Associate Professor in LAEP & Associate Director of NLI

NC State University; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Childcare benefits

Wellness membership

Wellness programs

Job summary

NC State University invites applications for an Associate Professor in LAEP and Associate Director of NLI. The position spans 50% LAEP duties and 50% NLI leadership, with tenure-track/tenured status for a 9-month appointment.

Responsibilities include teaching, service, and building external partnerships, while advancing research and certificate programs under the NLI umbrella. The role emphasizes environmental design, coastal resilience, and community engagement, with opportunities to lead

Qualifications

• Proven ability to teach design studios across scales and courses supporting LAAB criteria.
• Experience mentoring graduate students and building research agendas.
• Track record of securing extramural funding and scholarly publications.

Responsibilities

• Teach studio and seminar courses; contribute to LAEP curriculum and accreditation.
• Advise students, participate in governance, and collaborate with other units.
• Develop and manage research agenda, partnerships, and grant applications.

Skills

Teaching studios

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Mentorship

Curriculum development

Education

Professional degree in Landscape Architecture

Doctoral degree in related field

MLA preferred

Job description

Associate Professor in LAEP & Associate Director of NLI

Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning

The Department of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning at NC State University is a nationally recognized leader in landscape architecture education, with a strong track record of ASLA national recognition—including 12 national student awards since 2020 and , most recently, a 2026 Honor Award in Urban Design for the Tlatelolco, Mexico City study on environmental and cultural resilience. Housed within a STEM-designated, LAAB-accredited MLA program, LAEP integrates design, ecology, and environmental planning from a global, cross-contextual, and cross-cultural perspective, addressing environmental stewardship amid rapid urbanization. Faculty study and design landscapes across both international and regional territories, leading international workshops on urban design, habitat protection, and coastal resilience, and advancing this work through distinctive labs: The Just Lab, connecting landscape practice with African and Indigenous communities and the ancestral ties linking North Carolina to the African continent; the Natural Learning Initiative, creating nature-based environments to support healthy child development and community well-being in diverse and disadvantaged communities; and the Coastal Dynamics Design Lab, addressing coastal resilience through applied design along the North Carolina coast.

The Natural Learning Initiative

The Natural Learning Initiative ( NLI , founded in January 2000) is an interdisciplinary, cross-sector research, education, design programming, and communications lab at the College of Design, NC State University. NLI aims to create state-of-the-art environments that support healthy human development and a healthy biosphere by engaging children and families with nature in the spaces of daily life, particularly in disadvantaged, diverse communities. To achieve this goal, NLI tracks trends, research findings, and emerging approaches and disseminates information to guide innovative, nature-based design solutions, combined with education programs and public events such as design institutes, conferences, and distance education courses. The NLI team designs and implements original research studies and post-occupancy evaluations, producing findings that inform guidelines, toolkits, publications, and media disseminated via NLI’s website, YouTube channel, and downloadable resources.

Wolfpack Perks and Benefits

As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership , and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.

Valid NC Driver's License required

Valid NC Driver's License required No

Commercial Driver's License required

Commercial Driver's License required No

Recruitment Dates and Special Instructions

Job Open Date 10/21/2026

Anticipated Close Date 11/18/2026

Position Type

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week)

1.0

Appointment

9 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation

Adverse Weather

Adverse Weather Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Emergency Events

Emergency Events Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Equal Opportunity

NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity. If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at [phone] or [e-mail]. Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit. NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Associate Professor in LAEP & Associate Director of NLI

The successful candidate, a full-time tenure-track/tenured Associate Professor in a 9-month faculty appointment, will dedicate 50% of their efforts to the LAEP department, including teaching courses and contributing to departmental committees. The remaining 50% will be allocated to NLI , focusing on developing a robust research agenda, advising doctoral students, continuing certificate programs, building partnerships and collaborations, managing NLI staff, and securing external funding.

LAEP Associate Professor Duties (50% Effort)

• Teaching (30%): Teach on studio and one seminar/lecture course per academic year. The candidate should be able to teach design studios across scales in the MLA curriculum and address LAAB accreditation professional criteria. Courses taught may include research methods, landscape architecture history, urban theory, digital media, grading, or construction technology.
• Service and Governance, including curriculum advising (20%): Contribute to standard departmental committees, participate in accreditation ( LAAB ), advise LAEP students, and act as a full member of the LAEP Department Voting Faculty ( DVF ).
• Evaluation & Reporting: To reflect 50/50 nature of this joint appointment, the candidate will hold equal reporting lines to both units. The LAEP Department Head will evaluate teaching and departmental service, while the Associate Dean of Research will oversee NLI responsibilities.

NLI Duties (under the Associate Professor role) (50% Effort)

• Research & Grants: Act as PI/Co-PI to identify and secure competitive extramural funding through grants, contracts, and sponsorships.
• Mentorship & Partnerships: Advise doctoral students whose research aligns with NLI focus areas, while also building and sustaining external partnerships, including Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) Technical Assistance (TA) States.

Duties as NLI Associate Director (Administrative Supplement)

• Program & Staff Management: Oversee and continue expanding NLI certificate programs, and manage dedicated NLI staff to ensure smooth daily operations.

Supervisory duties

Direct supervision and management of dedicated NLI staff to ensure smooth daily operations, as well as supervision of NLI student assistants.

Other Responsibilities

Maintain recruitment, training, mentoring, and retention of student assistance from LAEP , other design disciplines, and elsewhere on campus. Fulfill Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure ( RPT ) expectations, which will be equitably weighted in the Statement of Faculty Responsibilities ( SFR ).

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience

• A professional degree in Landscape Architecture of a closely related design discipline.
• Demonstrated experience teaching design studios across scales and courses that support LAAB accreditation professional criteria (e.g., research methods, landscape history, urban theory, grading).
• Demonstrated success in teaching and mentoring students at the graduate level.
• Hold a doctoral degree in a field related to NLI focus areas, preferably environment and behavior.
• A focus on environmental and behavior with knowledge of children and family environments.
• A proven record of obtaining competitive extramural funding.
• Evidence of academic impact, including an established record of peer-reviewed publications.
• Prior academic leadership and administrative experience.

Other Required Qualifications

• Ability to teach in a studio setting
• Ability to apply current NLI research tools and measures.
• Ability to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Demonstrated success in managing projects and/or multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hold a Master of Landscape Architecture ( MLA ) degree.
• Experience as an instructor, practitioner, and researcher.
• Prior academic leadership and administrative experience, including the duration of that experience.

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

N/A

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• How did you learn of this opportunity? (Multiple choice internal list)
  • NCSU Website
  • NCSU Executive Search Services
  • Monster.com
  • CareerBuilder.com
  • InsideHigherEd.com
  • Other Online Job Board
  • Carolina Job Finder / Employment Guide
  • Job / Career Fair
  • The Chronicle of Higher Education
  • HERC
  • Professional Journal
  • Print Advertisement (Newspaper / Periodical)
  • Professional Organization
  • Direct Contact from NCSU HR Representative / Recruiter
  • NCSU Employee Referral
  • Social Media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Other)
  • Other
• If you learned about this vacancy from "other source" or "other website", please provide the source. (Open Ended Question)

Required Documents

• Cover Letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Other Document (1)
• Contact Information for References

Optional Documents

NC STATE UNIVERSITY RALEIGH, NC 27695 PHONE: [phone]