Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Society and Conservation

The Department of Society and Conservation in the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation at the University of Montana invites applications for an Assistant Teaching Professor (non-tenure track) to join our dynamic and interdisciplinary social science faculty. We encourage applications from individuals who are passionate about undergraduate education and dedicated to high-impact teaching practices and experiential learning. We also encourage applicants who can leverage their professional experiences in the classroom and connect students to career pathways.

The successful candidate will teach undergraduate courses in environmental and natural resource social science, primarily serving students in two undergraduate programs: (1) Parks, Tourism, and Recreation Management; and (2) Environmental Science and Sustainability. Teaching responsibilities will include introductory courses and more specialized upper-division courses in the following areas: outdoor recreation management, environment and society, nature-based tourism, and human geography. Responsibilities may include field trips and field courses, internships, and first-year seminars. Specific courses will be decided based on the needs of programs across the college and the background of the successful applicant. The expected course load is up to three courses per semester.

This position’s primary responsibility is to the College’s undergraduate instructional mission. The 1.0 FTE consists of 0.9 for instruction and 0.10 for service to programs, college, and/or university service, as well as community and/or professional activities. There is no expectation of a research program as stated within 1.0 FTE profile.

This position is part of a cluster hire of new teaching-oriented faculty in the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation (FCFC) intended to create a supportive network of junior faculty with a primary teaching focus. While each position will be rostered in a department, as is true for all faculty, the college is highly interdisciplinary and has multiple programs that promote collaboration across departments in both teaching and research. Additional information can be found at http://umt.edu/environment.  While these positions are not tenure track, we have the expectation and intent that successful candidates will be long-term members of the faculty. Salaries for each of the new positions are peer-competitive, and the positions are each being structured as academic year appointments, providing the opportunity to pursue additional compensation options in the summer, as desired. Such opportunities may include formal summer teaching as well as participation in high impact learning such as student internship programs and/or other experiential portions of FCFC degree programs.

The Department of Society and Conservation is an interdisciplinary social science department within the Franke College of Forestry and Conservation at The University of Montana. We are dedicated to research and education that addresses our most pressing human-environment challenges. We value multiple approaches to pedagogy and to social science inquiry, and we embrace interdisciplinary collaboration in and out of the classroom. Our faculty have expertise in human dimensions of natural resources, environmental governance and public lands policy, outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism, sustainable communities and livelihoods, wildland and protected area management, international conservation and development, political ecology and environmental justice, and social-ecological systems and resilience. We work at local to global scales, connecting science and practice to engage a range of decision-makers and communities. At the undergraduate level, our faculty primarily contribute to the Parks, Tourism, and Recreation Management B.S. and the cross-department Environmental Science and Sustainability B.S. The Parks, Tourism, and Recreation Management program focuses on the sustainable management of parks and protected areas, nature-based tourism, and outdoor recreation in Montana and globally. The Environmental Science and Sustainability program connects science and solutions to provide students with the knowledge and skills to solve complex environmental problems and advance sustainability.

The University of Montana is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of qualified people who would assist the University in demonstrating its five priorities for action: Place student success at the center of all we do; drive excellence and innovation in teaching, learning, and research; embody the principle of “mission first, people always”; partner with place; and proudly tell the UM story.

Position Details

Title: Assistant Teaching Professor
Schedule: Full time academic year position beginning fall semester 2024
Benefits: Medical Insurance/Mandatory Retirement Contribution/Professional Development/Partial Tuition Waiver/Wellness 

Required Qualifications

• Minimum M.S. in environmental or natural resource social science field, including Human Dimensions of Natural Resources; Parks, Tourism, and Recreation Management; Geography; Sociology; Environmental Science or Studies; Natural Resource Management; or other related social science
• Commitment to teaching excellence, and innovative and inclusive pedagogies
• Ability to teach a broad range of courses in outdoor recreation and tourism, and across the environmental social sciences
• Outstanding communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Three or more years of relevant professional experience
• Experience bridging theory and practice in teaching and/or professional work
• Experience building partnerships with a range of private, public, and/or non-profit organizations
• Experience teaching undergraduates in classroom settings and/or in field settings
• Experience with multiple teaching methodologies, including field-based teaching
• Experience with high-impact learning, including service-learning, community-engaged teaching, capstone projects, internships, and other types of experiential learning
• Experience mentoring undergraduate students
• Ability to connect students to professional opportunities and career pathways

Criminal Background Investigation is required prior to Offer of Employment. In accordance with University policy, finalists for this position will be subject to criminal background investigations. 

ADA/EOE/AA/Veteran’s Preference – Reasonable accommodations are provided in the hiring process for persons with disabilities. For example, this material is available in alternative format upon request. As an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, we encourage applications from minorities, veterans, and women. Qualified candidates may request veterans’ or disabilities preference in accordance with state law. 

References – *References not listed on the application materials may be contacted; notice may be provided to the applicant. 

Testing – Individual hiring departments at UM-M may elect to administer pre-employment tests, which are relevant to essential job functions. 

Employment Eligibility – All New Employees must be eligible and show employment eligibility verification by the first date of employment at UM, as legally required (e.g., Form I-9).