Description.  The Department of Geography, Planning and Environment at East Carolina University (ECU) invites applications for two 9-month-per-year tenure-track Assistant Professor positions in Environment and Sustainability to begin August 2025.  A wide range of disciplinary specialties, methodological approaches and research areas will be considered, but we particularly welcome scholars with expertise in one or both of two themes:

• Sustainable Environmental Systems, with possible areas of specialization including, but not limited to:  climate change, geoscience, earth surface processes, agricultural systems, soils, sustainable energy transitions, water dynamics, ecosystem integrity, climate mitigation, geohazards, and critical minerals.  

• Human Dimensions of Environmental Sustainability, with possible areas of specialization including, but not limited to:  local/indigenous livelihoods, agrarian transitions, climate change adaptation, environmental justice, stakeholder engagement/public participation, environmental hazards, sustainable resource management, and environmental governance. 

The successful candidate will be expected to teach courses in their research area at the undergraduate and graduate level. Appropriate service to the department, university and profession is also an expectation.

Qualifications.  We seek candidates who demonstrate a strong record and/or a clear potential to advance a vibrant, externally funded research program to enhance understanding of the relationships between natural and human-driven processes and systems.  We particularly welcome candidates who are committed to interdisciplinary collaboration, and to applying science, policy, and outreach to foster resilient communities and support sustainable futures.  A PhD in geography or a related discipline is required.  ABD candidates may be considered but must have the terminal degree conferred prior to first reappointment.

The Department.  The Department of Geography, Planning and Environment (https://geography.ecu.edu/) is a diverse, research-active, and collegial unit committed to cultivating a welcoming culture of belonging and opportunity for all faculty and students.  The department is currently undergoing an exciting strategic reorientation in collaboration with the Department of Geological Sciences, and is on track to become a new combined Department of Earth, Environment and Planning in 2025.  The new academic unit would be home to 22 faculty members and offer five undergraduate B.S. degrees (Applied Atmospheric Science, Geographic Information Science and Technology, Geography, Geology, and Community and Regional Planning) and three M.S. degrees (Geography, Geology, and Planning and Development).  Establishment of an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies has been proposed.

The new unit will provide ample opportunities for collaboration across the ECU campus.  This includes ongoing participation in ECU’s Integrated Coastal Sciences PhD program, and research collaborations with departments including Biology, Coastal Studies, Economics, Engineering, English, Public Health, and Recreational Sciences, as well as the ECU Water Resources Center. 

Department faculty have a strong track record of regionally relevant research and community engagement and outreach activities. The department is home to the Center for Geographic Information Science, which promotes the development and application of geospatial data and technology in support of the University’s teaching, research, and outreach missions.

The University.  East Carolina University (ECU) is a member of the University of North Carolina system and enrolls about 27,000 students annually, with over 5,500 pursuing graduate and professional degrees. ECU is classified as a R2-Doctoral/Research-intensive University and is located in Greenville, NC (pop. 92,000), which lies 80 miles east of Raleigh and a short distance to the Atlantic coast.  A thriving small city and regional center for education, health, and the arts, Greenville offers a college-town atmosphere and is a great place to live, work, play, and visit.

To Apply.  Application materials must be submitted online at https://www.jobs.ecu.edu/ using the position number 940354.  Applicants must submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statements of teaching philosophy (1 page) and research interests and experience (up to 2 pages), and the names and contact information for at least three academic references.  Applicants are encouraged to highlight potential for collaborative activities and their ability to contribute to existing departmental degree programs.

An official transcript and letters of recommendation are required upon employment. References for top candidates will receive a link to submit reference letters through PeopleAdmin within 14 days of notification.

Review of applications will begin on 12/11/24 and will continue until the position is filled.  Questions may be addressed to the search committee chair, Hannah Sirianni (siriannih21@ecu.edu).