Assistant Ecologist Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Job Description

Virginia Tech seeks applications and nominations for the position of Professor and Head of the Department of Entomology, a tenured twelve-month academic and administrative appointment. The Department has nationally and internationally recognized programs in research, extension and education. Faculty research and teaching interests encompass broad areas of entomology including: vector borne diseases, vector and pollinator ecology and biology, insect toxicology, invasive species, biological control, aquatic entomology, genomics and systematics, and pest management in forest, agronomic, horticultural and urban systems. The faculty has a strong track record of competitive funding from NIH, NSF, USDA, USGS and various state and industry sources. The Department on the main campus in Blacksburg has 23 tenured or tenure track faculty members, 16 A/P faculty and 20 salaried staff. In addition, 5 tenured or tenure-track faculty members are located at off campus Agricultural Research and Extension Centers (ARECS). Approximately 50 graduate students are enrolled in the Department's MS or PhD programs, and 37 undergraduates in the Department's minor degree program. The Department also supports the undergraduate teaching curricula of other departments on campus, including Biology, Biomedical Sciences & Veterinary Sciences, Forestry, Fish and Wildlife Conservation, and the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. Departmental resources include laboratories, greenhouses, an insect quarantine unit, an insect museum, and field research facilities on or near campus. Research and extension are also conducted across the Commonwealth and at the ARECs around the state. Efforts to develop improved monitoring systems, sustainable pest management solutions are integral to these diverse programs. Extension and outreach programs target growers, commodity groups, regulatory agencies, industry and the public. Additional information about the department can be found at http://www.ento.vt.edu/index.html.
Virginia Tech is a land grant university of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is in Blacksburg, a bucolic setting adjacent to the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains. The University has an approximate total enrollment of 30,000 students, with approximately 3,600 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences across both undergraduate and graduate programs.
The Department Head will provide visionary leadership in establishing priorities for the department in the context of the strategic initiatives and stakeholder needs of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. They will maintain a commitment to shared governance and collaboration with on and off campus faculty; foster interdisciplinary and interagency cooperation; actively participate in student recruitment and education and in recruitment of new faculty and staff; encourage professional development, evaluation, and promotion of faculty and staff; prepare and manage departmental budgets; coordinate the deployment of new faculty and staff into modern laboratory facilities; foster and promote an environment conducive to faculty obtaining new grants, contracts and gifts. In addition, the Department Head will be responsible for building on a collegial culture of collaboration with other departments, colleges and university centers/institutes, governmental agencies, alumni, and commodity groups. It is strongly desired that the successful candidate participates in teaching, research, and/or extension activities.

Required Qualifications

Candidates must have: An earned doctorate in entomology, biology, ecology or related discipline (interdisciplinary training or experience desirable); Demonstrated ability to effectively manage resources and a commitment to financial transparency; Credentials sufficient for appointment as a tenured full professor, including an internationally recognized level of academic achievement, active research program and demonstrated record of successful grantsmanship; Team building skills with evidence of effective group leadership at a departmental level, including strong record of graduate student training; Demonstrated effectiveness in personnel management, interpersonal communication, and consensus building; Demonstrated experience in assessing priorities and the implementation of strategic planning in a multidisciplinary environment; An understanding of and commitment to the three missions of a land grant university; and, a commitment to Virginia Tech's principles of community.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in higher education or research administration; Experience at a land-grant university; Demonstrated ability to secure extramural funding and manage complex enterprise level projects.

Overtime Status

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

Commensurate with Experience

Hours per week

40; M-F 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Review Date

04/26/2026

Additional Information

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

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut 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 an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The 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 numerous Extension offices and research 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.