 million acres of non-commercial forests located in central and west Texas.

Most of these forestlands, approximately 93%, are privately owned, with the remainder managed by state agencies, national forests, and other public entities.

Texas forests play a critical role in supporting the environmental, economic, and social well-being of communities across the state, while also contributing to broader national and global ecological functions.

However, forests in central and west Texas face a unique set of management challenges, including climate variability, parcelization, invasive species, and limited commercial markets.

Given their importance and vulnerability, it is essential to advance our scientific understanding of these forest systems to guide sound management decisions that enhance forest health, promote sustainable stewardship, and conserve vital soil, water, and wildlife resources across the state.

The successful candidate will be responsible for planning, implementing, and conducting fundamental and applied research focused on the impacts of forest land use, management practices, and climate change on forest ecosystem health and sustainability.

This research will also explore how these factors influence soil, water, and other natural resources.

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.

Responsibilities:  

Establish and lead a nationally recognized, externally funded, and self-sustaining research program focused on the sustainability, health, productivity, and marketability of forested landscapes.

Conduct research addressing critical forest resource issues, including:

Forest ecosystem health and sustainability

Forest management systems to produce forage for domestic livestock and wildlife

Innovative strategies to protect forested landscapes from invasive species, wildfire, pests, extreme weather events, and other destructive agents

Watershed management and water quality in forested areas

Forest management for recreational purposes

Utilization of non-traditional forest products

Each research initiative will be designed to assess its impact on environmental sustainability, including atmospheric emissions and soil health metrics.

Leverage and contribute to data, models, and algorithms sourced from government, academic, and industry partners, including collaboration with other Blackland/Grassland research teams and their national and international networks.

The candidate is expected to develop and improve simulation models, secure extramural funding, train graduate students, and actively disseminate findings.

Publish research results in peer-reviewed journals and technical reports and share models and tools with relevant stakeholders, land managers, and the broader scientific community.

Engage with forest industry professionals, community service providers, and entrepreneurs, and participate in outreach activities to ensure research relevance and applicability to stakeholders.

Collaborate with the Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas Forestry Association, county Extension agents, statewide faculty, and other forestry professionals to support applied research and outreach that addresses regional needs.

Contribute to programming efforts that yield tangible, measurable impacts on the economic and ecological viability of forested landscapes across the region.

Directs the work of support staff, and other technical personnel and graduate students assigned to the project.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Administrative Relationships:

Reports directly to the Center Director, Texas A&M AgriLife Research-Blackland, with guidance from the Department ofEcology and Conservation Biology at Texas A&M University, College Station, and Texas A&M Forest Service.

Required Qualifications: 

Ph.D. in an area of forest scienceor 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 AgriLife 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 AgriLife units (especially Texas A&M Forest Service), both in College Station and across the State, as well as with Blackland collaborators in Texas, the United States, and internationally.

Collaboration with industry and non-governmental organizations will also be encouraged.

These proposed activities will support the missions and strategic plans of Blackland Research and Extension Center and Texas A&M AgriLife Research.

The Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology(ECCB) in College Station, Texas is a nationally ranked program thatengages in interdisciplinary research spanning the entire spectrum of ecological levels, from the smallest genetic components to entire ecosystems.

Through these efforts, our students, staff, and faculty are dedicated to safeguarding biodiversity, sustaining essential ecosystem services, and preserving our precious natural resources in a changing world.

ECCB has 34 faculty, undergraduate and 86 graduate students, and is growing.

The Ecology and Conservation Biology program is one of four tracks under the umbrella B.Sc. degree in Ecology and Conservation Biology.

The other tracks are Vertebrate Zoology, Ecoinformatics, and the Forest Resources program.

The Department is engaged in the campus-wide interdisciplinary programs of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, and Applied Biodiversity Science Program.

The Department houses the Biodiversity and Teaching Collections and S.M. Tracy Herbarium, which are among the top 10 university-based biodiversity collections in the USA.

World-class research programs in the department address fundamental questions in ecology, and related areas, at every level of ecological organization from genes to ecosystems, producing knowledge that is immediately applicable to the most pressing 21st century grand challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, ecological restoration, and integrative approaches to conservation.

Additional information about Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas A&M University Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology is available at: 

Texas A&M AgriLife Research: A&M AgriLife Blackland Research and Extension Center, Temple: A&M University Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology: A&M Forest Service: You Need to Know

Salary: Compensation for this position is commensurate based on the selected candidate’s qualifications.

Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?

When you choose to work for Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.

In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:

Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums 

12-15 days of annual paid holidays

Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month

Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas

Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

Required Skill Profession

Postsecondary Teachers