Social-Ecological Systems Scientist - Tenure-Track, Assistant or Associate Professor

Social-Ecological Systems Scientist
Tenure-Track, Assistant or Associate Professor
Department of Natural Resources and the Environment
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853

START DATE: January 2022 or as negotiated

POSITION DESCRIPTION: We invite applications for a 9-month, tenure-track position in the area of social-ecological systems analysis, at the level of Assistant/Associate Professor. The position will be 50% research and 50% teaching (2.5 courses per academic year).

The successful candidate will establish an internationally recognized, externally funded research program that advances theory and practice related to social-ecological systems analysis concepts, methods, and applications. We value scholarship that addresses multiple scales of environmental change and embraces the dynamic intersections of social and ecological systems. The successful candidate’s research and teaching could focus on multiple spatio-temporal scales and methods, but we place particular emphasis on large-scale – regional, national, global -– analyses and quantitative approaches. We seek applicants working at the intersection of social and ecological research. Relevant problem domains include but are not limited to land use, water resources, biodiversity conservation, energy, infrastructure, climate change, and the environment-health nexus. This faculty position will enhance the alignment of the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (https://dnr.cals.cornell.edu/) with the goals of the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability (https://www.atkinson.cornell.edu) and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Contributions to undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentorship are expected. The position will strengthen the popular cross-college Environment and Sustainability (E&S) undergraduate major (https://environment.cornell.edu/). The successful applicant will be eligible to supervise graduate students in multiple programs appropriate to the candidate's expertise, crossing departmental and disciplinary boundaries.

QUALIFICATIONS: A PhD is required at the time of appointment. We encourage applications from exceptional social scientists and natural scientists who work at the intersection of social and ecological systems. Applicants should demonstrate capacity to apply and develop a suite of analytical methods and problem definitions that advance understanding of large-scale social-ecological systems dynamics. Interest and ability to teach social-ecological systems theory and associated quantitative methods and applications at undergraduate and graduate levels are required. The Department of Natural Resources & the Environment particularly seeks applicants whose record in research, teaching, and service prepares them to support and contribute to a vibrant culture of inclusive excellence at Cornell.

SALARY/BENEFITS: Competitive salary and start-up funding will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. An attractive fringe benefit package is included.

APPLICATIONS: Candidates should submit application materials via https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/18546 by providing a cover letter briefly summarizing their background, vision, and relevant qualifications; curriculum vitae; contact information for three references; a research statement; a teaching statement outlining experience, philosophy, and interests; statement of contribution to diversity, equity and inclusion; and pdfs of three representative publications. Inquiries can be directed to Search Committee Chair, Steven Wolf (saw44@cornell.edu). Review of applications will begin 7/15/21 and continue until the position is filled.

The Department of Natural Resources and the Environment is in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is a pioneer of purpose-driven science and home to Cornell University’s second largest population of students, faculty and staff. We work across disciplines to tackle the challenges of our time through world-renowned research, education and outreach. The questions we probe and the answers we seek focus on three overlapping concerns: natural and human systems; food, energy and environmental resources; and social, physical and economic well-being. CALS is fundamentally invested in improving the lives of people, their environments and their communities both in New York state and around the world.

Cornell University seeks to meet the needs of dual career couples, has a Dual Career program, and is a member of the Upstate New York Higher Education Recruitment Consortium to assist with dual career searches. Visit http://www.unyherc.org to see positions available in higher education in the upstate New York area.

The new faculty member will join a collaborative, interdisciplinary community on the main campus in Ithaca, New York. Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery and engagement.

Cornell's global presence includes the medical college's campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the Cornell Tech campus to be built on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

The Cornell community embraces diversity and inclusion. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. We value AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities, and seek candidates who will create a climate that attracts persons of all races, ethnicities and genders. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations.