Associate Professor of Forestry

NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS UNIVERSITY•Las Vegas, NM

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The New Mexico Highlands University Department of Forestry invites applicants to fill one or more nine-month, tenure-track faculty positions beginning as early as August 2027. The successful candidates will be responsible for teaching a range of forestry and natural resources management courses per academic year; conducting research and scholarship that engages both undergraduate and graduate students; serving the University, professional organizations, and the broader community of natural resources stakeholders; advising Forestry Department students; contributing to the modernization and improvement of the Forestry and Conservation Management curricula; participating in the Forestry Department’s outcomes assessments, aiding in the maintenance of Society of American Foresters (SAF) accreditation, and establishing and maintaining relationships with industry, tribal, governmental, and non-governmental partners. Preferred areas of specialization include tree ecophysiology, forest ecohydrology, water resources or watershed management. Regardless of specialty, individuals with proficiency in plant production and forest nursery management, applied forest ecology, and forest management and GIS are strongly encouraged to apply. This position is part of the NMHU College of Arts and Sciences’ initiative to strengthen its Forestry Department’s teaching and research capabilities. The College of Arts and Sciences, housed within a Hispanic Serving Institution, is dedicated to creating a climate of engagement, diversity and inclusion, and providing pathways for students from underrepresented groups to pursue STEM careers. All applicants should have a demonstrated willingness to work collaboratively with faculty from a wide range of disciplines, cultures, and academic backgrounds and to advise and teach an undergraduate and graduate student body that is diverse with respect to socio-economic status, culture, and career path. The successful candidate will be expected to seek and acquire external research support and collaborate with universities, state and federal government agencies, and non-governmental organizations in the areas of specialization. The New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute, which is housed on NMHU’s main campus, utilizes NMHU faculty members and students in projects throughout the state. NMHU Forestry faculty also regularly collaborate with the faculty and staff of New Mexico State University's (NMSU) John T. Harrington Forestry Research Center in Mora, NM, as well as the New Mexico Reforestation Center, with facilities and operations in both Mora, NM and on NMHU’s Las Vegas campus. Building upon our current strengths, the incumbent will be expected to contribute to the development of a nationally recognized education, research, and outreach program focused on forest or wildland fire management and/or forest or wildland ecosystem health. Preference will be given to candidates with a demonstrated ability or willingness to concentrate on these themes in relation to Southern Rocky Mountains and Southwestern ecosystems. NMHU has strong ties with the USDA Forest Service, USDOI Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, NM Forestry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and other private and non-governmental organizations and is growing its international footprint.

Requirements

Ph.D. in a natural resource management field such as Forestry, Biology, Ecology, Forest Management, Entomology, Ecosystem Sciences or a closely related field
Demonstrated willingness to work collaboratively with faculty from a wide range of disciplines, cultures, and academic backgrounds
Demonstrated willingness to advise and teach an undergraduate and graduate student body that is diverse with respect to socio-economic status, culture, and career path
Ability to effectively communicate both in writing and speech
Ability to work well and safely with students in classroom, laboratory, and field environments

Nice To Haves

ABD candidates will be considered
Experience in forest hydrology, ecohydrology, aquatic ecology, ecophysiology, or watershed science and management
Ability to teach more than one of the following types of classes: ecophysiology, plant production, water resources, aquatic ecology, watershed management, limnology or GIS
Candidates with experience working in interdisciplinary teams
Knowledge of ArcGIS Pro, and various modeling software applications commonly used in Wildlife and Forestry (for example, Forest Vegetation Simulator, Linear Programming, MaxEnt) as well as traditional office technologies
Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion
Experience with the delivery of field intensive courses
Applicants with a B.S., M.S, or M.F. in Forestry from a program accredited by the Society of American Foresters in combination with the above expertise will be preferred
Understanding of ecohydrology, tree ecophysiology, forest hydrology, or water resources, preferably with expertise in tree seedling physiology and applied forestry
Proficiency in data management, spatial analysis, and remote sensing
Skill in using technology to deliver web-based and face-to-face courses
Skill in active learning techniques
Ability to be a community partner
Ability to interface well with other science disciplines at NMHU in collaborative efforts

Responsibilities

Teaching a range of forestry and natural resources management courses per academic year
Conducting research and scholarship that engages both undergraduate and graduate students
Serving the University, professional organizations, and the broader community of natural resources stakeholders
Advising Forestry Department students
Contributing to the modernization and improvement of the Forestry and Conservation Management curricula
Participating in the Forestry Department’s outcomes assessments
Aiding in the maintenance of Society of American Foresters (SAF) accreditation
Establishing and maintaining relationships with industry, tribal, governmental, and non-governmental partners
Seeking and acquiring external research support
Collaborating with universities, state and federal government agencies, and non-governmental organizations
Contributing to the development of a nationally recognized education, research, and outreach program focused on forest or wildland fire management and/or forest or wildland ecosystem health
Concentrating on themes in relation to Southern Rocky Mountains and Southwestern ecosystems
Directing students in accomplishment of tasks and courses
Bringing current research into the classroom to show the application of natural resources concepts and practices to real world problems
Engaging graduate students from various undergraduate majors and cultural backgrounds to design a thesis or field project that shows their ability to conduct technical research and effectively communicate results to professional and lay groups