AssistantAssociate Professor of Environmental Security and Global Change

Job Description

The Department of Geography at Virginia Tech invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professor with expertise in environmental security in the context of global climate and environmental change. We define environmental security broadly to encompass interactions among environmental processes human populations resources infrastructure and societal vulnerability and resilience. We are particularly interested in candidates who bridge environmental or climate science with humanenvironment perspectives and employ advanced geospatial computational or data-intensive approaches such as spatial and spatiotemporal modeling machine learning and artificial intelligence sensor or mobility data and high-performance computing as well as qualitative participatory or integrated methods that complement these approaches. The position is intended to strengthen research productivity while expanding high-demand undergraduate and graduate instruction in environmental security geospatial analysis and climate-societal interactions.

Teaching and Mentoring Expectations - The responsibility profile for the position is envisioned as approximately 40% teaching 50% research and 10% service. An Assistant Professor is expected to teach a two-course load in year one and a three-course load in years two through six; an Associate Professor is expected to teach a three-course load during year one with a longer-term teaching load informed by research productivity.
Teaching will include a high-enrollment introductory geography environmental geography or climate course an introductory geospatial course and a course focused on environmental security and/or climate change. The possibility of teaching a specialty course or graduate seminar around expertise is envisioned along with the opportunity to contribute to existing study abroad courses.
Graduate student mentoring is expected in support of the M.S. Geography (department) and Ph.D. Geospatial and Environmental Analysis (college) degree programs.

Research Scholarship Extension and Engagement Expectations - The successful candidate is expected to establish or continue a competitive externally funded research program and pursue proposals annually as principal investigator (PI) or co-PI. Relevant federal sponsors include NASA NSF NOAA DoD NGA and related agencies. The position offers strong opportunities for collaboration with the Center for Geospatial Information Technology the Virginia Tech National Security Institute and faculty across the College of Natural Resources and Environment. Research funding is expected to support graduate students in the Geography M.S. program and the Geospatial and Environmental Analysis Ph.D. program. Candidates should demonstrate capacity to continue or develop a strong trajectory of external funding high-quality peer-reviewed scholarship and research of national or international impact.

Required Qualifications

Ph.D. in geography or a closely related discipline by appointment start date.
Research expertise in environmental or climate science with human-environment perspectives using advanced geospatial computational or data-intensive approaches such as spatial and spatiotemporal modeling machine learning and artificial intelligence sensor or mobility data and high-performance computing as well as qualitative participatory or integrated methods that complement these approaches.
Evidence of excellence or strong potential in university teaching including a large introductory course and graduate mentoring.
Evidence of excellence or strong potential for competitive external funding and high-quality peer-reviewed scholarship.

Preferred Qualifications

For Associate Professor a strong record of externally funded research graduate student support and scholarly impact commensurate with rank.
Experience leading or contributing to large interdisciplinary proposals and research teams.
Expertise that connects environmental security or climate challenges with advanced geospatial modeling.
Ability to contribute to high-enrollment undergraduate instruction and experiential or international education.

Overtime Status

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

Commensurate with experience.

Hours per week

40

Review Date

October 15 2026

Additional Information

Applicants should submit a cover letter describing interest in the position; a curriculum vitae; a statement describing teaching and mentoring approach; a statement describing research scholarship extension or professional program as appropriate to the position; and names and contact information for three professional references. Additional materials may be requested as the search progresses.

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship.

Inquiries should be directed to the Search Committee Chair Andrew Ellis at or .

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its mottoUt Prosim(That I May Serve) Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world Virginia Tech is aninclusive communitydedicated to knowledge discovery and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36000 undergraduate graduate and professional students in eightundergraduate colleges aschool of medicine aveterinary medicinecollegeGraduate School andHonors university has a significant presence across Virginia including Blacksburg the greater Washington D.C. area the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke sites in Newport News and Richmond and numerousExtension officesandresearch institutes.A leading global research institution Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.