Associate Professor or Professor - Colorado River Studies

Utah State University’s S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources seeks an accomplished and visionary leader for the Janet Quinney Lawson Endowed Chair in Colorado River Studies. The successful candidate will serve as Director of the Center for Colorado River Studies within the Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air and as a faculty member in one of the college’s academic departments. This tenure-track, full-time (nine-month) position is administratively based at USU’s main campus in Logan, Utah, with potential collaborative opportunities across USU’s statewide campuses. Review of applications begins October 1, 2026.

About the role

The Janet Quinney Lawson Endowed Chair will position Utah State University as a nationally and internationally recognized center for research, policy, and stakeholder engagement related to the Colorado River Basin. We welcome applications from scientists, scholars, and policymakers with a strong record of funded research or policy experience relevant to the Colorado River Basin. The faculty rank for this position is Associate or Full Professor.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Director of the Center for Colorado River Studies.
• Convene scholars, practitioners, agencies, tribal nations, NGOs, and policy leaders around emerging Colorado River Basin challenges.
• Build strategic partnerships across universities, governments, NGOs, tribal nations, and international organizations to inform policy and management related to the Colorado River.
• Establish a strong record in a faculty role in research or policy-relevant outreach and foster a collaborative culture focused on applied science and management of the Colorado River and its tributaries.
• Provide leadership in land, water, and air issues in the Colorado River Basin as part of the leadership team for the Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air.
• Seek extramural funding to support research, students, and outreach.
• Advise and mentor graduate students and teach 1-2 courses per year in one of the Quinney College’s departments.
• Participate in faculty duties on campus as well as professional involvement off campus.

Qualifications

• Minimum Qualifications:
  • Earned Ph.D. or J.D. in any field of study applicable to science, policy, or management in the Colorado River Basin.
  • Demonstrated capacity to develop the Center for Colorado River Studies into an interdisciplinary center focused on fostering the physical and social science needed to best manage the Colorado River and its basin.
• Preferred Qualifications:
  • Demonstrated ability to shape regional, national, or international conversations related to water, adaptation, river governance, and/or environmental management.
  • Experience working with local, state, tribal, or federal agencies or other organizations in the management of the Colorado River or its basin, and demonstrated interest in ongoing engagement with these stakeholder groups.
  • National or international recognition for leadership and impact in research, policy, management, or stakeholder engagement related to major river systems, water governance, environmental sustainability, or the Colorado River Basin.
  • Demonstrated understanding of the legal and policy environment in which the Colorado River and its basin are managed.
  • Demonstrated potential to build and maintain a productive interdisciplinary research program, including the ability to secure competitive external funding.
  • Distinguished record of published scholarship or professional accomplishment consistent with appointment at the rank of Associate or Full Professor.
  • Demonstrated excellence in written and oral communication skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to contribute to a learning community with members from a range of backgrounds and experiences and to foster a sense of belonging for all participants and students.
  • Experience teaching university-level courses relevant to large rivers.
  • Experience organizing field experiences with students or stakeholder groups.
  • Demonstrated success securing major philanthropic support or strategic partnerships.

About the College and University

The S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources brings together nationally and internationally recognized faculty working across agriculture, natural resources, environmental science, food and nutrition, technology, and human systems. The college integrates biological, physical, and social science to advance knowledge, educate future leaders, and translate research into effective management, policy, and community-based solutions. The Quinney College serves approximately 5,000 students and secured over $61 million in research awards in 2024, representing one-third of the university’s externally funded research.

Utah State University, founded in 1888, is Utah’s premier land-grant, public service university and an R1 research institution. USU enrolls over 29,800 students across 30 locations, including a main campus in Logan, Utah, and educates students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. USU is dedicated to fostering a community where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported, and where diversity of thought and culture are cultivated.

About the Region

Utah State University’s main campus is located in Logan, a city of over 54,000 people in a picturesque mountain valley 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. The Logan metro area ranked first in the Milken Institute’s 2022 ranking for best-performing small cities in the nation. Utah offers outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities, including five national parks, 43 state parks and recreation areas, and 15 alpine ski resorts.

Benefits

USU offers competitive salaries and outstanding medical, retirement, and professional benefits. For more information, visit usu.edu/hr.