The University of Virginia's Blandy Experimental Farm seeks to hire an ecologist at the Research Assistant Professor level.
Academic appointment is within the University's Department of Environmental Sciences, and the position is based at Blandy, an environmental field station located in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. The position's distribution is 50% research and 50% administration. The successful candidate is expected to establish an extramurally funded research program, attract and mentor successful graduate students, and mentor undergraduate researchers. Area of research is open but should complement existing strengths at Blandy and strengthen connections with the Departments of Environmental Sciences and Biology. Possibilities include (but are not limited to) invasive species ecology, restoration ecology, landscape ecology, and agroecology. Administrative responsibilities include oversight of Blandy's undergraduate and graduate research programs and working with other faculty to make Blandy a leader in environmental research and outreach.
Ph.D. in biology, environmental science, or a closely related discipline is required. Postdoctoral experience is preferred. Applicants must provide evidence of high-quality research. This is a non-tenure track position with an initial three year contract, renewable pending successful review.
To apply, please complete a Candidate Profile on-line through Jobs@UVA and attach a cover letter briefly highlighting your research experience and potential as a research administrator, curriculum vitae, and a statement of research interests. Search for Posting Number 0603195. Please arrange for three letters of recommendation to be sent to Dr. David Carr, Search Committee Chair (dec5z@virginia.edu). Review of applications will begin on March 31, 2009, however the position will remain open until filled.
Questions regarding the position can be sent to Dr. Carr (dec5z@virginia.edu) and questions regarding the candidate profile process or Jobs@UVa should be directed to Judy Masi (jmasi@virginia.edu).
The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women and members of underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.
The Blandy Experimental Farm is a 700-acre environmental science field station located in the northern Shenandoah Valley in Clarke County, VA, about 90 miles from the University’s main campus in Charlottesville.
Its mission is to increase understanding of the natural world through education and research. In addition to carrying out the traditional university missions of teaching and research, Blandy has a strong commitment to public outreach. Blandy is home to the State Arboretum of Virginia, has active K-12 program, and provides programs to people of all ages.
Blandy is a year-round facility and the Ecologist position is located full-time at Blandy. Four other faculty are also stationed at Blandy on a full-time basis: David Carr (Research Associate Professor and Director), T’ai Roulston (Research Associate Professor and Curator), Candace Lutzow-Felling (Director of Education), and Steven Carroll (Director of Outreach).
Yes! Funding for the new Ecologist position at Blandy comes from the Blandy endowment. Funding is not dependent on external sources. Funding for this position will not be removed.
The University of Virginia has several different types of faculty appointments. Faculty with the title “Assistant Professor” are referred to as “Academic” faculty. They are the traditional, tenure-track faculty that make up the largest portion of the teaching faculty at the University. They typically have the traditional 3-way split in their faculty responsibilities: research, teaching, and service. The responsibilities of “Research Assistant Professors” vary. The responsibilities of the new Ecologist position at Blandy, like the other Research Faculty positions at Blandy, will be divided into 50% research and 50% administration. The position is not tenure track, but the new hire will be provided with 3-year renewable contracts. Renewal is based on satisfactory research productivity and administrative success.
Yes! Research Faculty are expected to attract, mentor, and successfully graduate students through the M.S. and Ph.D. programs in the Department of Environmental Sciences. Typically graduate students of Blandy Research faculty receive half of their support through an RA-ship provided by Blandy or extramural grants and the other half through a TA-ship in the Department of Environmental Sciences. Support includes tuition and health insurance as well as stipend. Blandy also supports graduate students with a summer stipend and research money.
In addition to directing their own graduate students, Blandy Research Faculty have the same eligibility as “Academic” faculty to serve on graduate student committees in the Department of Environmental Sciences and other departments at the University of Virginia.
The Ecologist position at Blandy does not have teaching responsibilities. However, teaching university courses on campus in Charlottesville is an option if there is mutual agreement between the new hire and the chair of the Department of Environmental Sciences. Currently the two Blandy Research faculty (David Carr and T’ai Roulston) teach a single class each academic year (Carr offers a graduate level statistics course in the spring semester and Roulston offers a special topics course in pollination ecology in the fall). We prefer that the new hire not teach until after two full years of employment in order to give priority to the establishment of a strong research program and a smooth transition into administrative responsibilities. After that, teaching would be encouraged, though not required. Blandy currently does not offer courses for University credit on site, but we hope to develop courses in the environmental sciences in the near future. Opportunities to teach in these courses would also be a possibility.
Reviews of Research Faculty occur every three years. Contract renewal is based on satisfactory research productivity and administrative success. The second 3-year renewal (at six years in the position) coincides with evaluation for promotion to Research Associate Professor. This review is similar to the tenure review of “Academic” faculty. Six years after promotion to the level of Research Associate Professor, faculty are eligible for consideration for promotion to Research Professor.
The Ecologist position at Blandy has a 12-month salary. The minimum entrance salary for a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia is $64,778 per year. Salary for the Ecologist position will be negotiated depending on experience. The position also comes with the full University of Virginia faculty benefits package. For specifics on UVa benefits consult: http://www.hrs.virginia.edu/benefits/faculty/faculty-I.html
Blandy faculty do not live on the Blandy Experimental Farm property, but the primary office and laboratory space for all Blandy Research Faculty is located at Blandy. Current Blandy faculty and staff live in Clarke, Frederick, Warren, Shenandoah, and Loudoun Counties in Virginia, including the cities of Berryville, Winchester, and Front Royal.
Blandy is located in the northern Shenandoah Valley, and the surrounding countryside is very rural in character. Winchester (population: 26,000) and Berryville (population: 3200) are the largest towns in Frederick and Clarke Counties, respectively, and each is about 10 miles from Blandy. The area has excellent public school systems. Although Blandy is located in a very rural area, it is only 60 miles west of the Washington Beltway and 50 miles from Dulles Airport. Blandy is 90 miles from the University of Virginia’s main campus in Charlottesville.
Blandy has a large, full-time staff of over 20 employees including four other Ph.D. level ecologists (David Carr, T’ai Roulston, Candace Lutzow-Felling, and Steven Carroll). The Arboretum gets over 100,000 visitors annually and has many environmental education programs for the public throughout the year. That said, a field station environment is different than the environment on a main university campus, and it is natural to wonder about feeling professionally isolated.
During the academic year Blandy Research Faculty typically spend one day a week on the main campus in Charlottesville. We find that this is important for mentoring our graduate students and developing our relationships with other members of Department of Environmental Sciences, Biology, and the rest of the University community. These weekly trips to Charlottesville help keep us strongly connected with the University environment.
During the summer, Blandy is a vibrant academic community that typically includes 25-30 undergraduates, graduate students, post docs, and faculty from the University of Virginia and other institutions. Research activity is everywhere. Blandy also has a summer research seminar series and other community activities that make it a very fertile place for active, ambitious scientists.
Are there other academic resources near Blandy?
The University of Virginia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.