[MFCES Homepage photo]

The W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation (FCFC) at the University of Montana welcomes applications from qualified candidates to serve as Associate Director of the Montana Forest and Conservation Experiment Station (MFCES).  This position will report to the Dean of FCFC, who also serves as the MFCES Director. The Associate Director will be responsible for overseeing the operations, growth and future success of the MFCES and its mission, including the two flagship properties. 

UM is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of qualified people who would assist the University in demonstrating its five PRIORITIES FOR ACTION: Place student success at the center of all we do; drive excellence and innovation in teaching, learning, and research; embody the principle of “mission first, people always"; partner with place; and proudly tell the UM story.

The new Associate Director will join FCFC and the MFCES at a key time. The college is experiencing strong student interest and broad research success, but the MFCES properties need to move towards stronger integration with and support of this education and research mission.  The MFCES properties must also develop more diverse and stable funding models to ensure their long-term success and ability to support the central mission.  Multiple opportunities to do so exist, including the MFCES recently reaching an agreement to enter the Carbon Cap and Trade Program of the California Air Resources Board.  This agreement will provide new resources to the MFCES, along with the responsibility to meet the carbon storage requirements of the program, and a chance to leverage that responsibility into a range of research and education opportunities. 

The primary role of this position is to oversee and ensure the success of the MFCES, but candidates with interests in supporting the MFCES mission through their own research program and teaching / student mentoring activities are welcomed.  As a Research Professor, the successful candidate will have the ability to supervise graduate students in FCFC, and to contribute to the research and teaching mission of the college.

POSITION DETAILS

• Position is full-time, 1.0 FTE, Research Faculty (Non-Tenurable); and includes a comprehensive and competitive BENEFITS PACKAGE including insurance, mandatory retirement plan, partial tuition waiver, and wellness program.
• Salary for this position is competitive commensurate with experience and qualifications.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND SKILLS

• Ph.D. in forestry, ecology, ecosystem sciences, geography, or a related discipline.
• Competitive candidates will be systems thinkers with broad experience and expertise across forest and rangeland ecology and/or related fields;
• Demonstrated record of research excellence, especially amidst diverse and interdisciplinary teams;
• Experience in working with experimental properties, such as field stations, experimental forests and/or Long-Term Ecological Research sites;
• Have the desire and ability to facilitate the research and education success of FCFC faculty, students, and their collaborators;
• Capable of overseeing and making informed decisions around multiple uses of the properties, including timber harvesting, grazing leases, hunting, outdoor recreation, and hospitality, all while keeping a primary focus on the central research and education mission;
• Strong budgetary and staff management skills, as the A.D. will oversee the MFCES budget and supervise the staff members who support the two experimental properties;
• Display a compelling vision for the future of the MFCES and its properties, and the ability to seek and facilitate a diverse set of partnerships and funding opportunities;

About the Montana Forest and Conservation Experiment Station and UM

Founded in 1937, the MFCES is the statewide agency research unit of FCFC, and provides base funding for a diverse and active research program at the college which addresses resource management and conservation issues of concern to Montana, the Intermountain West, and more broadly. The MFCES owns and manages two properties, Lubrecht Experimental Forest and Bandy Experimental Ranch.  Both properties lie within the Blackfoot River Watershed and are actively managed for timber and grazing, but have a core mission of supporting research and education goals for the college, university and other stakeholders. Additional information on FCFC, the MFCES and its properties may be found here.

The University of Montana is a unit of the Montana University System with over 10,000 students. It is located in Missoula, a culturally vibrant community of about 72,000, surrounded by mountain grandeur which was recently ranked in the “top 20 best college towns with a population of less than 250,000” by the American Institute for Economic Research and ranked 9th in Outside Magazine’s “The 16 Greatest Places to Live in America” in 2014. Many national publications recognize Missoula for its high quality of life. Abundant recreational opportunities in surrounding state and national forests and nearby Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park complement a thriving intellectual atmosphere.  The University of Montana offers eligible employees a generous benefits package that positively separates UM from other local employers and offers many programs and policies to support work-life balance for its employees.

The University of Montana is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of qualified people who would assist the University in demonstrating its five PRIORITIES FOR ACTION: Place student success at the center of all we do; drive excellence and innovation in teaching, learning, and research; embody the principle of “mission first, people always"; partner with place; and proudly tell the UM story.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA, MISSOULA, AND THE STATE OF MONTANA, PLEASE VISIT THE LINKS BELOW.

University of Montana

• Video: UM Lifestyles
• University Highlights

City of Missoula

• Video: There's This Place
• Destination Missoula
• Missoula Area Chamber of Commerce

The State of Montana

• Visit Montana

HOW TO APPLY

PRIORITY APPLICATION DATE:  JUNE 30, 2021 by 11:59 PM (Mountain Time)

Application review will begin after the date above and continue until the position is filled. 

Please submit the following application materials via "New Resume/CV" button below. 

*Please note: only five (5) attachments are allowed per application. Please combine documents accordingly.

• LETTER OF INTEREST addressing the stated required skills for the position
• DETAILED RESUME listing education and describing work experience
• Names and contact information for THREE (3) PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES
• Copy of 3 relevant publications
• Copies of unofficial transcripts to be submitted at the time of hire

Need additional help? Check out our UM JOBS FAQ WEBSITE.

Required Skills Required Experience