Open Rank Faculty – Indigenous and Tribal Natural Resource Management

Position Overview

The Department of Forestry (75%) (College of Agriculture and Natural Resources) and the Residential College of Arts and Humanities (RCAH, 25%) at Michigan State University invite applications for a full‐time, 9-month tenure system open rank faculty position with a 40% research, 25% teaching, 25% outreach, and 10% service assignment. This position also is affiliated with the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Department (College of Arts and Letters) and the Native American Institute. The position start date is anticipated to be 16 August 2025. 
This position is part of a distinguished cluster hire at the University level: The 1855 Professorships. Incoming candidates will have an immediate network of other scholars whose work advances institutional priorities of diversity, equity, and inclusion research, teaching and practices. Several Indigenous scholars at MSU have been recruited through the 1855 professorship program, which provides potential opportunities for collaboration.

Responsibilities

We seek candidates with scholarship focused on applied natural resource management with a specific focus on forested ecosystems, including economic opportunities. We seek a scholar who examines Indigenous and Western “ways of knowing” to guide applied natural resource management, stewardship, and ecological restoration. Treaty outcomes and more recent consent decrees provide Great Lakes Tribes the authority to “co-manage” natural resources on ceded lands (i.e., most of Michigan). Thus, we seek a scholar who is also able to build upon existing MSU Forestry partnerships with Tribes in the Lake States and develop new partnerships in the Lake States and beyond. 
The successful candidate will be expected to develop an internationally-recognized research program that co-creates research with Indigenous communities in the Lake States, nationally, and internationally. Hallmarks of an internationally-recognized research program include securing competitive external funding, publishing in leading peer‐reviewed journals, making substantive contributions to advance understanding of Indigenous and Tribal natural resource management, and recruiting and mentoring graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Teaching responsibilities center on a desire to accelerate the transformation of Forestry’s curriculum and RCAH’s course offerings to integrate Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Indigenous perspectives. Major Federal agencies (e.g., U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs) are hiring foresters and Tribal liaisons who are expected to have cultural competency to work with Federally-recognized Tribes for cross-boundary natural resource management. We seek to add these perspectives as part of our programs and curriculum at MSU. Thus, teaching could include content development and co-teaching, and/or development of new stand-alone courses. 
Outreach responsibilities include community‐engaged research and outreach with Tribal governments and Indigenous communities. All faculty members are expected to participate in university governance and engage in professional service.

Qualifications

An earned Ph.D. in forestry, natural resources, ecology, social science, anthropology, wood science, Indigenous studies, or a closely related field. A demonstrated record of research, including peer-reviewed journal articles and experience with research grant applications. Applicants also should have experience or a demonstrated interest in teaching and outreach/extension, including work with Indigenous communities.

Preferred Level of Education

An earned Ph.D. in forestry, natural resources, ecology, social science, anthropology, wood science, Indigenous studies, or a closely related field is required.

Benefits Offered

MSU offers a generous benefits package (details at https://hr.msu.edu/benefits/index.html).

Compensation/Salary

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications.

How to Apply

For consideration, submit your application online at http://for.msu.edu/1023200 to job number 1023200.  Upload the following required documents: 1) letter of interest that includes a) qualifications for the position and b) two additional statements of research and teaching philosophy, respectively, highlighting how your experiences align with the position (2-page maximum for each statement);2) curriculum vitae;3) a description of how you will contribute to CANR’s positive culture, fair access to resources, and creating a sense of belonging (2-page maximum);and 4) contact information for three professional references.  Incomplete applications will not be considered. 
The search committee will begin reviewing applications on March 26, 2025, and continue until a suitable candidate is selected. 
Questions regarding this position can be addressed to the Search Committee co-Chairs: Emily Silver,  esilver@msu.edu, 413-320-2396, or David Rothstein, rothste2@msu.edu, 517-432-3353.

About Michigan State University

The Department of Forestry is a vibrant, growing, internationally recognized unit committed to interdisciplinary education, research, and extension to understand and resolve environmental and natural resource issues. Established in 1902, MSU’s Department of Forestry was among the first undergraduate forestry programs in the U.S. and continues to innovate and lead in education, research, and extension.  Michigan State University has a strong plant science focus (160+ faculty) of international stature, including relevant interdepartmental centers and programs (e.g., Plant Resilience Institute;Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program;Environmental Science and Policy Program). 
The RCAH at MSU is an interdisciplinary, residential undergraduate college in the arts and humanities with a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching and with a curricular emphasis on social justice, community engagement, and the study of language and culture.  
Commitment to Creating a Sense of Belonging:  Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Anishinaabeg – Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi people. The University resides on Land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.

Learn more about Michigan State University

Equal Employment Opportunity

Michigan State University is dedicated to achieving excellence by fostering an environment that welcomes a broad range of perspectives and experiences, ensuring that all individuals have the opportunity to contribute and thrive. We are an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer. The CANR is particularly interested in candidates of all backgrounds who are committed to the principle that academic excellence is achieved through open access and proactive inclusion.  Candidates are invited to view Department of Forestry community norms at https://www.canr.msu.edu/for/dei/community-norms