Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Ecosystem & Conservation Sciences job in Missoula

The Department Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences in the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation at the University of Montana invites applications for an Assistant Teaching Professor (non-tenure track) to join our dynamic and interdisciplinary faculty. We encourage applications from individuals who are passionate about undergraduate education and dedicated to high-impact teaching practices and experiential learning. We also encourage applicants who can leverage their professional experiences in the classroom and connect students to career pathways.

The successful candidate will teach undergraduate courses in the environmental, biophysical, and ecological sciences, primarily serving students in three undergraduate degree programs: (1) Environmental Science and Sustainability; (2) Wildlife Biology; and 3) Forestry. Teaching responsibilities may include lower- and upper-division courses in the following areas: ecology, soil science, wildlife biology, and forest sciences. Responsibilities may also include leading field trips, field and laboratory courses, internships, and first-year seminars. Specific courses will be decided based on the needs of programs across the college and the background of the successful applicant. The expected course load is up to three courses per semester.

This position’s primary responsibility is to the College’s undergraduate instructional mission. The 1.0 FTE consists of 0.9 for instruction and 0.10 for service to programs, college, and/or university service, as well as community and/or professional activities. There is no expectation of a research program as stated within 1.0 FTE profile.

This position is part of a cluster hire of new teaching-oriented faculty in the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation (FCFC) intended to create a supportive network of junior faculty with a primary teaching focus. While each position will be rostered in a department, as is true for all faculty, the college is highly interdisciplinary and has multiple programs that promote collaboration across departments in both teaching and research. Additional information can be found at http://umt.edu/environment. While these positions are not tenure track, we have the expectation and intent that successful candidates will be long-term members of the faculty. Salaries for each of the new positions are peer-competitive, and the positions are each being structured as academic year appointments, providing the opportunity to pursue additional compensation options in the summer, as desired. Such opportunities may include formal summer teaching as well as participation in high impact learning such as student internship programs and/or other experiential portions of FCFC degree programs.

The Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences (DECS) provides students with instruction and experience in a diverse array of ecological and biophysical sciences. As a multidisciplinary department, we bring together faculty with academic training in fire science, watershed hydrology, insects and diseases, soil science, and plant and wildlife biology. DECS is a rigorous, stimulating, and inspirational environment for undergraduate through doctoral students to learn about ecosystem processes and ecological functions in a biologically diverse and scenic setting. Faculty in DECS teach in three undergraduate degree programs. The Environmental Science and Sustainability program connects science and solutions to provide students with the knowledge and skills to solve complex environmental problems and advance sustainability. The Wildlife Biology program – a top-ranked program in North America for studying wildlife biology – provides students with extensive knowledge of ecology, population biology, wildlife biology, and critical thinking and quantitative skills. Wildlife biology students are trained to bring science to the dynamic management of wildlife and fish populations and their habitat, communities, and ecosystems. The Forestry degree is a professional program of study accredited by the Society of American Foresters. At UM, we practice and teach conservation forestry, which is the active management of forested land for a wide range of social and ecological goals.

The University of Montana is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of qualified people who would assist the University in demonstrating its five priorities for action: Place student success at the center of all we do; drive excellence and innovation in teaching, learning, and research; embody the principle of “mission first, people always"; partner with place; and proudly tell the UM story.

Position Details

Title: Assistant Teaching Professor
Schedule: Full time academic year position beginning fall semester 2024
Benefits: Medical Insurance/Mandatory Retirement Contribution/Professional Development/Partial Tuition Waiver/Wellness

Required Qualifications

Minimum M.S. in Forestry, Environmental or Natural Resource Science, Ecology, Wildlife Biology, or a closely related discipline
Commitment to teaching excellence, and innovative and inclusive pedagogies
Ability to teach a broad range of courses in ecology, wildlife biology, and across the natural environmental sciences
Outstanding communication skills

Preferred Qualifications
Three or more years of relevant professional experience
Experience bridging theory and practice in teaching and/or professional work
Experience building partnerships with a range of private, public, and/or non-profit organizations
Experience teaching undergraduates
Experience with multiple teaching methodologies, including field-based teaching
Experience with high-impact learning, including service-learning, community-engaged teaching, capstone projects, internships, and other types of experiential learning
Experience mentoring undergraduate students
Ability to connect students to professional opportunities and career pathways