Natural Sciences Department
| Position Available: | Academic Year |
|---|---|
| Hourly Rate or Pay Range: | Commensurate with education and experience |
| Application Deadline: | Position open until filled. |
Northland College is accepting applications for a 9-month tenure-track appointment in natural resources with a focus on restoration ecology. The anticipated start date is August 2023.
Applicants should have interests and expertise in restoration ecology and a demonstrated commitment to undergraduate teaching. We seek a broad applicant pool and are open to candidates with experience in a diversity of ecosystem types, including grasslands, forest, wetland, and fire-prone systems. Ideally, applicants will also demonstrate how previous experiences have prepared them to integrate the region’s rich resources into their teaching and research.
The natural resources program is consistently highly enrolled, and our students enjoy opportunities to pair classroom learning with field trips and experiential, applied learning. Our students have access to diverse internship and research opportunities through our broad network of partners in natural resource agencies and organizations. Our campus provides easy access to a great diversity of ecological communities and public lands and waters, as well as a surprising array of opportunities to collaborate with biologists, resource managers, and scientists across the region in addition to faculty colleagues and campus centers. Institutional support for research and teaching includes opportunities to apply for annual professional development funding and short-term endowed professorships; sabbaticals; use of the Forest Lodge Educational Campus on the shores of nearby Lake Namekagon as well as the College-owned Mabel Cora Maxwell Nature Study Area; access to field-teaching equipment support provided by the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute’s Logistical Support Center; and access to small motorboats and a fleet of vans for course travel.
Our faculty enjoy working in a collegial and vibrant department and appreciate living and recreating in an area rich with water and public lands. Summers on the south shore of Lake Superior are often considered idyllic, and there is much to enjoy and explore through all seasons. This is truly a fantastic place for a professional in natural resources to live and work.
About Northland College
Founded in 1892, Northland College is located in northern Wisconsin on the south shore of Lake Superior. Adjacent to the Apostle Islands and over a million acres of national forest, the College’s distinct setting has inspired its commitment to explore the fundamental interconnections of nature, place, and people.
The College believes that understanding and addressing complex environmental and social issues requires learning from an array of perspectives, actively participating in community, and engaging in research centered on the most important questions of our time. Our commitment to offering an experiential education rooted in the environmental liberal arts readies Northland graduates for personal and professional success. We aim to provide students with the tools to pursue meaningful lives and prepare them to act with courage in a rapidly changing world.
About Ashland, Wisconsin
Ashland, Wisconsin, is located on Lake Superior’s Chequamegon Bay and near the tourist destinations of the scenic Bayfield Peninsula. The region provides farmer’s markets, orchards, live music, art festivals, theater, and ample outdoor recreation options (e.g. cross country skiing, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, hiking, water sports). There are nearly 8,000 residents in Ashland, and we enjoy a cost of living 11 percent lower than the state average and 17 percent lower than the national average (Economic Research Institute data). Duluth, Minnesota, is the nearest metro (population of the metro area was just over 270,000 at the 2020 Census) and the location of an international airport just one hour and thirty minutes from Ashland; the Ironwood, Michigan, airport is forty-five minutes away and offers direct flights to Chicago and Minneapolis.
Responsibilities and Qualifications
Responsibilities
The position is primarily teaching-focused, and the teaching load includes six in-person courses per academic year (two 15-week semesters and a 4-week May term). Core courses include Ecological Restoration and a field-based Applied Ecological Restoration course. Depending on the successful candidate’s disciplinary focus area, strengths, and the curricular needs of the College, other courses could include options such as Ecology, Introductory Environmental Science, Introductory Statistics, Natural Resources Policy, Fire Ecology and Management, Natural History or an organismal course, Experimental Ecology, Ecological Engineering Techniques, Landscape Ecology, Sampling Design, Applied GIS, Applied Biostatistics, or Land-use Policy and Planning. The successful applicant will also be expected to engage in scholarly activities with undergraduates—fostering an applied learning environment that extends beyond the classroom. Faculty are expected to serve on College committees after their first year and serve as an academic advisor for students.
Qualifications
- Completed PhD in ecology, biology, natural resources, environmental engineering, or a related field associated with restoration ecology by August 2023 (we will also consider ABD with the expectation of degree completion within a year)
The ideal candidate will have:
- Demonstrated a vision and capacity to excel in teaching and mentoring undergraduate students at a small environmental liberal arts college
- Broad interests in or demonstrated skills or experience in various components of restoration ecology and/or related fields and applications
- The ability to deliver undergraduate courses using diverse pedagogical approaches, including active and experiential learning
- Demonstrated ability to work well on teams and to communicate effectively with colleagues, students, and external partners
- Interest in mentoring undergraduates on research or providing them with access to applied experiences
- A valid driver’s license and ability to obtain van-and-trailer certification (we provide the certification training)
- Effective written and oral communication skills
- Experience leading groups on field trips is preferred, but guidance and support can be provided
- We are especially interested in candidates who will contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community. Women and minorities are especially encouraged to apply.
Equal Opportunity Employment
Northland College provides equal opportunity for all qualified persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, ancestry, or veteran status. Northland College is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, and others who would provide diverse perspectives to our College are encouraged to apply for this position.
Department Details
Natural Sciences Department
How to Apply
Review of applications will begin on January 20, 2023, but this position will remain open until filled. Applications will still be accepted after January 20 until an appointment is made.
Interested applicants must complete an online application which requires (1) a cover letter; (2) curriculum vitae; (3) a statement of teaching philosophy, and (4) contact information for three professional references.
Contact: Human Resources (for applications) or Sarah Johnson, Natural Resources Program Coordinator or Alan Brew, Academic Dean (for internal purposes)
Position open until filled. Apply Online
Contact: Office of Human Resources humanresources@northland.edu