Director TERP & Assistant Professor- Plant Transformation (Tree and Ecosystem Restoration Cluster) - College of Environmental Science and Forestry - College of Environmental Science and Forestry : Job Details

Job Description:

DIRECTOR OF TERP & PART-TIME ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF FOREST BIOTECHNOLOGY

AS PART OF TREE and ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION PROGRAM CLUSTER

The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) in Syracuse, NY is building a faculty cluster in the Tree and Ecosystem Restoration Program (TERP). This cluster will enhance SUNY ESF's leadership role in addressing tree and ecosystem restoration at state, national and international levels. We are hiring five tenure-track positions in three departments: Forest Biotechnologist & Director of TERP, Plant Tissue Culture and Transformation Biologist, and Restoration Ecologist in the Department of Environmental Biology; Plant Biochemist in the Department of Chemistry; and Arboriculturist/Urban Forester in the Department of Sustainable Resource Management. Successful candidates are expected to participate actively in this interdisciplinary cluster initiative. Full details on this cluster hire are available at www.esf.edu/HR/clusterhire.

We invite applications for a half-time, calendar-year (12 mo) tenure-track position as Assistant Professor of Forest Biotechnology and Director of the College's Tree and Ecosystem Restoration Program (TERP), an expansion of the American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project ( ). The remaining 50% of the position will be covered by extramural funding currently established and continuing extramural support obtained by the Director. The Director's primary duties will be to manage the American Chestnut Research and Restoration Program established by the NY State Senate (Bill #5470, June 11, 1997) and its expansion into the TERP. This position will manage current spin-off tree restoration programs for the American elm, the Ozark Chinquapin, the Tree Restoration Center, and consolidate them under TERP. This position will direct new proposals for extramural funding through the College Foundation and the Research Foundation at ESF and oversee management their budgets, supply and equipment orders, lab space, and hiring, with the help of project staff. The position will also manage USDA APHIS field permits and U.S. regulatory reviews by the USDA APHIS BRS, EPA, and FDA. The position will direct and mentor visiting scientists, post-doctoral fellows, research and administrative staff, graduate students, undergraduate students, high school interns, and public volunteers working in the program. This position will be the main contact for collaborations with other universities, NGOs, and businesses. This position will teach one graduate seminar per year of their choice, such as the current Presenting Research to the Public . A strong interest in collaborative research within TERP, the faculty in Environmental Biology, within ESF, and with other institutions is expected.

Responsibilities: The workload for this half-time position is 90% managing TERP, research, and scholarship, 10% teaching and service. Specific research, teaching, and service responsibilities include: 1) Manage TERP, 2) secure extramural research funding and publish in high impact journals, 3) mentor graduate student research, 4) teach a graduate seminar/course in the candidate's area of expertise, 5) advise undergraduate students in Plant Biotechnology and related majors, and 6) service to the department, college, professional societies, and governmental/non-governmental partners.

Starting Salary:

commensurate with experience.

Requirements:

Required Qualifications:

* PhD in plant biotechnology, or related area of biology

* Experience with USDA APHIS field permits for transgenic plants

* Experience writing, submitting, and shepherding regulatory petitions through the USDA APHIS BRS, EPA, and FDA regulatory processes

* Record of publication in plant biotechnology

* Demonstrated management skills

* Demonstrated ability to communicate science effectively to both the public and science communities

Preferred Qualifications:

* Direct experience with tree species, such as the American chestnut, American elm, or others.

* Postdoctoral or professional research experience plant biotechnology

Additional Information:

The Department, College, and broader Community: The successful candidate will join the faculty of the Department of Environmental Biology (www.esf.edu/efb/), which is also home to the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment (www.esf.edu/nativepeoples/), the American Chestnut Research and Restoration Program ( and the historic Roosevelt Wild Life Station (www.esf.edu/rwls/). We seek to recruit and retain a diverse workforce to sustain program excellence and offer varied disciplines, perspectives, and ways of knowing. The Department hosts the oldest, and today one of the largest, combined programs in Fisheries, Wildlife Science, and Conservation Biology in the nation.

