Assistant or Associate Professor - Wildlife Ecology & Management

Overview

The Department of Wildland Resources at Utah State University seeks applicants for a full-time, nine-month tenure track faculty position as an Assistant or Associate Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Management. We seek a scholar dedicated to educating undergraduate students in wildlife science and related natural resource fields. The position will be 70% teaching, 20% research, and 10% service, and will be located at Utah State University’s Uintah Basin Campus in Vernal, Utah. The anticipated (negotiable) start date is August 1, 2027.

Applications received by the initial screening date of November 1, 2026 will receive priority consideration; the position will remain open until filled.

Potential applicants with specific questions are welcome to contact the search committee chair, James Taylor at [email protected].

The incumbent will be a member of USU’s Department of Wildland Resources (WILD), which is part of the S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources. WILD is home to the Berryman Institute, which is dedicated to improving human-wildlife interactions, and is the administrative home of the Utah USGS Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit. The department collaborates closely with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the USDA-APHIS National Wildlife Research Center’s Utah Station, USU’s Ecology Center, and other agencies and organizations.

Responsibilities

The incumbent will teach a variety of wildlife science courses. Courses taught are expected to be mostly at the undergraduate level, but graduate courses may occasionally be needed. Courses may be taught face-to-face, online, broadcast, or in a hybrid format. Courses will primarily serve students living and working in the Uintah Basin campus, but some courses will also serve students at USU’s main campus in Logan. The candidate will coordinate course offerings with faculty at the USU Eastern campus in Price, Utah, where our Wildlife Ecology & Management degree is also offered. If desired, it may be possible to teach classes in the summer for additional compensation.

• The successful candidate will serve as one of the department's representatives at the Uintah Basin Regional Campus, teaching, coordinating, and advocating for our Wildlife Ecology & Management major and Wildlife Science minor, while also contributing to our other programs as needed.
• Mentor and advise undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds.
• Interact with administrators, faculty, staff, and others at their home campus in Vernal, with our faculty member at USU Eastern in Price, and at the main campus in Logan to continue our established and successful program by coordinating the provision of courses needed by local students and coordinating the financial, scholarship, and other resources available for the wildlife program and other programs in the Uintah Basin.
• Maintain and cultivate existing contacts with local offices of land management agencies such as the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, for enrichment activities like field trips for students, for possible internships while the students are in school, and eventually for career positions for graduates.
• The candidate may supervise grants and contracts, advise graduate students, and serve on graduate student committees.

Research opportunities exist, particularly by working with the local land management agencies and during the summer. 

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in a wildlife-related field; individuals will be considered to have met this requirement if they have successfully defended their dissertation, with just editorial work remaining

• Evidence of successful college or university teaching experience

• Demonstrated ability to articulate natural resource science within and outside the classroom to diverse audiences

Preferred Qualifications:

Preference will be given to those candidates who:

• Have prepared and taught entire courses on their own

• Possess teaching experience using more than one delivery method

• Demonstrate the ability to work productively with land management agencies and various stakeholder groups

• Have postdoctoral experience, especially with teaching experience included

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”

Three professional references with contact information to be typed at the beginning of the application 

These documents will be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-10”

Cover Letter

A statement of teaching philosophy

University transcript(s)

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary

Commensurate with experience, plus excellent benefits

ADA

Employees typically work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes.  

University Highlights

As Utah’s student-centered, land-grant research university, Utah State University expands opportunity and strengthens communities across the state through learning, discovery, extension, and engagement. Founded in 1888, USU now holds two Carnegie distinctions: R1 status for very high research activity and the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. Its innovative research and scholarship is grounded in reciprocal partnerships with local, regional, and global communities, advancing knowledge and serving the public good across Utah, the nation, and the world. With over 50 world-class research facilities and the nation’s second-oldest undergraduate research program, USU prepares students to become active, civically engaged leaders who can address critical societal challenges.

USU enrolls over 29,800 students, both online and in person at locations throughout the state. Utah State’s 30 locations include a main campus in Logan, Utah, residential campuses in Price and Blanding, and six additional statewide campuses, along with education centers serving every county. USU educates students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. For over 100 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns, serving every county in the state.

Competing at the NCAA Division I level in 16 sports, USU is a proud member of the Pac-12 Conference, which it joined July 1, 2026. The Aggies capped a historic final season in the Mountain West by capturing nine combined regular-season and tournament titles in 2025-26, with five teams advancing to postseason play. This tradition of excellence extends to the classroom, where 232 student-athletes earned academic honors, and to the community, where USU ranked second nationally in Division I service hours, with nine teams placing in the top 10 for community service.

Utah State is dedicated to fostering a community where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported and where diversity of thought and culture are cultivated. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when it named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU.

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and a reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at 435-797-0122 or [email protected].

*updated 10/26

Notice of Non-discrimination

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

Utah State University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination including harassment in employment including in hiring, promotion, transfer, or termination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy or any other federal, state, or local law.

Utah State University does not discriminate in its housing offerings and will treat all persons fairly and equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, familial status, disability, national origin, source of income, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Additionally, the University endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations when necessary and to ensure equal access to qualified persons with disabilities.

In all circumstances, Utah State University follows state and federal laws related to sex-segregated spaces.

The following office has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Civil Rights & Title IX Office

Old Main Room 405

1475 Old Main Hill, Logan UT 84322

[email protected]

(435) 797-1266

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit crtix.usu.edu or contact:

U.S. Department of Education

Denver Regional Office

303-844-5695| [email protected]

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

800-421-3481 |  [email protected]

*updated 08/2026