Assistant Professor of Practice in Urban Forestry

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Position Description
Our aim is to recruit, support, and retain a scholar in Urban Forestry, including urban ecological systems broadly defined. We welcome applicants with expertise in the structure, function, and management of urban trees and forests; processes influencing canopy dynamics, tree health, and biodiversity; and the role of trees, vegetation, and greenspace in places where people live (e.g., cities, townships, and suburban communities). We strongly encourage applications from individuals whose professional work reflects a commitment to sustaining life through meaningful human connections with trees, vegetation, and greenspace.

The successful candidate will contribute to teaching (65%), Extension (25%), and service (10%) in areas including urban forest dynamics, arboriculture and tree health, tree canopy change, forest-based ecosystem services, tree and forest measurement, and equitable access to greenspace in municipal and urbanizing areas.

Teaching and Non-Classroom Instructional Responsibilities (65%)
The successful candidate is expected to teach approximately four courses per academic year, including a course to be developed in Urban Forestry and/or Urban Ecology. Additional courses will be determined based on programmatic needs and the candidates expertise. Courses should incorporate relevant technologies, data analysis, and applied tools appropriate to professional practice in urban forestry and related fields. The incumbent will support the Society of American Foresters (SAF)accredited forestry curriculum and engage students in applied, experiential, and course-based projects. The incumbent will be an integral member of the School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR), a advising undergraduate and graduate students across SENR academic programs, consistent with faculty advising expectations.

Extension and Outreach Responsibilities (25%)
This position includes a 25% Extension appointment, and Extension expectations are commensurate with that level of effort. The successful candidate will develop and deliver a coordinated Extension and outreach program in Urban Forestry that addresses priority needs of communities, municipalities, and agencies across Ohio. This work will be conducted in collaboration with Extension professionals within SENR, across CFAES, and throughout OSU Extension, as appropriate, and may include educational programming, technical assistance, training, and engagement with stakeholders such as programming, technical assistance, training, and engagement with stakeholders such as county, city, and state governments; forestry and natural resource agencies; nongovernmental organizations; community groups; and private-sector partners. The Extension program is expected to be applied, collaborative, and responsive to stakeholder needs, consistent with the land-grant mission of the college and university.

Service (10%)
This position includes a 10% service appointment, with expectations commensurate with those of all faculty in SENR. The successful candidate will provide appropriate service to SENR, CFAES, and The Ohio State University through participation in committees, governance commensurate to a professional practice appointment, and related activities. The incumbent is also expected to engage in professional service consistent with their expertise in urban forestry and the land-grant mission.

Research Expectations
This position has no formal research requirement for purposes of promotion, though the incumbent is not precluded from engaging in applied or complementary research activities on an ad hoc basis when such efforts align with Extension programming, teaching, community needs, or professional development goals.

Performance Objectives

1. Teaching & Curriculum: Teach courses that support the forestry and related academic programs in SENR and CFAES, including Biometrics (Forest Measurements), a course to be developed on Urban Forestry and/or Urban Ecology, and additional courses aligned with candidate expertise
and programmatic needs.
2. Student Advising: Advise undergraduate and graduate students, including honors students, consistent with SENR and CFAES advising expectations.
3. Inclusive Learning Environments: Cultivate inclusive and supportive learning environments that promote student belonging and success within SENR, CFAES, and related natural resource professions.
4. Curricular Leadership: Provide leadership in curricular matters related to urban forestry education, including contributions to programs that meet state, regional, and national workforce needs and support accreditation standards (e.g., Society of American Foresters).
5. Outreach & Extension Program Development: Develop an impactful outreach and Extension program in Urban Forestry that addresses the needs of community, municipal, and governmental partners and advances urban forestry initiatives across the state of Ohio.
6. Extension Collaboration: Collaborate with Extension professionals within SENR, CFAES, and across OSU Extension to share research-based and practice-oriented knowledge in urban forestry that meets the needs of governmental, nongovernmental, and community partners.
7. Service: Serve SENR, CFAES, the university, and relevant professional communities through committee work and other appropriate service activities.
8. Collaborative Engagement: Work collaboratively with faculty and staff across SENR, CFAES, and the university; OSU Extension; CFAES forestry-related teams; and external partners (e.g., government agencies, NGOs, community organizations, and industry) to advance the land-grant
mission of the college and university.

