Position Opening: Sustainable Food Systems
School of Natural Resources and Environment – University of Michigan

The School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE) at the University of Michigan
(UM) seeks applicants to fill a tenure-track position at the assistant professor level.

Review of applications will begin on October 1, 2014. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Campus visits are expected to occur in November and December 2014. The position is expected to begin by September 1, 2015.

The position is part of a cluster of hires in the area of sustainable food systems, which brings together a number of faculty from the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) within the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, the School of Public Health, the Department of Urban and Regional Planning within the A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and SNRE in a cross-disciplinary teaching and research effort. This group is intended to broaden and deepen the university’s commitment to research and teaching in the area of sustainable food systems.

SNRE’s mission is to contribute to the protection of the Earth’s resources and the achievement of a sustainable society. The School contributes new scientific knowledge, visionary leadership, and trained professionals toward that end. The faculty of the School is diverse, with natural scientists, social scientists, engineers, and designers working collectively in an integrative setting. A professional school set within a major research university, SNRE provides a model of interdisciplinary and applied research and a focal point for research and teaching on sustainability.

The School offers a PhD in Natural Resources and Environment, a professional MS degree in six fields of study (conservation ecology; environmental informatics; sustainable systems; environmental policy and planning; behavior, education and communication; and environmental justice); and a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture (MLA). The student body includes over 350 MS/MLA and 60 doctoral students. SNRE also participates in multiple cross-campus degree programs, including: an undergraduate Program in the Environment degree, which includes a minor in sustainability; and dual degrees with the Schools of Architecture and Urban Planning, Business, Engineering, Law, and Public Health. SNRE also offers several graduate certificate programs. Additional information about the School can be found at www.snre.umich.edu.

The position focuses broadly on social science aspects of sustainability in the food system from production to consumption, with either an international or a domestic focus. Applicants should demonstrate the potential to conduct high-impact research within the context of sustainable food systems. Areas of interest could include, but are not limited to topics such as alternative food systems, community-supported agriculture, emergency food systems, industrial food systems, sustainability and resilience of agroecosystems; ecosystem services within agricultural landscapes; urban farming; freshwater or seafood aquaculture; environmental considerations associated with urban gardens and local food systems versus regional or international scale food distribution systems; the links between agriculture and food sovereignty or food security; water or nutrient concerns related to agriculture; supply chains; or value chains. Applicants’ substantive training and expertise may be in any field relevant to food systems, including philosophy, economics, sociology, rural sociology, human geography, political ecology, political science, public policy, urban planning, natural resources, sustainability science, agriculture, and related disciplines.

In addition to disciplinary depth, we seek candidates with experience, skills, and interest in integrating knowledge from multiple domains. Candidates should consequently possess the broad interests, skills, and temperament to interact effectively and build collaborations with other researchers, within SNRE and elsewhere.

The successful candidate will be expected to:
Develop a nationally recognized research program that attracts external funding and contributes to the interdisciplinary problem-focused mission of SNRE;
Teach, mentor and supervise highly motivated doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate students;
Collaborate with interdisciplinary faculty within SNRE and across the university; and
Contribute through service to the stewardship of SNRE, the University of Michigan, and relevant professions.

The position is a regular full time, nine-month faculty position and will be filled at the assistant professor (tenure-track) level. A PhD in a relevant discipline or interdisciplinary program is required by the time of hire, and postdoctoral and teaching experience is preferred.

Applications, including a cover letter, CV, and concise personal statements describing the candidate’s vision and plans for research and teaching, should be submitted in a single PDF file. Three letters of reference are also required under separate cover.

To apply, submit application materials via the following web address:
http://snre.umich.edu/form/application_sustainable_food_systems.