Assistant/Associate Professor of Wildlife Extension

Job Description

The Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation in the College of Natural Resources and Environment at Virginia Tech invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professor of Wildlife Extension. This position will provide statewide leadership at the intersection of wildlife science, applied research, extension education, and public engagement. The faculty member will connect Virginia Tech research with Virginia Cooperative Extension, wildlife management agencies, landowners, local governments, agricultural producers, natural resource professionals, and communities across the Commonwealth.

Priority program areas could include wildlife health and wildlife-vectored diseases, human-wildlife conflict/coexistence, deer and bear management, invasive and exotic wildlife, habitat conservation in rapidly changing landscapes, and public understanding of wildlife conservation and sustainable use.

Position Expectations

The anticipated allocation is 50% extension, 35% research, 10% teaching, and 5% service.

The extension program is expected to include an assessment of stakeholder needs and the development of programming and materials to address these needs such as, statewide workshops, webinars, field days, landowner trainings, agent professional development, publications, decision-support tools, and digital resources, and ultimately documenting the impact of programming. The faculty member will work closely with Virginia Cooperative Extension specialists, Agriculture and Natural Resource agents and partners such as the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Wildlife Services, Virginia Department of Forestry, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and local governments.

The successful candidate will establish a competitive, externally funded, applied research program that supports graduate students. The faculty member will submit competitive proposals beginning in the first year, pursue appropriate capacity and external funds, develop collaborations across the university, and produce peer-reviewed publications, extension scholarship, conference presentations, and impact reports.

The faculty member will teach a 0:1 course load with teaching focused on FIW 4454 Human-Wildlife Conflicts and Coexistence, anticipated annually in the spring, and will contribute to graduate education and mentoring through applied research and extension scholarship.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in wildlife science, human dimensions of wildlife, natural resources, ecology, extension education, or a closely related field by appointment start date.
• Demonstrated expertise relevant to wildlife management, human-wildlife conflict and coexistence, wildlife health, habitat management, or human dimensions.
• Evidence of ability to develop and deliver research-based educational programs for professional and public audiences.
• Evidence of strong potential for externally funded applied research.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in verbal and written communication, including a peer-reviewed publication record.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with Cooperative Extension, state or federal wildlife agencies, landowners, local governments, or stakeholder organizations.
• Graduate student mentoring experience.
• For appointment at Associate Professor, a record of sustained scholarly productivity, strong record of external funding, and extension or engagement leadership commensurate with rank.

Overtime Status

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Regular

Hours per week

40

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 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.

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