Assistant/Associate Professor Position at Virginia Tech in Social Science & Sustainability
Marc Stern
Assistant/Associate Professor in Social Science & Sustainability
The Department of Forest Resources and Environmental
Conservation at Virginia Tech invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant
or Associate Professor position in Social Science and Sustainability. We seek a
collaborative and innovative social scientist whose work addresses the human
dimensions of sustainability with an emphasis on natural resource management,
environmental conservation, and/or environmental governance. The specific topic
of sustainability research is open, and we welcome diverse candidates whose
substantive and methodological expertise complements and strengthens our
program. This position will contribute to our department’s ongoing efforts to
integrate rigorous social science into our interdisciplinary curriculum and
research portfolio. The successful candidate must develop a productive
externally funded research program and teach undergraduate and graduate courses
in areas such as leadership for sustainability and other topics aligned with
their expertise. Individuals must have a PhD in a social science field relevant
to sustainability.
Job responsibilities will include:
Research (50%)
• Develop and maintain a robust, externally funded research program focused on
the human dimensions of sustainability.
• Engage in interdisciplinary collaboration across campus and with external
stakeholders, such as natural resource agencies, NGOs, and community
organizations.
• Advise and mentor graduate students.
Teaching (50%)
• Teach 2–3 courses per academic year relevant to the Environmental
Conservation & Society major, with a specific expectation to teach “FREC
2554 Leadership for Global Sustainability”
• Contribute to curriculum development and departmental service.
Required Qualifications
• PhD by appointment date in a social science field relevant to sustainability, natural resource management, or a closely related field.
Preferred Qualifications
• Demonstrated commitment to or excellence in teaching or
designing courses related to environmental sustainability at the undergraduate
and graduate levels.
• Demonstrated potential for, or success in, securing external funding to
support research.
• A record of high-quality research and publication in relevant fields.
• Methodological expertise that complements existing departmental strengths and
enhances opportunities for interdisciplinary research and external funding.
Relevant expertise may include quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods,
computational, spatial, participatory, or other rigorous social science
approaches.
• Ability to work across disciplinary and methodological boundaries.
Salary Information
$85k - $95k (Asst. Prof. rank), or $115k - $125K (Assoc. Prof. rank)
Review Date
10/15/2026
Additional Information
This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship.
The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
About the Department of Forest Resources and
Environmental Conservation
The Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia
Tech is one of the top forestry, natural resource management, and conservation
programs in the United States. Our vision, mission, and values statements can
be found here: https://frec.vt.edu/vision_mission_values.html.
We are an inclusive and collaborative department that values knowledge and
innovation; ethics and integrity; diversity and inclusivity; opportunity and
affordability; and sustainability. Our exceptional education, research, and
outreach programs are diverse and approach critical natural resource issues
from many perspectives. The department offers master's and doctoral programs,
as well as five undergraduate majors: environmental conservation and society,
environmental data science, environmental resource management, forestry, and
water resources policy and management. Faculty research areas of focus include
forest biometrics, modeling, and remote sensing; forest biology, physiology,
and genomics; ecology, silviculture, and wildland fire; hydrology, soils, and
watershed management; forest management, operations, and business; resource
economics and policy; human dimensions of natural resources and sustainability;
environmental education, interpretation, and communication; and urban forestry.
Department faculty also are engaged with industrial cooperatives, as well as
extension and outreach efforts such as landowner education, SHARP logger,
Master Naturalist, learning networks focused on environmental education and
interpretation, and geospatial education programs.
About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.
Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
For Inquiries:
Questions regarding the position or application process may be directed to the
Search Committee Chair, Dr. Marc J. Stern, at mjs...@vt.edu
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Ingrid Skenderian, FREC, Bus. Manager & HR Professional at sing...@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
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