Jobs at Member Institutions & APLU

The Ness School of Management and Economics at South Dakota State University (SDSU) invites applications for a 9-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor of Applied Economics. The Ness School seeks a dynamic, innovative scholar with a focus on agricultural production, technology adoption, and resource and environmental economics. This position carries a 60 percent teaching and 40 percent research assignment attached to and funded by the SDSU Agricultural Experiment Station.

Responsibilities include building a nationally and internationally recognized scholarly research and teaching program in agricultural production, technology adoption, and resource and environmental economics; conducting and applying research to help solve problems in agricultural production, technology adoption, and resource and environmental economics; informing public policy related to economic aspects of agricultural production, technology adoption, and land, air, and water in a manner of interest to both academics and policy makers; and cooperating and collaborating with teams on research and public service projects.

Teaching assignments will focus on agricultural production, technology adoption, and resource and environmental economics. Commitment to high quality undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentoring and a willingness to make major contributions to building and maintaining the graduate program are expected. Faculty members are expected to obtain extramural funds in support of their academic programs and graduate student assistantships.

The Ness School has approximately 30 full-time faculty members and a team of academic advisors. The School recently averaged 900 undergraduate and 30 graduate students. Along with a Master’s degree, the Ness School offers undergraduate degrees in Agricultural Business, Agricultural and Resource Economics, Business Economics, Entrepreneurial Studies, and Economics. The School also offers twelve minors, including in Agricultural Business and Agricultural & Resource Economics. The Ness School is a unit of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Agricultural Experiment Station is administered through the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

This is a 9-month, full-time, benefits-eligible, tenure-track position. The position is supervised by the Director of the Ness School of Management and Economics.

We anticipate a start date of August 22, 2023.

South Dakota State University promotes access to and opportunities for all to receive the benefit of and participate in education, research, and service and is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to this land-grant mission of access.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The occupant of this assistant professorship in applied economics must:

• Maintain a high level of research productivity resulting in peer-reviewed, scholarly publications in top-tier academic journals, grant funding, and presentations at national or international forums that tightly align with the field areas associated with this position, that meet the school’s tenure-and-promotion standards, and that satisfy academic and accreditation standards.
• Lead with exceptional pedagogy in the classroom and through undergraduate- and graduate-student mentorship.
• Teach four undergraduate or graduate courses or sections each academic year in conventional face-to face on-campus formats and, potentially, through emerging modes of remote delivery, including hybrid and/or other online formats.
• Contribute meaningfully to shared governance across the university.
• Report to the Director of the Ness School of Management and Economics.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

The occupant of this assistant professorship in applied economics must:

• Hold a Ph.D. in economics, applied economics (e.g., agricultural economics, resource & environmental economics) or closely related field in the area of agricultural production, technology adoption, or resources & environmental economics.

• Have strong training and experience in applying economic theory and quantitative methods to addressing research problems and issues.

• Present strong evidence of the potential for effective research and teaching outcomes.

• Have excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Be able to work both independently and in groups, including external research cooperators and clientele.

• Have excellent organizational, time-management, and interpersonal skills.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE/CAPABILTIES:

The occupant of this assistant professorship in applied economics has:

• Research and teaching outcomes that meaningfully advance knowledge in applied economics, broadly defined.
• Ability to seek external funding.
• Participated in inter- and multi-disciplinary efforts through collaboration with colleagues on research, curriculum designs, and outreach efforts that raise the profile and stature of applied economics.

SALARY:

Commensurate with qualifications.

BENEFITS:

South Dakota State University offers a wide range of benefits including medical, dental, and flexible benefits, retirement plans, compensation packages, paid holidays, and vacation leave. Employees also have access to internal and state-sponsored training as well as reduced tuition for state-supported courses at all State of South Dakota academic institutions.

THE UNIVERSITY:

South Dakota State University is the state’s largest, most comprehensive university with more than 200 academic programs, an enrollment of approximately 12,000 students, and over $60 million annual research expenditures.

South Dakota State University offers a rich academic experience in an environment of inclusion and access through inspired, student-centered education, creative activities and research, innovation and engagement that improve the quality of life in South Dakota, the region, the nation, and the world. Its employees embrace the university’s core values of being people-centered, expanding knowledge through creativity, embracing organizational and personal integrity, commitment to diversity of thought, and excellence through continuous improvement.

The College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences consists of seven interdisciplinary schools—American and Global Studies, Communication and Journalism, Design, English and Interdisciplinary Studies, the Ness School of Management and Economics, Performing Arts, and Psychology, Sociology and Rural Studies. The College also includes programs in military science (Army ROTC) and Aerospace Studies (Air Force ROTC). The College’s unique administrative structure supports the Land Grant Mission and encourages interdisciplinary collaboration among both faculty and students.

As the state’s 1862 Morrill Act land grant institution, the work of the university is carried out on its main resident campus in Brookings, at sites in Sioux Falls, Pierre, Rapid City, and Aberdeen, and through SDSU Extension offices and Agricultural Experiment Station research sites across South Dakota.

Jackrabbits Athletics competes as an NCAA Division I member with membership in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the Summit League, and the Big XII.

