Professor and Chair, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
The Chair of the Department provides vision in planning, developing, and implementing departmental programs in teaching, research, and extension; leadership in recruiting and fostering academic growth and professional development of faculty, staff, and students; administration of the Department's human and financial resources; and promotion of external funding opportunities.
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Deadline: 2006/03/15
position announcement #0001-4639
Title: Professor and Chair
Location: Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS)
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Salary: Commensurate with Qualifications and Experience
Deadline: Date for review of application materials has been extended to
March 15, 2006, and will continue until position is filled.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Chair of the Department provides vision in planning, developing, and
implementing departmental programs in teaching, research, and extension; leadership
in recruiting and fostering academic growth and professional development of faculty,
staff, and students; administration of the Department's human and financial resources;
and promotion of external funding opportunities. The Chair administers state, national,
and international programs of the Department, assigns responsibilities to faculty and
staff, and evaluates their performance. The Chair represents departmental and faculty
interests with administrators, other departments and units, outside agencies, and
individuals and groups in natural resources, industry, and communities. The Chair will
collaborate with the Senior Vice President, Deans, Associate and Assistant Deans,
other IFAS Chairs and Research and Education Center Directors, and other
administrators in providing leadership for delivering integrated programs to meet the
needs of students, extension clientele, research sponsors, and other stakeholders.
Qualifications
The Chair must have
· An earned doctorate in an ecological science or natural resource management discipline;
· A record of outstanding scholarly achievement and professional activities related to teaching, research, and/or extension that will qualify the individual to be a tenured full professor in the Department;
· Evidence of administrative ability to direct an academic department engaged in teaching, research, and extension activities at a major land-grant university;
· Ability to provide visionary and progressive leadership;
· Effective administrative leadership and managerial skills and documented experience in defining organizational objectives; developing strategic approaches to planning, managing human, fiscal, and physical resources; generating and managing grant funds in support of teaching, research, and extension; and securing private funds;
· Demonstrated ability to effectively listen, communicate, and represent the Department with administrators, agencies, and on-and off-campus interest groups;
· Strong commitment to undergraduate and graduate student recruitment and retention;
· Demonstrated ability to interact well with students, faculty, staff, administrators, and external stakeholders within the university and state, federal, and international levels;
· Commitment to continued personal professional development for self and faculty and staff.
· Commitment to international programs; and
· Strong support and understanding of the mission of a land-grant university.
Background Information
The Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation ( http://www.wec.ufl.edu ) has
18 campus faculty, 7 off-campus faculty, 23 adjunct and affiliate faculty, and 12 staff
positions in teaching (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences), research (Florida
Agricultural Experiment Station), and extension (Florida Cooperative Extension
Service) support. The Department supports numerous county extension faculty
conducting educational programs in wildlife and natural resources. The Department
also manages the 9,000 acre Ordway Preserve. Research grants and contracts
currently support 11 full-time technical positions and more than 30 graduate students
and post-doctorates. The Department offers programs leading to B.S., M.S. and Ph.D.
degrees. Departmental enrollment is highly-selective with approximately 90 graduate
students and 150 undergraduate majors.
The Departments mission is to conserve biodiversity through interdisciplinary problem
solving, communication and applying new knowledge, and preparing tomorrows
leaders. The Department is a leader in developing local to global strategies for
conserving wildlife and habitats in forest, wetland, coastal, and grassland ecosystems.
The department is seen as a national and international leader in wildlife ecology and
conservation. The breadth of the Department encompasses a tropical conservation
program that attracts a large number of international students; a program emphasizing
conservation biology, landscape ecology, and wildlife management that includes
research on non-game and game species, animal and plant species in natural and
human-dominated landscapes, conservation education, and the human dimensions of
resource management. The Department's programs are enhanced by integration of
the USGS Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, with its strong agency
ties and research ranging from population to ecosystem scales. The programs of the
Department are enriched at the University of Florida by interaction among more than
80 ecological scientists and faculty in allied disciplines and various centers, including
the School of Natural Resources and Environment, Florida Museum of Natural
History, and Centers for Latin American and African Studies.
The University of Florida (UF -- http://www.ufl.edu) is a Land-Grant and Sea Grant
institution, encompassing virtually all academic and professional disciplines, with an
enrollment of more than 48,000 students. UF is a member of The Association of
American Universities. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
(http://ifas.ufl.edu) includes the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
(http://cals.ufl.edu) , the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station
(http://research.ifas.ufl.edu), the Florida Cooperative Extension Service
(http://extension.ifas.ufl.edu), and the College of Veterinary Medicine
(http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu ), and encompasses 15 academic departments and the
School of Forest Resources and Conservation, 9 interdisciplinary centers, 13 research
and educational centers throughout the state, and Cooperative Extension units in each
of Floridas 67 counties and the Seminole Tribe. The School of Natural Resources and
Environment is an interdisciplinary unit housed in IFAS and managed by several
colleges on campus. IFAS employs over 3400 people, which includes approximately
950 faculty and 2450 support personnel located in Gainesville and throughout the
state. IFAS, one of the nation's largest agricultural and natural resources research and
education organizations, is administered by a Senior Vice President and four deans:
the Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Dean for Extension and
Director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the Dean for Research and
Director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Dean for the College of
Veterinary Medicine. UF/IFAS also engages in cooperative work with Florida A&M
University in Tallahassee.
Gainesville is an attractive city of about 117,000; it is located in north central Florida
and is midway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The region is
characterized by extensive natural resources, with many lakes, rivers and natural
areas.
Employment Conditions
This position will be filled by early summer 2006, or as soon thereafter as an
acceptable applicant is available. The salary for the Department Chair will be
commensurate with experience and qualifications of the successful candidate.
Nominations and Applications:
Both nominations and applications are welcome. Nominations should include the
complete name and address of the nominee and should be received by February 28,
2006, to allow sufficient time to contact the nominee.
Individuals wishing to apply should submit the following materials:
· Letter of application that states applicant's interest in the position, qualifications relative to the credentials listed above, previous professional responsibilities and achievements, administrative philosophy, and how these relate to the Chairs' position. The letter should include the applicant's general strategy for building and sustaining this department;
· Complete vita (which includes statement of current position and responsibilities);
· Official transcripts showing all coursework and degrees conferred; and
· The name, address, telephone and facsimile numbers, and electronic mail address of five persons to serve as references. The references should be knowledgeable about the applicant's qualities that would make him or her well suited to the responsibilities described in this announcement.
Date for review of application materials has been extended to March 15, 2006, and will
continue until a suitable applicant is identified. Women and minorities are encouraged
to apply.
Contact Information and Application and Nomination Submission Information
Questions regarding the position may be directed to:
Dr. Timothy L. White, Director and Professor
School of Forest Resources and Conservation
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
University of Florida
P. O. Box 110410
Gainesville, FL 32611-0411
Telephone: +1.352.846.0850
Facsimile: +1.352.392.1707
Electronic Mail: tlwhite@ufl.edu
Nominations and Applications should be forwarded to:
Department Chair for Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Search
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
IFAS Office of Human Resources
University of Florida
2038 McCarty Hall
P. O. Box 110281
Gainesville, FL 32611-0281
Telephone: +1.352.392.4777
Facsimile: +1.352.392.3226
Electronic Mail: ewallace@ufl.edu
The University of Florida is an equal opportunity and equal access employer. The “government in the
sunshine" laws of Florida require all documents relating to the search process, including letters of
application/nomination, be available for public inspection. Persons with disabilities have the right to
request and receive reasonable accommodation.
