Assistant Professor

Utah State University•Logan, UT

18d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Water, Earth, and Environmental Sciences (WEES) at Utah State University seeks a tenure-track Assistant Professor for a 9-month academic-year appointment, anticipated to begin in August 2027. This teaching-focused position is intended for a scientist committed to engaging students through instruction and mentorship in water, Earth, and environmental sciences, and to developing courses that encourage curiosity and strengthen decision-making in these fields. The successful candidate will help demonstrate how these courses and degrees can lead to meaningful, high-impact careers. The position contributes to Utah State University’s redesigned general education curriculum, including science courses intended to build students’ capacity for rigorous inquiry, respectful dialogue, diverse perspectives, and real-world problem-solving. WEES aims to help lead this transition by connecting science education to consequential regional challenges involving earthquakes, water management, and land and resource decisions. The appointment is divided among teaching (60%), research (30%), and service (10%). The successful candidate will teach general education courses and courses in their area of expertise, collaborate on curriculum and assessment, contribute to undergraduate recruitment and program development, and build evidence about student experiences and outcomes in WEES programs. They will also develop a productive scholarly enterprise that integrates teaching and research, with opportunities to mentor undergraduate researchers and graduate students. WEES offers broad departmental strengths and access to field settings including the Great Salt Lake, Wasatch fault, Colorado River basin, and Colorado Plateau. The role joins colleagues committed to undergraduate teaching and offers an opportunity to shape how USU students encounter water, Earth, and environmental sciences.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Earth, hydrological, environmental sciences, or a closely related field by the start date.
Evidence of established or emerging collegiate-level teaching experience.

Nice To Haves

Postdoctoral research or teaching experience.
Experience with undergraduate course development and assessment.
Experience with research in education or within the candidate’s field of expertise.
Evidence of thoughtful engagement with generative AI in science teaching.
Evidence of interest in shaping and expanding academic programs.

Responsibilities

Design and teach general education courses in Breadth Physical Sciences within the Civics Center and University Studies Depth Science programs.
Teach undergraduate and graduate courses related to the candidate’s expertise in Earth Sciences, Environmental Systems, and Hydrology and Water Resources within WEES.
Collaborate with the Civic Center to shape the physical-science curriculum and develop assessment practices within the Center and WEES Department.
Play a central role in growing undergraduate programs through sustained recruitment efforts.
Help build evidence about how students find WEES programs, progress and complete them, benefit from retention approaches, mentoring, and experiential learning, and proceed after graduation.
Build a productive scholarly enterprise integrating teaching and research programs.
Mentor undergraduate researchers and graduate students.