Assistant Professor in Earth Sciences – Geography
Montana State University
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Job summary
Montana State University seeks a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Geography with a focus on global change, risk, and resilience and the human dimensions of environmental hazards. The candidate will build an externally funded program and contribute to teaching across Geography and Earth Sciences using GIS, remote sensing, and spatial data science.
The successful hire will mentor students, collaborate across departments, and participate in service to the department, college, and university
Qualifications
- PhD in Earth Sciences, Geography, Environmental Sciences, or related field by the start date.
- Demonstrated potential to teach both lower- and upper-division courses in human-environment geography and related topics.
- Demonstrated research with peer-reviewed publications appropriate to career stage.
- Ability to develop a competitive, externally funded research program.
- Mentoring undergraduate and graduate students.
Responsibilities
- Teach undergraduate and graduate Geography and Earth Sciences courses.
- Advise and mentor majors and graduate students.
- Develop and revise curricula incorporating quantitative geospatial analysis with qualitative methods.
- Publish in peer-reviewed journals and pursue external funding.
- Collaborate with campus and external partners on research and teaching.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
The Department of Earth Sciences at Montana State University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Geography specializing in global change, risk, and resilience and the human dimensions of environmental hazards. We seek an outstanding researcher and educator whose work examines the intersections of environmental hazards, climate change, social vulnerability, adaptation, and resilience.
Faculty Tenure Track
Faculty Tenure Track Yes
Faculty Rank
Faculty Rank Assistant
Position Number
Position Number 4A1366
Department
Department Earth Sciences
Division
Division College of Letters & Science
Appointment Type
Appointment Type Faculty
Contract Term
Contract Term Academic Year
Semester
If other, specify From date
If other, specify End date
Union Affiliation
Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining
FTE
FTE 1.0
Benefits Eligible
Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications
Contract Type
Contract Type MUS
If other, please specify
Recruitment Type
Recruitment Type Open
The Department of Earth Sciences at Montana State University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Geography with expertise in global change, risk, and resilience and the human dimensions of environmental resilience and hazards. We seek a geographer whose research examines how climate change and environmental hazards intersect with social vulnerability, exposure, adaptation, resilience, and decision-making.
The successful candidate will develop a robust, externally funded research program that complements strengths in human-environment interactions, environmental change and hazards, resource geography, planning, and geospatial science within the Department of Earth Sciences. We are particularly interested in candidates who integrate quantitative geospatial analysis with qualitative or mixed-methods approaches and use GIS , remote sensing, spatial statistics, geospatial data science, and/or artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Research may address environmental hazards and risks including wildfire, flooding, landslides, earthquakes, extreme temperatures, drought, air pollution, or other climate-related hazards. We welcome research on hazard exposure, social vulnerability, risk perception, adaptation, resilience, disaster preparedness and recovery, and hazard management.
The position responds to growing student interest in global environmental change, environmental hazards, and spatial data science, while strengthening training in geospatial methods. The successful candidate will have opportunities to collaborate across Montana State University and with external partners in natural resources, emergency management, climate science, public health, planning, and environmental management.
We seek a colleague who will contribute actively to a highly collegial, collaborative, interdisciplinary, and student-focused department and demonstrate a commitment to mentoring and supporting students from all backgrounds.
- Carry a full teaching load under the Department of Earth Sciences workload plan, currently a 2/1 split between semesters (3 courses per academic year).
- Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Geography and related Earth Sciences subjects each academic year. Expected contributions include large introductory Geography courses (e.g., Human Geography, World Regional Geography) as well as upper-division and graduate courses in the candidate’s area of expertise.
- Develop and/or revise curricula that incorporate quantitative geospatial analysis with qualitative and/or mixed-methods approaches.
- Advise undergraduate majors (academic advising and undergraduate research mentoring) consistent with departmental advising expectations.
- Recruit, supervise, and mentor M.S. and Ph.D. students in Earth Sciences.
- Develop and maintain a robust, independent, externally funded research program in Environmental Geography.
