Assistant Professor of Professional Practice in Urban Forestry
Ohio State University
Assistant Professor of Professional Practice in Urban Forestry
Ohio State University
Public research university in Columbus, OH
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Position Description
Our aim is to recruit, support, and retain an educator and practitioner who will advance urban forestry education, practice, and engagement across Ohio and beyond. We welcome applicants with expertise in urban forestry, including community and municipal forestry, urban forest planning and management, arboriculture, tree health and risk assessment, urban ecosystem services, green infrastructure, and the role of trees and greenspaces in supporting healthy, sustainable communities. We strongly encourage applications from individuals whose professional work reflects a commitment to preparing the next generation of urban forestry professionals and strengthening connections among people, trees, and communities.
The successful candidate will contribute to teaching (50%), extension and outreach (40%), and service (10%) in areas related to urban forestry practice and planning, arboriculture, urban forest assessment and management, community engagement, and professional workforce development. The position is designed to advance OSU’s land-grant mission through excellence in teaching, student mentoring, partnership and engagement with public agencies, nonprofit organizations, industry partners, and community stakeholders across Ohio.
Teaching and Non-Classroom Instructional Responsibilities (50%)
The successful candidate is expected to teach approximately three courses per academic year. Teaching responsibilities will include:
The successful candidate will develop innovative, experiential, and field-based learning opportunities that connect students with urban forestry professionals, organizations, and communities. Courses – particularly those to be developed – should integrate contemporary tools and technologies appropriate to professional practice, including urban forest inventories, GIS, canopy assessment, and related decision-support approaches.
The incumbent will be an integral member of the School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR), advising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students pursuing careers in urban forestry and related environmental and natural resource professions. The successful candidate will also support student internships, capstone projects, professional certifications, and career placement activities.
Extension and Outreach Responsibilities (40%)
This position includes a 40% extension appointment, and extension and outreach expectations are commensurate with that level of effort. The successful candidate will develop and deliver a coordinated extension and outreach program in urban forestry that addresses the needs of public agencies, nonprofit organizations, industry partners, and community stakeholders across Ohio.
This work will be conducted in collaboration with Extension professionals within SENR, across CFAES, and throughout OSU Extension, as appropriate. Activities may include educational programming, technical assistance, professional training, workshops, and stakeholder engagement. Potential stakeholder groups include city and county governments, park districts, utilities, consulting firms, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and forestry and natural resource professionals.
The extension program is expected to be practical, collaborative, and responsive to stakeholder needs while supporting workforce development and advancing urban forestry initiatives consistent with the land-grant mission of the college and university.
Service (10%)
This position includes a 10% service appointment, with expectations commensurate with those of all faculty in SENR. The successful candidate will provide service to SENR, CFAES, and Ohio State through participation in committees, faculty governance activities, and related service contributions. The incumbent will also be expected to engage in professional service through relevant professional societies, certification programs, and urban forestry organizations.
Research Expectations
This position has no formal research requirement for promotion. However, the incumbent is not precluded from engaging in applied scholarship, demonstration projects, or other professional activities that complement teaching, Extension programming, stakeholder engagement, or workforce development goals.
Performance Objectives
1. Teaching & Curriculum: Teach and continuously improve courses that support urban forestry education and workforce development, including two courses to be developed with consultation of our forestry faculty, and one additional course to be determined based on programmatic needs and faculty expertise.
2. Experiential Learning: Create and expand experiential, field-based, and community-engaged learning opportunities that prepare students for careers in urban forestry and related professions.
3. Student Advising: Advise and mentor undergraduate and graduate students consistent with SENR and CFAES expectations.
4. Inclusive Learning Environments: Cultivate supportive and inclusive learning environments that promote student engagement, belonging, and success.
5. Curricular Leadership: Provide leadership in the development and growth of urban forestry education and contribute to programs that meet state, regional, and national workforce needs.
6. Outreach & Extension Program Development: Develop and deliver impactful extension and outreach programming that meets the needs of public agencies, nonprofit organizations, industry partners, and community stakeholders across Ohio.
7. Extension Collaboration: Collaborate with Extension professionals within SENR, CFAES, and OSU Extension to share evidence-based and practice-oriented knowledge related to urban forestry.
8. Service: Serve SENR, CFAES, the university, and the urban forestry profession through committee work and other service activities.
9. Collaborative Engagement: Build and maintain partnerships with municipalities, park districts, state agencies, utility companies, consulting firms, nonprofit organizations, and community stakeholders to advance urban forestry education and practice.
Education and Experience Requirements
Required:
Desired (though not required):
How to Apply
To be considered, please submit your application electronically via Workday. Application materials should be compiled into one PDF and include the following documentation in this order:
Required:
Initial consideration will be given to applications received by Monday November 30th, 2026. Review of applications will continue until the position has been filled. We welcome informal inquiries, which can be made by contacting Search Committee Chair Dr. Alia Dietsch at [email protected].
Department/School Information
Since its inception in 1968, the School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR) has evolved and changed to meet the changing needs and demands of society, students, and the various natural resource professions. SENR has become more of an interdisciplinary program that addresses the natural resources sciences for the well-being of society and the biosphere. The School’s foundation is its interdisciplinarity, coupling the natural sciences with the social sciences and human dimensions of sustainable natural resources management for the well-being of people and society.
