Jobs at Member Institutions & APLU

The Department of Natural Resource Management (NRM) at South Dakota State University (SDSU) is offering an exciting career opportunity. We are looking for a creative and innovative professional to join us in a full-time, 9-month position (100% Academic Programs: teaching/advising/recruitment) at the rank of Instructor or Lecturer to lead our Natural Resource Law Enforcement program (NRLE). We seek an individual with expertise in natural resource laws, policies, and enforcement with a strong wildlife background who will work with other faculty in allied programs and an external advisory committee to support the established NRLE program. This position is supervised by the Department Head of Natural Resources Management with a preferred start date of Spring 2024, but will consider Fall 2024.

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 mission.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States, sponsorship is not available for this position.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role to further develop the NRLE major in NRM. The candidate will develop and teach undergraduate courses in the NRLE and the natural resource curriculum. The candidate will contribute to teaching excellence by instructing undergraduate courses that include wildlife law and enforcement, human dimensions, natural resources laws and policies, NRLE techniques, and a NRLE specific writing course. The candidate will serve as program coordinator for the NRLE major, advise NRLE undergraduates and liaise with the external NRLE advisory committee. This position will also assist with recruitment of undergraduates for all NRM undergraduate majors and participate in service roles within the department.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Earned M.S. or M.Ed. degree by start date, either January or August 2024, in a field related to natural resource law and policy for consideration at the instructor level.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with state, federal and international natural resource policies, laws, and their enforcement.
• Experience with teaching or training others in some capacity.
• Effective written communication skills.
• Effective verbal communication and interpersonal skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) in a field related to natural resource law and policy, could be considered at the lecturer level.
• Experience teaching undergraduate courses in natural resource law enforcement, human dimensions, policies, and field techniques.
• Experience with advising undergraduate students.
•  Demonstrated ability to collaborate with natural resource agencies.
• Excellent knowledge and use of classroom technology and the Internet to facilitate teaching (e.g., D2L, Zoom).
• Demonstrated interest and experience in the scholarship of teaching and learning.
• Demonstrated ability to work as a contributing team member.
• Demonstrated skill set in addressing sociological questions in natural resource conservation and management.

SALARY:

Commensurate with qualifications and experience.

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.

UNIVERSITY AND THE BROOKINGS COMMUNITY:

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 academic home of this appointment will be the Department of Natural Resource Management (www.sdstate.edu/natural-resource-management), which is housed within the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. The Department hosts five undergraduate programs: Conservation Planning and Park Management, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Natural Resource Law Enforcement, Rangeland Ecology and Management, and Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, in addition to M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs in Biological Sciences with a Natural Resource Management specialization and Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. There are approximately 305 undergraduates and 50 graduate students within the department. There are currently 20 faculty members in the Department of Natural Resource Management, including three USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit scientists. Natural Resource Management faculty have secured, on average, $2.1 million in grants annually. Departmental facilities include on-campus laboratories, the Wildlife Research Unit (one mile from campus), Oak Lake Field Station (30 minutes from campus), C.A. Taylor Herbarium, South Dakota State Aquatic Invertebrate Collection, and curated bird, fish, and mammal collections.

As the state’s 1862 Morrill Act land-grant institution, the work of South Dakota State University is carried out on its main resident campus in Brookings, at sites in Sioux Falls, Pierre, Rapid City, and Aberdeen, and through 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 for wrestling.

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 ranks among the state’s highest academic achieving school districts. The district 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, South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum, Outdoor Adventure Center and the Brookings Summer Arts Festival.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

Position is open until filled with full consideration given to applications received by October 9, 2023.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

South Dakota State University accepts applications through an online 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, and a reference page with the contact information for three professional references. Email applications will not be accepted. Please contact South Dakota State University 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 Dr. Lan Xu at 605-688-5060 or Lan.Xu@sdstate.edu.

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.