Education and Experience Requirements
Required:

• Earned Ph.D. in forestry, forest sciences, natural resource management, arboriculture, urban ecology, urban planning, ecological science (including restoration), or a related field

• Evidence of potential for excellence in teaching

• Demonstrated interest in and/or experience with mentoring and advising students from a multitude of backgrounds and lived experiences

• Evidence of a willingness and ability to work closely with different academic (e.g., students, staff, faculty) and practitioner audiences

• Evidence of excellent verbal and written communication skills, including an ability to clearly communicate to government leaders, decision makers, and other community partners who may have little to no background in forestry and/or ecology

Desired (though not required):

Demonstrated interest in or experience with any of the following:

• Urban forestry planning, tree inventories, or green infrastructure

• Community engagement, outreach, or participatory research involving diverse stakeholders

• Conducting applied and/or basic research in urban forests and/or urban ecological systems

• The application of technology to monitoring urban forests and/or ecological systems

How to Apply
To be considered, please submit your application electronically via Workday. Application materials must include the following:

Required:

• Cover letter- Describe your qualifications, areas of expertise, career goals, and alignment with desired qualifications and preferred qualifications where applicable
• Curriculum Vita (CV)
• Statement of Teaching and Mentoring (no more than 2 pages)
• Statement of Service/Outreach (no more than 2 pages)
• Names/contact information of three references (Note: Letters of reference will be required prior to advancing to the next stage of the hiring process; inform your references early in the application process so letters are ready at/soon after time of request)

Initial consideration will be given to applications received by March 31, 2026. Review of applications will continue until the position has been filled. We welcome informal inquiries, which can be made by contacting Search Committee Chair Dr. Alia Dietsch at Dietsch.29@osu.edu.

Department/School Information
Since its inception in 1968, the School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR) has evolved and changed to meet the changing needs and demands of society, students, and the various natural resource professions. SENR has become more of an interdisciplinary program that addresses the natural resources sciences for the well-being of society and the biosphere. The Schools foundation is its interdisciplinarity, coupling the natural sciences with the social sciences and human dimensions of sustainable natural resources management for the well-being of people and society.

The Schools vision is a productive society in harmony with a sustainable and healthy environment. SENR will be guided by the enduring vision of a productive society whose use of its resources is in harmony with an environment that is sustainably managed with a deeply held stewardship ethic.

The mission of SENR is to enhance and impart knowledge of natural and social systems and their essential relationships in the context of natural resource use and management and to continuously improve the academic strength of the School through effective teaching, including extension teaching, sound research, and hiring the best possible faculty. Subsequently, the Schools overarching goals are to 1) provide leadership, 2) educate students and the public, and 3) generate new knowledge through research and integrate new and existing knowledge/data sets in order for individuals and society to utilize and manage natural resources in an environmentally compatible and socially acceptable manner.

These goals are achieved through the development and application of science- and research-based management strategies, practices, and policies. These goals are also achieved by hiring high quality faculty who execute effective scholarship in all its forms for a variety of disciplines and programs that integrate the natural and social sciences. The School provides the academic home where natural sciences and social sciences are brought together to address these goals.

The College
The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) anchors its mission in a simple, yet powerful phrase: We Sustain Life . Faculty, staff and students alike contribute to this mission in a variety of ways. Our Strategic Alignment outlines the colleges values. These values, which align with the universitys Shared Values, shape our goals of our Strategic Alignment. We are committed to scholarship across three mission areas (teaching, research, Extension) with a commitment to serving our state in addition to the country and world. As a land grant, we are part of a cooperative structure that includes key partners all dedicated to integrating research, education, and Extension to improve the food and agricultural sectors, the environment, and the quality of peoples lives. We educate not just undergraduate and graduate students but learners across the lifespan. We work to ensure groundbreaking scientific discoveries are brought out of the laboratory and into the hands of those who can put them to work.