- Publish research in peer-reviewed journals and other appropriate scholarly venues.
- Seek and obtain external research funding appropriate to the candidate’s career stage.
- Collaborate with departmental faculty and with campus, state, national, and/or international partners.
- Participate in departmental, college, university, and professional service.
- Serve on department, college, and university committees as appropriate.
- Contribute to a collegial, student-focused departmental community.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- PhD in Earth Sciences, Geography, Environmental Sciences, or related discipline with a research focus on global change, environmental hazards and social vulnerability and related fields by the start date.
- Demonstrated potential to teach effective lower-division, upper-division, and graduate courses in human-environment geography and related Earth Sciences topics, including large introductory courses, as evidenced by teaching experience, a teaching statement, and/or evaluations or equivalent documentation.
- Demonstrated research experience as evidenced by a record of peer-reviewed publications appropriate to the candidate’s career stage.
- Demonstrated potential to develop a competitive, externally funded research program.
- Demonstrated potential for excellence in mentoring undergraduate and graduate students.
- Evidence of effective teaching of undergraduate and/or graduate courses, including large lower-division classes and/or use of computational methods or emergent learning platforms in instruction.
- Demonstrated expertise in the application of relevant skills in quantitative and programmatic approaches to global change, risk, and resilience and the human dimensions of environmental hazards.
- Demonstrated potential to develop internationally and regionally relevant research.
- Experience integrating two or more of the research and teaching areas described above.
- Be a dynamic teacher and scholar.
- Have the ability to inspire and mentor students.
- Have excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Be committed to supporting, promoting, and building a whole community, which includes people of all backgrounds, through research, teaching, service, or lived experience.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
The successful candidate will complement existing departmental strengths and be expected to develop a nationally competitive research program supported by extramural grant funds. This candidate will also play a leadership role in maintaining a vibrant and successful graduate and undergraduate option in Geography, with a considerable teaching component centered on the human dimensions of environmental hazards and environmental hazards.
The candidate will be expected to teach graduate and undergraduate courses such as World Regional Geography, Human Geography, Geographic Thought, Data Science for Climate and Sustainability. The Department of Earth Sciences values all perspectives and is committed to continually supporting, promoting, and building a whole community, which includes people of all backgrounds.
Based in Bozeman, MT, our department is distinguished by our spectacular location—where the meeting of the Rocky Mountains with the Northern Great Plains and the headwaters of the Missouri River create living laboratories for our students and faculty. Earth Sciences takes the Montana State University tagline – “Mountains and Minds” quite literally.
Our faculty includes 14 full-time Earth Scientists and our student body includes about 50 graduate students and over 230 undergraduate majors. We are proud to offer degrees at the Bachelor, Master, and PhD levels. Our faculty, staff, and students use their minds for learning and discovery in the scenic and rugged mountains of southwest Montana, as well as in mountainous areas and rural landscapes around the nation and worldwide. Earth Sciences students have many opportunities to participate in field trips that facilitate the study of Earth processes, Earth resources, Earth history, and environments that people have modified. We invite applicants to further explore the opportunities to engage with our programs.
The College of Letters and Science ( CLS ), the largest center for learning, teaching and research at Montana State University, offers students an excellent liberal arts and sciences education in nearly 50 majors, 25 minors and over 25 graduate degrees within the four areas of the humanities, social sciences, natural and physical sciences, and mathematical sciences.
Building on the great strength of traditional disciplines, the college provides exciting opportunities for faculty and students at the cutting edge of interdisciplinary inquiry. CLS is dedicated to supporting student success, discovering and disseminating new knowledge, and providing an atmosphere in which discovery and learning are integrated and valued. CLS is at the confluence of intellectual tradition, discovery, and innovation.
Number of Vacancies
Number of Vacancies 1
Desired Start Date
Desired Start Date August 2027
Position End Date (if temporary)
Open Date
Close Date
Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.
In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.
FLSA Status Exempt
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
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