Assistant Professor Urban Forestry Extension Specialist

Hiring Organization: Utah State University
Employment type: Full-Time
Job Location: Logan, Utah,
Application Due Date: February 5, 2024

The Department of Wildland Resources (WILD) in the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural
Resources (QCNR) at Utah State University (USU) seeks applicants for an Assistant Professor to serve as
the Extension Specialist in Urban Forestry for Utah. The position will be based on the main USU
campus in Logan, Utah, and will also have access to the USU Extension Office at the USU Botanical
Center in Kaysville, Utah, which houses Utah’s largest Arboretum. The anticipated (but negotiable) start
date is August 1, 2024. The emphasis for the position is 90% Extension, 10% Service.

The position may be filled as:
1) A tenure-track Assistant Professor for a fiscal year reduced FTE (0.83 FTE or 10 months)
position, with the successful candidate encouraged to write grants to support an additional 0.17
FTE. This position would require a PhD. Candidates in a PhD program who are ABD may be hired
at the rank of Instructor if conferral of degree is expected within the year.
2) A Professional Practice Assistant Professor at 1.0 FTE. This position would require a M.S. degree
and extensive professional work experience related to urban forestry.

In either appointment, the salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience, and is
anticipated to be between $60,000 and $80,000. A basic annual operations budget will also be provided
and can be augmented through grantwriting. Key areas of expertise will include urban and wildlandurban
interface forestry, arboriculture, disease and risk management, water-wise landscaping,
greenspace management, and horticulture. We anticipate that the person in this position may also be
involved in urban planning efforts which consider broad social access to tree cover and carbon
sequestration issues related to urban forestry. The incumbent will be encouraged to collaborate with
research and Extension faculty in the Departments of Wildland Resources (particularly extension
specialists in forestry and wildland fire) and Environment and Society in QCNR and the Department of
Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning in the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences.
The incumbent will coordinate with local, state, and federal agencies to identify and implement
programs such as Utah Forestry Fire and State Lands urban forestry initiatives, Utah Division of Water
Resources conservation programs, U. S. Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forest Program, and
other programs that address urban climate change issues, and the inclusion of under-served
communities through urban planning.

Minimum Qualifications

PhD or MS degree in forestry, horticulture, or related field (see stipulations above for tenure-track
vs professional practice positions).
2. Expertise in urban trees, including knowledge of tree care, tree diseases, and water-wise planting
strategies.
3. Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team setting with other professionals in the public and
private sectors.
4. Excellent oral and written English communication skills.
5. Experience in organizing, developing, and delivering public presentations, events, and other
informational and educational activities.
6. Valid driver license and the ability to travel extensively to statewide locations.
Preferred Qualifications
1. PhD degree in forestry, horticulture, or related field.
2. Experience with outreach program development, delivery, and impact assessment related to urban
forestry.
3. Participation in professional societies relevant to urban forestry (e.g. the International Society of
Arboriculture or Society of American Foresters).
4. Experience in wildland-urban interface issues, including fire risk.
5. Basic knowledge of western United States forest management, urban planning, and related issues.
6. Experience working with diverse populations of learners and stakeholders.
7. Ability to communicate in Spanish.
8. Experience working with land-grant university Extension programs.
9. Outreach experience working with utility companies, state agencies, municipalities, or commercial
tree care companies.
10. Demonstrated ability to develop an externally-funded extension program meeting the needs of
stakeholders (e.g. landowners, and county-, state- and federal-level agencies).
Position Duties
Extension Development and Delivery – 90%
• Function as a resource for other Extension personnel and statewide stakeholders for information
and recommendations related to urban community forestry, wildland-urban interface issues,
arboriculture, greenspace development, water-wise landscaping, and horticulture.
• Design, develop and deliver educational programming to assist natural resource agency personnel,
city and state managers, and local communities.
• Pursue external funding in support of Extension programs.
• Develop new core curriculum materials for use by other Extension Agents and Specialists. Serve as
a mentor for Extension Agents and Specialists and participate fully in Extension programs.
• Conduct and publish Extension-related research.
• Develop a positive working relationship with USU research faculty, particularly those that work
with community development, urban planning, and arboriculture, and horticulture. Track trends,
initiatives, and developments in urban forestry.
• Provide impact/outcome statement reports adhering to Extension criteria.
• Contribute to USU’s mission of equity, inclusion, and diversity.
Service – 10%
• Participate with local, state, and federal resource agencies and NGOs on advisory councils and
committees.
• Serve on Department, College, and University committees.
• Represent the urban forestry discipline within the University.
• Participate in professional and scientific organizations.
• Contribute to a welcoming and inclusive workplace environment.
Application
All application materials must be submitted electronically through the USU Human Resources ‘jobs’
website (https://jobs.usu.edu; position #2023-7216). We request a cover letter, a complete CV, and
names and e-mail addresses of three professional references. The position is open until filled, but
application review will begin Monday, February 5, 2024. Potential applicants with specific questions are
welcome to contact the search committee chair, Dr. Nicki Frey, nicki.frey@usu.edu.