Assistant Professor-Tenure System

Working/Functional Title

Assistant Professor - Water Quality and Climate

Position Summary

Assistant Professor - Water Quality and Impacts of Climate Change

The Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University (MSU) invites applications for a full‐time, 9-month tenure system Assistant Professor with a 50% research, 30% teaching, 10% extension, and 10% service assignment.  The position start date is anticipated to be August 16, 2025.

The individual selected for this position will be expected to develop a regionally, nationally, and internationally recognized program centered on water quality and freshwater ecosystems in the context of climate change addressing adaptation, mitigation, management, sustainability, or conservation.

Key areas of interest for this selected candidate could include:

1. Applied Water Quality Research. Conducting field studies addressing relationships between climate, environmental conditions, land use, and water quality.
2. Climate Impact Assessment. Analyzing data and modeling results to identify vulnerabilities and potential risks to water quality and freshwater ecosystems.
3. Adaptation and Mitigation Strategy Development. Developing and working with stakeholders, implementing climate adaptation strategies for water quality and freshwater ecosystems associated with resource management, considering the needs of urban and rural communities.

Position Duties. This position includes primary assignments in research (50%) and teaching (30%), with additional responsibilities in extension and outreach (10%) and leadership and service (10%). The successful candidate will teach two courses annually consistent with their areas of expertise and departmental needs.  The Fisheries and Wildlife undergraduate and graduate curricula can be viewed at https://canr.msu.edu/fw/. In addition to classroom teaching, we expect the candidate to contribute to undergraduate and graduate student mentoring. The candidate will secure funding from diverse sources, including federal agencies, to support a vibrant research, outreach, and engagement program aligned with our departmental mission. The candidate's program will be positioned to work with, and support, the needs of external local, state, and national partners, such as Michigan Department of Natural Resources; the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; Michigan State University Extension (Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Center for Lakes and Streams); Michigan Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs); National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; the United States Geological Survey;  or the Nature Conservancy.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate -water resources, aquatic ecology, biological or environmental microbiology, water chemistry, or a closely related field

Minimum Requirements

• An earned Ph.D. in water resources, aquatic ecology, biological or environmental microbiology, water chemistry, or a closely related field, with expertise in the monitoring, identification, characterization, and/or toxicology of chemical, physical, or biological constituents in water, focusing on water quality impacts on aquatic ecosystems.
• Evidence that the candidate will contribute substantial scholarship in climate impacts on aquatic systems (e.g., will obtain grants and publish in areas related to the position).
• Evidence of ability to implement high-impact, evidence-based teaching and learning practices for undergraduate and graduate education.
• Evidence of ability to engage productively with partners and community stakeholders through collaborative outreach, engagement, and Extension work.
• Evidence the candidate will promote a commitment to creating a sense of belonging.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience managing and analyzing large climate, hydrology and water quality data sets.
• Experience with ecosystem modeling.
• Experience with grant writing and management.
• Postdoctoral experience or other post-PhD professional work experience in the general area of water quality, water resources, aquatic ecosystems and/or management.
• Ability to lead and contribute to diverse and interdisciplinary teams.

Required Application Materials

Upload the following required documents:

a) A letter of application (2-page maximum) describing how your interests, background, and professional experience match the job description.

b) A vision statement for the position (2-page maximum), explicitly linking to the vision, mission, and strategic plan of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at MSU (available here:  https://www.canr.msu.edu/fw/about/). 

c) A teaching and student mentoring philosophy (1 page maximum). 

d) An explanation (2-page maximum) of how you will contribute to CANR’s positive culture, fair access to resources and to creating a sense of belonging.

e) current Curriculum Vitae, and

f) Names and contact information for 3-5 professional references. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Special Instructions

Review of Applications: The search committee will begin reviewing applications on April 15, 2025, and continue until a suitable candidate is selected.

Questions regarding this position can be addressed to the Search Committee Chair: Dr. Joan B. Rose, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA, (rosejo@msu.edu;  517-432-4412).

Salary and Benefits: Salary will be commensurate with qualifications. MSU offers a generous benefits package (details at https://hr.msu.edu/benefits/index.html).

Review of Applications Begins On

04/15/2025

Website

https://www.canr.msu.edu/fw/

Department Statement

The Department of Fisheries and Wildlife is a vibrant community of scholars including approximately 50 core faculty, 20 postdoctoral research associates, 100 graduate students, 240 undergraduate students, 7 core staff, and 25 research/center/program staff. Our Mission is to build local, national, and international capacities to conserve ecosystems that support fish, wildlife, and society through integrated programs in research, education and engagement.  We are committed to the integrative nature of natural resources conservation and management, with our expertise ranging from disciplinary areas with a long-standing history in the domain of fisheries and wildlife to those emerging more recently.

Commitment to Creating a Sense of Belonging

Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Anishinaabeg – Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi people. The University resides on Land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.

Michigan State University is dedicated to achieving excellence by fostering an environment that welcomes a broad range of perspectives and experiences, ensuring that all individuals have the opportunity to contribute and thrive. We are an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer. The CANR is particularly interested in candidates of all backgrounds who are committed to the principle that academic excellence is achieved through open access and proactive inclusion. 

Location: The position will be based at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI, USA. Michigan State University (MSU) is one of the top research universities in the world and home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs. MSU is a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, and scientists that provide regional, national, and international leadership in basic and applied research and excellence in teaching. In addition, consistent with its Land Grant origins, the MSU community pursues international engagement and provides strong extension programs that partner with diverse stakeholders to provide much needed research in the areas of food, energy, water and the environment. MSU enjoys a park‐like campus with outlying research facilities and natural areas. The campus is located in the city of East Lansing, adjacent to the capital city of Lansing. The Lansing metropolitan area has a diverse population of 500,000. Local communities have excellent school systems and place a high value on education. The University is proactive about its obligations under the ADA, and provides individual accessibility plans to students and employees with disabilities. Michigan State University is also proactive in exploring opportunities for employment for dual career families, both inside and outside the University, and respects all family forms. Information about MSU’s dual career support and other types of support for balancing work and personal lives at MSU can be found at http://worklife.msu.edu/

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.