ESF is a specialized PhD-granting college within the 64-campus SUNY system, and is a Carnegie R2 High Research Activity Institution that consistently earns high rankings in US News and World Report, Forbes, Princeton Review, and other national college guidebooks. With a total enrollment of about 2,200 undergraduates and 400 graduate students, ESF provides an intimate small-college atmosphere while its immediate proximity to Syracuse University and Upstate Medical University fosters a vibrant, diverse, large-university setting. ESF's more than 25,000 acres of forest properties, both close to Syracuse and across the Adirondack Park, provide numerous opportunities for experiential coursework and research.

The college is located in Syracuse, New York, a dynamic and diverse community with plentiful natural, cultural, and civic opportunities. The Places Rated Almanac ranks Syracuse among the top 10 percent of Best Places to Live. Located on the eastern edge of the Finger Lakes, Syracuse is within a five-hour drive of New York City, Toronto, and the High Peaks Region of the Adirondack Mountains. SUNY-ESF is one of eight colleges and universities located in Onondaga County. The Syracuse University campus is immediately adjacent to SUNY-ESF, and SUNY Upstate Medical University is located within easy walking distance.

The SUNY-ESF campus provides a rich array of curricular and co-curricular experiences with our main Syracuse campus just southeast of downtown Syracuse and our regional campuses stretching from southern Onondaga County to the Adirondacks. The Syracuse area, home to our main campus, is home to many cultural events, museums, state and local parks and numerous festivals throughout the year along with a growing downtown in the city of Syracuse. Onondaga County provides a variety of neighborhoods that include urban, rural and suburban with strong schools, affordable housing and supportive communities.

In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act institutions of higher education are required to prepare an annual report containing information on campus security policies and campus statistics. This report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on-campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by SUNY-ESF; and on property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a printed copy of this report by contacting SUNY-ESF University Police at 315-###-#### or by accessing the following web site:

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor's Office of Employee Relations at (518) ###-#### or via email at [email protected].

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is committed to creating and sustaining a diverse community that promotes equity and inclusion for all its members. Diversity that arises from differences such as, but not limited to, gender, race, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, national origin, or religious traditions is central and indispensable to the institutional excellence and mission of the College.

ESF is actively recruiting diverse faculty of all backgrounds. In efforts and our commitment to the goal of building a diverse workforce we are participating in PRODiG. PRODiG ( Promoting Recruitment, Opportunity, Diversity, Inclusion and Growth ) aims to increase the representation of historically underrepresented faculty at SUNY including underrepresented minority ( URM ) faculty in general and women faculty of all races in STEM fields ( WSTEM ).

SUNY ESF is a Smoke and Tobacco Free campus and is dedicated to providing a healthy and safe environment for the entire campus. For more information you can visit our Tobacco and Smoke Free Policy at Tobacco Free.pdf

SUNY-ESF is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Application Instructions:

Application Procedure: Applications should include: 1) a cover letter summarizing your interest and qualifications, 2) a curriculum vitae with contact information (name, institution, email, phone, and address) for a minimum of three references who have agreed to send letters of recommendation when needed, 3) a statement of plans to foster diversity and inclusion through teaching, research, and service, 4) a statement of research interests and vision, and 5) a statement of teaching philosophy and vision. The diversity, teaching, and research statements should not exceed 2 pages each, and we welcome statements demonstrating integrative and collaborative approaches that complement departmental strengths. The entire application should be compiled as a single pdf document (not exceeding 10 MB). Questions about the application process and document submission should be directed to [email protected]. Questions about the position and the Department of Environmental Biology should be directed to Dr. Greg McGee, Search Committee Chair at [email protected].

Application Deadline: To ensure optimal consideration, all application materials must be received by October 1, 2023 although this position will remain open until filled.