The School’s vision is a productive society in harmony with a sustainable and healthy environment. SENR will be guided by the enduring vision of a productive society whose use of its resources is in harmony with an environment that is sustainably managed with a deeply held stewardship ethic.
The mission of SENR is to enhance and impart knowledge of natural and social systems and their essential relationships in the context of natural resource use and management and to continuously improve the academic strength of the School through effective teaching, including extension teaching, sound research, and hiring the best possible faculty. Subsequently, the School’s overarching goals are to 1) provide leadership, 2) educate students and the public, and 3) generate new knowledge through research and integrate new and existing knowledge/data sets in order for individuals and society to utilize and manage natural resources in an environmentally compatible and socially acceptable manner.
These goals are achieved through the development and application of science- and research-based management strategies, practices, and policies. These goals are also achieved by hiring high quality faculty who execute effective scholarship in all its forms for a variety of disciplines and programs that integrate the natural and social sciences. The School provides the academic home where natural sciences and social sciences are brought together to address these goals.
The College
The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) anchors its mission in a simple, yet powerful phrase: We Sustain Life. Faculty, staff and students alike contribute to this mission in a variety of ways. Our Strategic Alignment outlines the colleges values. These values, which align with the university’s Shared Values, shape our goals of our Strategic Alignment. We are committed to scholarship across three mission areas (teaching, research, Extension) with a commitment to serving our state in addition to the country and world. As a land grant, we are part of a cooperative structure that includes key partners all dedicated to integrating research, education, and Extension to improve the food and agricultural sectors, the environment, and the quality of people’s lives. We educate not just undergraduate and graduate students but learners across the lifespan. We work to ensure groundbreaking scientific discoveries are brought out of the laboratory and into the hands of those who can put them to work.
CFAES houses 11 departments/schools with over 20 undergraduate majors and 9 graduate programs, including 3 interdisciplinary programs affiliated with multiple Ohio State colleges. We also administer OSU Extension, which provides robust and relevant programming to Ohioans and beyond in the areas of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H Youth Development, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Community Development. We are one college spanning three campuses: Columbus, CFAES Wooster, and Statewide. Our CFAES Wooster campus includes a large research station and Ohio State’s only two-year academic unit, Ohio State ATI. The Statewide campus includes 11 research stations and Extension offices in all of Ohio’s 88 counties. Our At a Glance provides additional information regarding our size, capacity, and impact as a college.
The University
Ohio State is a top-20 public university, and its Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is one of America’s leading academic health centers. Eligible Ohio State employees receive comprehensive benefits packages, including medical, dental and vision insurance, tuition assistance for employees and their dependents, and state or alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions.
Grounded in Ohio State University’s Shared Values, our university community welcomes differences, encourages open-minded exploration and courageous thinking, and upholds freedom of expression.
Ohio State is a dynamic community where opportunity thrives, and individuals transform themselves and their world. Positions are available in countless fields and specialties. Become a Buckeye and contribute to an incredible legacy that serves to guide our future and shape a better tomorrow.
The Ohio State University is committed to enhancing academic excellence. Recruiting, supporting, and retaining faculty of the highest caliber is a core component of this commitment. The Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) has established central resources to focus on offering support to new and prospective faculty and their loved ones. Service offerings include dual career partner consultation, potential employer and/or employment opportunity identification, consultation and resources related to relocation, as well as identifying opportunities to engage on campus and in the surrounding community. While employment opportunities are not guaranteed, resources and consultation are available. More information about dual career and faculty recruitment can be found here.
In addition to being responsive to dual-career opportunities, we strongly promote work-life balance to support our community members through a suite of institutionalized policies. Ohio State is a member of the Michigan, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania & West Virginia HERC.
Located in Ohio’s capital city, Ohio State’s Columbus campus is near the center of a rapidly growing and diverse metropolitan area with a population of over 1.5 million. The area offers a wide range of affordable housing, many cultural and recreational opportunities, excellent schools, and a strong economy based on government as well as service, transportation, and technology industries. Additional information about the Columbus area is available here. In addition to its Columbus campus, Ohio State has four regional campuses including Ohio State Lima, Ohio State Mansfield, Ohio State Marion, and Ohio State Newark, in addition to CFAES Wooster Campus, which houses Ohio State ATI.
The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.
Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. Additionally, there may be further requirements specific to the college or unit, which could include drug and health screenings, as well as faculty misconduct checks depending on the rank of the position.
The Ohio State University believes in diversity in people and ideas. What Ohio State does matters. And how we do it matters. When we are at our best, we make a real difference to people. Our size, breadth, geography, history and standard of excellence position us to drive the future of higher education. We believe that the university should be a place where people can work and learn together in a safe environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. As such, finalists for any faculty position that carries tenure must sign an authorization and disclosure form, which will allow current or prior employer(s) to share information to the University regarding any findings of employment-related misconduct or disciplinary proceedings against a candidate and/or any pending investigations related to alleged misconduct. Such information shall include findings and pending investigations with respect to sexual harassment, violence, or harassment; research misconduct; financial fraud or misconduct; foreign influence violations, grant misuse or misconduct; and/or any other type of finding or pending investigation relating to a candidate’s employer’s policies and rules governing faculty conduct that may reasonably be expected to affect a candidate’s appointment. If the University becomes aware of any past finding of misconduct or pending investigations that were not disclosed, Ohio State will treat that as a serious omission and reserves the right to rescind an offer or terminate employment.
Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.
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The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.
Public research university in Columbus, OH
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