Assistant Professor (Forest Economics and Management)

Position: Assistant Professor (Forest Economics and Management)

Status: Full-time, Exempt, Faculty

Department: Institute of Forestry / Academics

Reports to: Director, Institute of Forestry / Dean of Faculty

Compensation: $78,000 - $80,000 annual salary

College Background:

Paul Smith’s College is a small, private college on Lower St. Regis Lake in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York. Its mission is to empower career-ready graduates, advance sustainability, and foster regional resiliency. The College’s strategy emphasizes entrepreneurial research and applied enterprise, anchored in institutes such as the Adirondack Watershed Institute, the Visitor Interpretive Center, and the Institute of Forestry. These units, coordinated through the Office of Strategic Initiatives, leverage PSC’s unique Adirondack setting to deliver hands-on education, research, and service. The Institute of Forestry manages nearly 10,000 acres of productive timberland (plus additional mountains, streams, wetlands, ponds, and lakes), integrates applied forest management into teaching and research, and oversees student-run operations including the logging crew, a 2,400-tap maple sugarbush, and an expanding portfolio of contract forestry services for private, municipal, and federal partners.

Description:

Paul Smith’s College invites applicants for a 60/40 research/teaching faculty appointment, with an anticipated start date in August 2026. The position will deliver instruction in the college’s SAF-accredited forestry program and contribute to the advancement of the Institute of Forestry’s on-going research and applied management projects. The position will develop and lead an independent, externally-funded research program within the Institute. This position is open to applicants with expertise in any area of specialization in forest economics or management, but the ideal candidate will bring a demonstrated ability to translate their subject expertise into practical guidance that improves the practice of forestry in the region and beyond. The position is a full-time/12-month appointment. It will involve close collaboration with Institute leadership and staff, affiliated faculty, and regional, national, and international project partners from universities, industry, NGOs, and state and federal agencies. Other expectations include academic service, student advising, program development, and support for student clubs or activities associated with the academic program, commensurate with the position’s teaching responsibilities. The position includes start-up support and funded research opportunities on existing Institute research programs, available as full research salary support through the spring of 2028 or an equivalent allocation.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Serve as primary instructor for 12 contact hours of undergraduate or master’s-level forestry courses per academic year.
• Work with the Institute Director and other departments on campus to develop new projects and seek additional funding from state, federal, or private sources.
• Lead or contribute to economic and scientific analysis on existing Institute research programs.
• Author or contribute to scientific manuscripts, technical reports, and new research proposals.
• Supervise student fieldwork and research projects.
• Work closely with the Institute staff to ensure deliverables are met in a timely manner.
• Work collaboratively with the other stakeholders to meet the mission of the college.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• PhD (ABD considered) in forest economics, forest management, or closely related field,

or

• PhD (ABD considered) in a relevant subfield of economics, business or finance, and
  • Bachelor’s/master’s-level training in forestry, or
  • Extensive professional experience in forest management or timberland investment
• Record of research accomplishment, including peer-reviewed publications and scholarly output commensurate with experience.
• Demonstrated success working with diverse teams.

Paul Smith’s College is an equal opportunity employer. Position descriptions are created that focus on essential functions, using inclusive language, and avoid unnecessary or discriminatory requirements.