Assistant/Associate Professor of Wildlife Extension

About the role

The Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation in the College of Natural Resources and Environment at Virginia Tech invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professor of Wildlife Extension. This position will provide statewide leadership at the intersection of wildlife science, applied research, extension education, and public engagement. The faculty member will connect Virginia Tech research with Virginia Cooperative Extension, wildlife management agencies, landowners, local governments, agricultural producers, natural resource professionals, and communities across the Commonwealth. Priority program areas could include wildlife health and wildlife-vectored diseases, human-wildlife conflict/coexistence, deer and bear management, invasive and exotic wildlife, habitat conservation in rapidly changing landscapes, and public understanding of wildlife conservation and sustainable use. The review date for applications is October 15, 2026.

Responsibilities

• Allocate effort as 50% extension, 35% research, 10% teaching, and 5% service.
• Develop extension programming based on stakeholder needs assessment, including statewide workshops, webinars, field days, landowner trainings, agent professional development, publications, decision‑support tools, digital resources, and impact documentation.
• Collaborate with Virginia Cooperative Extension specialists, Agriculture and Natural Resource agents, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, USDA‑Wildlife Services, Virginia Department of Forestry, NGOs, and local governments.
• Establish a competitive, externally funded applied research program that supports graduate students; submit competitive proposals, pursue capacity and external funds, develop collaborations, and produce peer‑reviewed publications, extension scholarship, conference presentations, and impact reports.
• Teach a 0:1 course load (FIW 4454 Human‑Wildlife Conflicts and Coexistence) annually in spring and contribute to graduate education and mentoring through applied research and extension scholarship.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in wildlife science, human dimensions of wildlife, natural resources, ecology, extension education, or a closely related field by appointment start date.
• Demonstrated expertise relevant to wildlife management,