THE NESS SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMICS:

The Ness School, in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, includes approximately 30 full-time faculty members and a team of undergraduate academic advisors. The school embodies an intellectual philosophy that economics and quantitative analysis are foundational to thriving in and critically assessing a modern global economy; students who major in business economics, entrepreneurial studies, or agricultural business complete a comprehensive suite of business courses, including those in our 42-credit management and economics core.

The Ness School of Management and Economics offers students a high-quality education and excellent job-placement opportunities. Graduates hold leadership and management positions across the northern Great Plains, Midwest, and nationally in banking and finance, processing and manufacturing management, energy and bioenergy, and food and agribusiness management, and in policy, oversight and regulation; and many are leaders in the broader innovation and entrepreneurship community.

The Ness School is in the process of securing AACSB accreditation, managing significant enrollment growth in its majors, and balancing new opportunities in core business fields—including enterprise management and innovation—with its traditional strengths in economics and quantitative analysis. The school embraces interdisciplinary and interprofessional collaboration in research, teaching, community engagement, and extension work—in some cases, formally, for the school’s faculty members who hold SDSU Extension appointments. The school enrolls approximately 900 undergraduate majors, including more than 700 students who major in business economics and more than 200 students who major in agricultural business, a degree conferred by the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences. The school also offers an undergraduate degree in economics, which includes upper-level coursework in mathematical economics, econometrics, and field areas in, for example, international economics, environmental and resource economics, public policy, and agricultural policy.

Additionally, the school offers a master’s degree in economics that includes two program options: an economic-theory option that requires courses in advanced microeconomics, advanced macroeconomics, econometrics, and research methods, emphasizing applied economic research in the form of graduate thesis; and a business-economics option that requires courses in managerial economics, advanced business decision science, financial management, marketing strategy and analytics, and a capstone experience that blends corporate finance, entrepreneurship, and marketing analytics and potentially collaborates with industry.

The Ness School operates within a rich and supportive corporate-enterprise ecosystem. For example, Brookings is home to Daktronics (DAKT; NASDAQ), 3M (MMM; NYSE), and Larson Manufacturing (Fortune Brands, FBHS; NYSE). Meanwhile, Sioux Falls, a 45-minute drive south of Brookings, is home to several thriving corporate enterprises with which SDSU enjoys productive relationships. Additionally, Innovation Partners and the Enterprise Institute located at the SDSU Research Park Innovation Center in Brookings provide opportunities for networking with regional innovators and entrepreneurs, as well as opportunities for part-time employment and incubator space for students. SDSU enjoys a strong investor and alumni network in the corporate space that is actively engaged in the classroom and in student ventures.

Moreover, the Ness School enjoys generous philanthropic support for faculty development in the form of endowed chairs, professorships, and faculty-scholar appointments. To this end, the current SDSU Bold and Blue comprehensive campaign—the university’s third and largest comprehensive fund-raising effort—endeavors to raise a half of a billion dollars to support the university.

BROOKINGS, SOUTH DAKOTA:

Brookings is home to approximately 24,000 residents and is located 60 miles north of Sioux Falls and 200 miles west of Minneapolis. Brookings is listed as an ideal community for families, students, young professionals and retirees, and is rated among the safest and most vibrant cities in South Dakota. The Brookings Public School District educates approximately 3,300 K-12 students and includes three elementary schools, an intermediate school for fourth and fifth grade, one middle school, and a high school.

The city also boasts an abundance of attractions and activities, including the Children’s Museum of South Dakota, Dakota Nature Park, South Dakota Art Museum, McCrory Gardens, Hillcrest Aquatic Center, South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum, Brookings Country Outdoor Adventure Center, and the Brookings Summer Arts Festival.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

Position is open until filled with full consideration given to applications received by June 16, 2023.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

SDSU accepts applications through an on-line employment site. To apply, visit: https://yourfuture.sdbor.edu, search by the position title, view the job announcement, and click on “apply for this job.” This system will guide you through the electronic application form. This employment site will also require the attachment of a cover letter, which should specifically address how the candidate meets the qualifications as outlined in the advertisement, Curriculum Vitae, research writing sample (attached as work or writing sample), statement of teaching philosophy (of 3 or fewer pages, attached as other), and a reference page with the contact information for three professional references. Email applications will not be accepted. Please contact SDSU Human Resources at (605) 688-4128 if you require assistance with this process.

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the university’s verification of credentials and other information required by law and/or university policies, including but not limited to, successful completion of a criminal background check.

South Dakota State University is a tobacco free environment. It is university policy to maintain a drug-free environment and to thereby establish, promote, and maintain a safe and healthy working and learning environment for employees and students. This position is subject to South Dakota State University’s Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy 4:14.

For questions on the position, contact Andrea Leschewski at andrea.leschewski@sdstate.edu or 605-688-4105.

South Dakota State University promotes access to and opportunities for all to receive the benefit of and participate in education, research, and service and is especially interested in candidates that can contribute to this land-grant access mission. SDSU is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to, and SDSU prohibits discrimination on, the basis of sex, race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, gender, gender identification, transgender, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status that may become protected under law against discrimination in the offering of all educational programs and employment opportunities. Arrangements for accommodations required by disabilities can be made by emailing HR@sdstate.edu. Individuals with concerns regarding discrimination should contact: Equal Opportunity Officer/Title IX Coordinator, Human Resources, Morrill Hall 100, SDSU, Brookings, SD 57007, 605-688-4128.