ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF SILVICULTURE

Kjersten Peterson

September 23, 2026

Montana

Assistant Professor of Silviculture

Kjersten Peterson

September 23, 2026

Montana

Job Type : Full time, on-site

Location : Department of Forest Management, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana - Missoula, Montana

Pay: $70,000-$85,000/year

Application Deadline: October 25, 2026

Description The Department of Forest Management (DFM) in the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation at the University of Montana invites applications for a full-time academic year tenure-track Assistant Professor of Silviculture. The candidate will advance the DFM’s mission to provide innovation and leadership in the use of active forest management to achieve beneficial ecological and socioeconomic outcomes. This mission includes educating future forestry professionals, engaging in cutting-edge research to solve real-world problems, and contributing outward facing service to the discipline of forestry. The DFM welcomes applications from individuals with diverse perspectives and backgrounds. We encourage applications from veterans, women, persons of color, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and other individuals who can contribute to our intellectual diversity and cultural richness.

The successful candidate will develop an extramurally funded research program and demonstrate a commitment to translating their research into applications relevant to contemporary forest management. The College’s Lubrecht Experimental Forest offers a distinctive opportunity for field-based silvicultural research, teaching, and demonstration, and candidates are encouraged to consider how this resource could support the growth of their program. Teaching responsibilities include contributions to the Society of American Foresters accredited professional B.S. Forestry curriculum. Specific courses to be taught include undergraduate and graduate courses in silviculture as well as other courses as assigned. The successful candidate will mentor graduate students at the MS and PhD level and contribute to undergraduate advising and mentoring. The successful candidate will engage in relevant service within the forestry discipline, as well as service to the department, college, and university which is expected to be scaled upon establishment of productive research and teaching programs.

For detailed information regarding faculty duties and expectations, please contact the Search Chair, Andrew Larson at [email protected], to request a copy of the Dept. of Forest Management Unit Standards.

Required Qualifications

• PhD (earned doctorate) in forestry, natural resource management, forest science, or a related field by the date of hire.
• Record of scholarly publications in peer-reviewed outlets that indicates potential to achieve national distinction in silviculture, applied forest ecology, and/or forest management.
• Potential to develop a nationally recognized and extramurally funded research program that will inform forest management in the western U.S. and beyond.
• Demonstrated potential for excellence and innovation in undergraduate and graduate forestry education.
• Record of effective collaboration, grounded in ethics, openness, collegiality, and mutual respect.

Preferred Qualifications

• DFM encourages applications from individuals meeting the required qualifications, and is particularly interested in candidates with one or more of the following:
• Demonstrated track record of acquiring external research funding.
• Experience with silvicultural field experiments and long-term studies.
• Experience teaching and mentoring undergraduate students.
• Experience using high-impact learning practices, including field learning, service-learning, internships, and other types of experiential learning.
• Professional forestry certification such as Certified Forester (CF), Registered Professional Forester (RPF), or equivalent.
• Record of translating research results into real-world forest management applications.

Application Instructions Screening of applications will begin after the closing date of October 25, 2026 ; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established. Complete applications received by the closing date will be guaranteed consideration.

To Apply, Please Upload The Following Materials

• Cover letter (3 page maximum). Please describe your relevant experience and explain how you meet the required and preferred qualifications; characterize your teaching philosophy and interests; share your vision for building a research program; and tell us what excites you about joining the University of Montana and working with its diverse student body and faculty.
• Detailed curriculum vitae (CV).
• Names and contact information for three (3) professional references.

Learn more and apply

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Tagged: On-site, Full-time

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