Position Title: Assistant Professor
Employee Classification: LC Faculty TT/TN 9m
College/Division: Arts and Sciences College
Department: 330750-GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Internal or External Search: External - Open to all applicants
Location: Las Cruces
Offsite Location (if applicable):
Target Hourly/Salary Rate: Commensurate with qualifications
Appointment Full-time Equivalency: 1.0
Exempt or Non-Exempt: Exempt
Summary: The Department of Geography and Environmental Studies (GES) at New Mexico State University invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor of Geography to begin August 2026.
Classification Summary:
The Department of Geography and Environmental Studies (GES) at New Mexico State University invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor of Geography to begin August 2026. We seek a biogeographer or landscape ecologist with strong expertise in integrating field research and GIScience, and preferably, a focus on dryland systems. The successful candidate will contribute to our B.S., M.A.G., and Ph.D. programs in Geography, as well as the online M.S. in Geographic Information Science and Technology (GIS&T). We are looking for a dynamic, innovative, and broadly trained scholar who employs diverse research methods and brings passion and creativity to the classroom—both indoors and outdoors. The successful candidate will offer courses that complement and strengthen the department’s core areas in physical geography and GIS&T, while advancing GES’s mission to prepare students for research, teaching, and professional careers that address complex human–environment challenges in New Mexico and beyond.
Classification Standard Duties:
Faculty members are expected to contribute to the university’s mission of teaching, research, service, and outreach / extension. Standard duties include developing and delivering high-quality in-person and online instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels; conducting and disseminating original research; mentoring and advising undergraduate and graduate students; pursuing external funding to support research and student development; and providing service to the department, college, university, discipline, and broader community.
Required Education, Experience, Certification/License, Equivalency
Ph.D. in Geography or a closely related field at the time of start date.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• Demonstrated expertise in biogeography and/or landscape ecology, with the ability to integrate field and geospatial methods.
• Proven or potential ability to develop externally funded research programs and publish in high-impact journals.
• Strong teaching and mentoring skills at undergraduate and graduate levels in both online and in-person formats.
• Demonstrated or potential ability to contribute to the discipline through professional service and to engage the community through outreach or collaborative initiatives.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and collaborative abilities to build interdisciplinary teams and engage with academic and non-academic partners.
• Commitment to advancing NMSU’s land-grant mission through education, research, and outreach.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
• Develop an internationally visible, externally funded research program in biogeography and/or landscape ecology integrating field and geospatial methods
• Publish scholarly work in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals and contribute to interdisciplinary research initiatives
• Teach 2–3 undergraduate and/or graduate courses per semester, in face-to-face and/or online formats
• Mentor and advise on-campus and online students in research design, professional development, and career preparation
• Engage in service activities at the departmental, college, university, disciplinary, and community levels.
Preferred Qualifications
• Record of high-impact scholarly publications
• Record of external funding, or strong potential to secure it
• Record of high-quality in-person and online teaching and mentoring, or demonstrated potential
• Strong commitment to undergraduate and graduate education and professional development
• Record of service to the discipline and community engagement, or evidence of potential
• Expertise in dryland systems (Southwest U.S. or comparable regions)
• Ability to build interdisciplinary teams within the university and with non-academic stakeholders, or the capacity to do so
• Commitment to advancing NMSU’s land-grant mission through research, teaching, and outreach
Special Requirements of the Position
• Letter of interest.
• Curriculum vitae.
• Statement of teaching philosophy (maximum 2 pages).
• Statement of research interests and agenda (maximum 2 pages).
• Unofficial transcripts.
• Additionally, applicants must arrange for three letters of reference to be submitted.
Department Contact: Dan Dugas, 5756463509, ddugas@nmsu.edu
Contingent Upon Funding: Not Applicable
Bargaining Unit Eligibility:
Standard Work Schedule: Standard (M-F, 8-5)
If Not a Standard Work Schedule:
Working Conditions and Physical Effort
Environment: Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment.
Physical Effort: No or very limited physical effort required.
Lifting Requirements: Requires handling of average-weight objects up to 10 pounds or some standing or walking.
Risk: No or very limited exposure to physical risk.