CFAES houses 11 departments/schools with over 20 undergraduate majors and 9 graduate programs, including 3 interdisciplinary programs affiliated with multiple Ohio State colleges. We also administer OSU Extension, which provides robust and relevant programming to Ohioans and beyond in the areas of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H Youth Development, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Community Development. We are one college spanning three campuses: Columbus, CFAES Wooster, and Statewide. Our CFAES Wooster campus includes a large research station and Ohio States only two-year academic unit, Ohio State ATI. The Statewide campus includes 11 research stations and Extension offices in all of Ohios 88 counties. Our At a Glance provides additional information regarding our size, capacity, and impact as a college.

The University
Ohio State is a top-20 public university, and its Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is one of Americas leading academic health centers. Eligible Ohio State employees receive comprehensive benefits packages, including medical, dental and vision insurance, tuition assistance for employees and their dependents, and state or alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions.

Grounded in Ohio State Universitys Shared Values, our university community welcomes differences, encourages open-minded exploration and courageous thinking, and upholds freedom of expression. Ohio State is a dynamic community where opportunity thrives, and individuals transform themselves and their world. Positions are available in countless fields and specialties. Become a Buckeye and contribute to an incredible legacy that serves to guide our future and shape a better tomorrow.

The Ohio State University is committed to enhancing academic excellence. Recruiting, supporting, and retaining faculty of the highest caliber is a core component of this commitment. The Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) has established central resources to focus on offering support to new and prospective faculty and their loved ones. Service offerings include dual career partner consultation, potential employer and/or employment opportunity identification, consultation and resources related to relocation, as well as identifying opportunities to engage on campus and in the surrounding community. While employment opportunities are not guaranteed, resources and consultation are available. More information about dual career and faculty recruitment can be found here.

In addition to being responsive to dual-career opportunities, we strongly promote work-life balance to support our community members through a suite of institutionalized policies. Ohio State is a member of the Michigan, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania & West Virginia HERC.

Located in Ohios capital city, Ohio States Columbus campus is near the center of a rapidly growing and diverse metropolitan area with a population of over 1.5 million. The area offers a wide range of affordable housing, many cultural and recreational opportunities, excellent schools, and a strong economy based on government as well as service, transportation, and technology industries. Additional information about the Columbus area is available here. In addition to its Columbus campus, Ohio State has four regional campuses including Ohio State Lima, Ohio State Mansfield, Ohio State Marion, and Ohio State Newark, in addition to CFAES Wooster Campus, which houses Ohio State ATI.

The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. Additionally, there may be further requirements specific to the college or unit, which could include drug and health screenings, as well as faculty misconduct checks depending on the rank of the position.

The Ohio State University believes in diversity in people and ideas. What Ohio State does matters. And how we do it matters. When we are at our best, we make a real difference to people. Our size, breadth, geography, history and standard of excellence position us to drive the future of higher education. We believe that the university should be a place where people can work and learn together in a safe environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. As such, finalists for any faculty position that carries tenure must sign an authorization and disclosure form, which will allow current or prior employer(s) to share information to the University regarding any findings of employment-related misconduct or disciplinary proceedings against a candidate and/or any pending investigations related to alleged misconduct. Such information shall include findings and pending investigations with respect to sexual harassment, violence, or harassment; research misconduct; financial fraud or misconduct; foreign influence violations, grant misuse or misconduct; and/or any other type of finding or pending investigation relating to a candidates employers policies and rules governing faculty conduct that may reasonably be expected to affect a candidates appointment. If the University becomes aware of any past finding of misconduct or pending investigations that were not disclosed, Ohio State will treat that as a serious omission and reserves the right to rescind an offer or terminate employment.

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.

Thank you for your interest in positions at The Ohio State University and Wexner Medical Center. Once you have applied, the most updated information on the status of your application can be found by visiting the Candidate Home section of this site. Please view your submitted applications by logging in and reviewing your status. For answers to additional questions please review the frequently asked questions .

The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.