Department: School of Environment and Natural Resources
Position: Water Social Science
Rank: Associate or Professor
Description:
The School of Environment and Natural Resources at The Ohio State University invites applications for a tenure-track social scientist at the associate professor or professor level. The position will be located at the Wooster campus of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC). The position is research and classroom teaching or extension education with a focus on coupling social and natural science to ensure sustainable water resources that improve agroecosystems in parallel to improving resilience to climate change. Ideal candidates will have experience leading/working in interdisciplinary research teams. The faculty member will initiate new transformative research projects with colleagues across campus and thus strengthen the university’s research on resilient and sustainable food security. Preference will be given to candidates with a demonstrated ability to model complex interactions as community systems that function at watershed or regional scales. A range of theoretical approaches and specific areas of research interest may be suitable for this position and candidates may emphasize community, organizational, or governmental-level decisions related to water resource management and related social and ecological services. This can include social relations pertaining to point and non-point source pollution, nutrient flows, and land use. Candidates who have a history of both outstanding disciplinary expertise and collaborative and interdisciplinary team research leadership, especially in programs focused on resilience and sustainability issues in food systems, are strongly encouraged to apply.
This will be a fulltime, 9-month, tenure-track appointment. This position is partially funded by OSU’s Discovery Themes Initiative (discovery.osu.edu), a significant faculty hiring investment in key thematic areas in which the university can build on its culture of academic collaboration to make a global impact. The successful candidate will join a highly collaborative transdisciplinary team of over 50 existing faculty and many external partners working toward Resilient, Sustainable and Global Food Security for Health.
In addition, the successful candidate will be located within a larger community of scholars engaged in interdisciplinary research related to water and agrecosystem management. OSU has a number of long-standing and new initiatives on water linking over 250 faculty working on water related issues. Among these are initiatives such as the Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park in the School of Environment and Natural Resources, Stone Lab in Lake Erie, the Sugar Creek Watershed Research Program near OARDC, and the Muskingum Watershed Water Quality Trading Program. The College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences has also been active in promoting the Global Water Initiative and the Field to Faucet Initiative focusing on solving the Lake Erie algal problem and other water quality issues with Ohio’s inland waters.
Salary/Support:
Salary is dependent on qualifications and experience. The Ohio State University offers one of the most comprehensive benefits packages in the nation, which includes medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; tuition authorization; paid vacation and sick leave; ten paid holidays; and State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS) or an Alternative Retirement Program. A start-up package, including discretionary funding, will be provided.
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:
The Ohio State University is committed to establishing a culturally and intellectually diverse environment, encouraging all members of our learning community to reach their full potential. We are responsive to dual-career families and strongly promote work-life balance to support our community members through a suite of institutionalized policies. We are an NSF Advance Institution and a member of the Ohio/Western Pennsylvania/West Virginia Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC).
The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, disability status, or protected veteran status. Ohio State is an NSF Advance Institution.
Qualifications:
Ph.d, and evidence of productivity and excellence in research and teaching sufficient to be appointed as an Associate Professor or Professor with tenure in the School of Environment and Natural Resources is required. Disciplinary expertise in a social science discipline that aligns with the School’s existing graduate specializations in Rural Sociology or Environmental Social Sciences. Preferred qualifications include experience developing or working in interdisciplinary research teams, and particularly in mentoring members of underrepresented groups.
Application Instructions:
The deadline for applications is August 24, 2015. Complete applications include a signed cover letter, including a statement that addresses your experience in mentoring members of underrepresented groups, and how you can help us achieve our goals, curriculum vitae, and names and contact information of three references. Submission of materials or questions may be directed to Dr. Linda Lobao at ENRFacultySearch@osu.edu.