Assistant Professor in Water-Quality Management

The Department of Watershed Sciences at Utah State University invites applications for an Assistant Professor position in water-quality management

Overview

The Department of Watershed Sciences at Utah State University (USU) invites applications for a full-time (12-month), tenure-track position as an Assistant Professor in water quality management. The responsibilities will be distributed as follows: 60% extension, 30% teaching, and 10% university/professional service. The position will be based at USU’s main campus in Logan, Utah. The start date is August 2025.

They look for candidates who will develop and lead a statewide extension program focused on water quality management and collaborate with diverse stakeholders. The position may also involve applied research in support of the extension program. Potential areas of research and outreach include, but are not limited to:

  • Identification and management of nonpoint sources of water pollution
  • Monitoring and modeling the flux and transformation of nutrients or other contaminants
  • Evaluating and defining nutrient criteria (e.g., total maximum daily loads)
  • Remediation of water quality issues such as eutrophication and harmful algal blooms
  • Stormwater runoff management
  • Using wetlands, riparian zones, and green infrastructure for water quality improvement in urban and rural watersheds
  • Other areas related to urban or rural water quality

For more information about the position, the department, the university or any other informal enquiries please contact either edd.hammill@usu.edu (department head) or charles.hawkins@usu.edu (search committee chair).

Responsibilities

  • Develop an innovative, extramurally funded extension program that integrates research, stakeholder engagement, and outreach to address water quality challenges in Utah and the Intermountain West.
  • Teach an undergraduate course in water quality and other courses as needed for the watershed sciences program.
  • Provide service to the department, college, and university, and contribute to professional societies.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Earned doctoral degree in watershed sciences, physical geography, environmental science, ecology, civil/environmental engineering, geology, or a related discipline with a focus on water quality
  • Demonstrated expertise in water quality research and practices
  • A record of peer-reviewed publications appropriate to the candidate’s career stage


Preferred Qualifications:

  • Postdoctoral experience
  • Experience applying hydrological, ecological, limnological, or biogeochemical sciences to support water quality research
  • Experience working with state and federal environmental agencies, ideally within an extension context, including evaluating management needs and assessing the effectiveness of management actions
  • Experience or potential to secure external funding to support an extension program
  • Demonstrated commitment to the public service mission of land-grant universities
  • Experience teaching at the higher education level
  • Ability to collaborate effectively in interdisciplinary settings, particularly within a watershed context

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

  1. CV to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”
  2. Research statement that covers research experience and interests (3-page maximum) to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-10”
  3. Teaching statement that covers teaching experience and philosophy (3-page maximum) to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-10”
  4. Name and contact information for 3 professional references to be entered into Candidate Profile
  5. Cover letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application

(Document size may not exceed 10 MB).

Submit applications by November 1, 2024