Open Rank Assistant/Associate Professor-Applied Remote Sensing Ecology

Job Description Summary & Additional Information

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Applied Remote Sensing Ecology at its Appalachian Laboratory (AL). The ideal candidate will bridge fundamental remote sensing research across landscapes with stakeholder needs to generate actionable, science-based solutions for forest-related environmental challenges. Highlights of the position include the opportunity to conduct impactful research in a highly collaborative environment, mentor graduate students, teach a light course load of graduate-level classes, have ready access to local and regional research sites, and broaden participation in environmental science. While the position is targeted at the Assistant Professor level, candidates with exceptional qualifications at the Associate Professor level, including an established, high-impact research program and a proven record of external grant funding, will also be considered.

Position Overview

Applicants will develop an externally funded research program focused on applied remote sensing ecology across landscapes, with an emphasis on forests. Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to:

Forest Landscape & Ecosystem Dynamics: Research addressing canopy change, phenology, land-use/land-cover change, structural dynamics, disturbance/recovery cycles, fragmentation, connectivity, carbon accounting, linkages to water resources or biogeochemistry, or reforestation.

Advanced Sensor & Big Data Integration: Applied use of multi-sensor satellite time series, airborne/spaceborne lidar, hyperspectral imagery, or moderate-resolution optical sensors. Candidates should demonstrate expertise in big spatial data workflows, cloud-computing platforms, high-performance computing, or spatial machine learning and should be able to integrate remote sensing data with ecological field data.

Multi-Scale Applied Science: Work ranging from stand to continental scales, with clear applicability to environmental challenges in Maryland, the Appalachians, and the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Institutional Synergies: Research program that forms strong linkages with AL’s established strengths in terrestrial and freshwater systems science.

This hire is expected to be one of multiple strategic hires over the next few years. The position offers opportunities to contribute to UMCES’s Chesapeake Global Collaboratory, which leverages big data, diverse partnerships (including public–private), and innovative approaches to

address pressing ecological and socio-economic challenges. This is a 12-month position, with 75% of salary support provided by the state; start-up funding is available. Faculty positions at AL provide a unique opportunity to focus primarily on research and training the next generation of environmental scientists. Teaching loads are light, with faculty typically expected to offer one graduate-level course every fourth semester.

Required Qualifications

● Ph.D. in Ecology, Environmental Science, Forestry, Remote Sensing, or related field

● Demonstrated record of scientific excellence and productivity

● Evidence of the potential to secure external funding from varied sources to develop and sustain an innovative, well-funded research program

● Commitment to engaged scholarship that translates research into real-world impact

● Dedication to mentoring and graduate education

● Commitment to collaboration within and beyond AL and UMCES, broadening participation, and contributing to a campus climate of inclusivity

The selected candidate will be required to review and accept the UMCES Principles of Conduct.

About the Institution

One of the twelve institutions of the University System of Maryland (USM), UMCES’s vision is a thriving planet and resilient communities shaped by science for real-world solutions. It strives to meet this vision through its mission of advancing environmental solutions through credible science, exceptional research, and transformative education that serve Maryland and the world.

 

UMCES includes six highly collaborative, distributed research centers—Appalachian Laboratory, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, Horn Point Laboratory, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, Integration and Application Network, and Maryland Sea Grant College. AL is the terrestrial and freshwater anchor of research at UMCES, and cross-disciplinary and cross-geographic collaborations are common among UMCES faculty. 

 

AL faculty advise graduate students through the USM’s interinstitutional Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences Graduate (MEES) Program and Frostburg State University’s Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology and Wildlife/Fisheries Biology programs. UMCES offers a comprehensive State of Maryland benefits package including healthcare, retirement options, and tuition remission.

Location and Community

AL is in Frostburg, Maryland, a rural college town in the scenic, central Appalachian Mountains. AL has multiple collaborations, including an undergraduate internship program, with regional community colleges and our neighboring system institution, Frostburg State University. The region offers small-town living, little traffic, top-rated K-12 schools with low student-to-teacher ratios, excellent outdoor recreational and cultural activities, and affordable housing, with easy access to Baltimore/DC, and Pittsburgh, as well as state and national forests. AL offers exceptional administrative support and outstanding laboratory, computing, and teaching facilities. Hallmarks of AL’s research include an emphasis on quantitative analysis across broad spatiotemporal scales, projecting ecological and environmental change, and a commitment to engaged scholarship that informs environmental policy and natural resource management.

Required Application Materials:

• Cover letter (maximum of 2 pages) that specifically addresses:
  • Why AL and UMCES fit your long-term research trajectory
  • The specific spatial data types and computing platforms that you integrate into your analytical workflows
  • For associate-level candidates: a summary of active/pending funding 
• Curriculum vitae: Within your CV, please identify your top 3 representative publications and include 1-2 sentences that summarize your specific contributions to each.  
• Research prospectus (maximum of 2 pages): Drawing on your past accomplishments, please articulate how your planned scientific and professional contributions position you to apply remote sensing to develop science-based solutions to environmental challenges in Maryland and beyond, your strategy for securing external funding, and potential collaborators or research themes at AL with whom you envision alignment. 
• Teaching and mentorship prospectus (maximum of 1 page): Please articulate your approach to mentoring graduate students within a research-centric environment, how you plan to contribute to graduate-level teaching in an institution without a traditional undergraduate student body, and concrete strategies for broadening participation and fostering an inclusive research environment.
• Names and contact information for three references (including title, affiliation, telephone, and e-mail address). Recommendation letters will be requested only for applicants under serious consideration.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

The anticipated start date is after July 1, 2027. Applicants are encouraged to weave their contributions to inclusivity and broadening participation directly into their Research and/or Teaching/Mentorship statements.

Inquiries may be directed to Drs. Mark Cochrane and Miriam Johnston, Search Committee Co-Chairs, at al-remote-sensing-search@umces.edu.

 

Best Consideration Date: January 15, 2027

 

Department

UMCES-Appalachian Laboratory

Worker Sub-Type

Faculty Regular

Salary Range

$112,000 to $160,000 commensurate with experience

EEO Statement

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science is an equal opportunity employer. The Center’s policies, programs, and activities are in conformance with pertinent Federal and State laws and regulations on nondiscrimination regarding race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, and disability. Inquiries regarding compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Educational Amendments; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; or related legal requirements should be directed to the Assistant Vice President of Human Resources, Center Administration, 2020 Horns Point Rd, Cambridge, MD 21613.