Temporary Environmental Science Policy Jobs in California

Position overview
Position title: Assistant Professor
Salary range: The current salary range for this position is $84,100-$132,900 (9-month academic year salary), however, off-scale salary and other components of pay, which would yield compensation that is higher than this range, are offered to meet competitive conditions.
Anticipated start: July 1, 2027
Application Window
Open date: August 24, 2026
Next review date: Friday, Oct 9, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date: Friday, Oct 9, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) Applications will continue to be accepted until this date.
Position description
The Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (ESPM) at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor nine-month faculty position in the area of Arthropod Biodiversity.
Biodiversity lies at the heart of all ecosystems, from the smallest microbiomes to the global expanses of continents, oceans, and the atmosphere. It holds intrinsic value across many dimensions, encompassing species, genes, functions, processes, and cultures, while also providing tangible benefits such as food, medicine, and other natural products. Biodiversity underpins essential ecosystem services, including clean air, water, and soil, and contributes profoundly to human health, cultural identity, and psychological well-being. Arthropods, which E.O. Wilson famously described as "the little things that run the world," are the majority of Earth's macrobiota and have recently faced threats from multiple stressors, including climate change, habitat loss and degradation, and cumulative use of agricultural chemicals.
Loss of biodiversity, both locally (α-diversity) and among locations (β-diversity) is occurring at a rate exceeding our current efforts to discover, document, and understand the species with which we share our planet. These patterns are particularly true for arthropods, with insects showing global declines in populations across multiple orders (sometimes referred to as "insect apocalypse"). At the species level, arthropods now represent 70-80% of the documented loss of biodiversity. At the same time, many other arthropods are becoming increasingly problematic as invasive species, pests of agriculture and forests, and vectors of plant and animal pathogens. Expertise is needed in understanding drivers of arthropod biodiversity change, including understanding processes leading to resilient populations, communities, and ecosystems.
ESPM is a multidisciplinary community of scholars from across the sciences and humanities who conduct research, teaching, and outreach to advance scientific understanding and develop solutions for the world's pressing environmental problems. ESPM is home to a top-ranked Ph.D. program in environmental science, environmental studies, and ecological/evolutionary biology. Our undergraduate students have a choice of vibrant majors that span the disciplines in the department.
ESPM is committed to addressing the family needs of faculty, including dual career couples and single parents. We are also interested in candidates who have had non-traditional career paths, who have taken time off for family reasons, or who have achieved excellence in careers outside academia. For information about potential relocation to Berkeley, or career needs of accompanying partners and spouses, please visit the Office for Faculty Equity and Welfare's website .
Department: https://ourenvironment.berkeley.edu/
Qualifications
Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
Applicants for this position must hold a Ph.D. (or equivalent international degree) or be enrolled in a Ph.D. (or equivalent international degree) granting program at the time of application.
Preferred qualifications
The successful applicant will develop an internationally recognized research and teaching program focusing on terrestrial arthropod biodiversity in studies of (but not limited to) ecology, arthropod data science, disease biology, community/ecosystem ecology, conservation biology, systematics, evolutionary biology, and biological interventions (including management, removals, biological control, bioremediation, restoration, climate-adaptation). We encourage applicants whose research contributes to the design, management, and integrated understanding of biodiverse systems, using any of many approaches, including (but not limited to) field surveys, use and integration of natural history collections, ecological manipulations, genomics, AI, and computational biology.
The successful candidate will have a doctoral degree in a relevant field such as, but not limited to, biological disciplines (including ecology, evolutionary biology, conservation biology, systematics), environmental sciences, geography, entomology, or related fields. The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Expertise in any area of terrestrial (non-marine) arthropod biodiversity research.
• Organismal expertise (e.g., ecological, evolutionary, systematic, etc.) in a taxon or group of taxa in any habitat, including but not limited to terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, including working landscapes.
• The ability to establish an innovative research agenda in partnership with other disciplines.
• An interest in participatory research with practitioners and communities and the translation of science into solutions via policy and/or partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, or business.
• Strong research productivity, potential for external funding, and a commitment to excellence in teaching.
• Commitment to supporting the success of all students with effective mentoring and innovative classroom pedagogy.
• Willingness to engage in service and leadership activities within the University and their profession.

Application Requirements
Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Statement of Research - Please discuss research accomplishments and proposed plans. This can include, for example, your publication record, awards, presentations, inclusive research practices that promote the excellence of your research, and areas for future research.
• Statement of Teaching and Mentoring - Please discuss prior teaching experience, teaching approach, and future teaching interests. This can include, for example, specific efforts and accomplishments, and future plans to support the success of all students through inclusive curriculum, classroom environment, and pedagogy. Please also discuss your mentoring experiences and approach. This can include, for example, past efforts and future plans to support the success of all students, and to foster an inclusive research environment that removes barriers and promotes equitable access and advancement of the research program.
• Statement of Service - Please discuss specific prior and proposed academic, professional and/or public service activities. This can include, for example, participating in professional or scientific associations, serving on committees that advance department, campus or discipline goals, and conducting outreach activities that can remove barriers and increase participation of academics in your field.
• Publication One - Copy of a publication such as journal articles, book chapters, or other appropriate products.
• Publication Two - Copy of a publication such as journal articles, book chapters, or other appropriate products.
• Publication Three - Copy of a publication such as journal articles, book chapters, or other appropriate products.
• Authorization to Release Information Form - An institutional reference check will be completed only if you are selected as the candidate to whom the hiring unit would like to extend a formal offer. Download, complete, sign, and upload the Authorization to Release Information form .

Reference requirements

• 3 required (contact information only)

We will only request letters for applicants who are under serious consideration.
Apply link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05523
Help contact: nlowy@berkeley.edu
About UC Berkeley
UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service, consistent with UC Regents Policy 4400 and University of California Academic Personnel policy ( APM 210 1-d ). These values are embedded in our Principles of Community , which reflect our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery and innovation, and our deep commitment to contributing to a better world. Every member of the UC Berkeley community has a role in sustaining a safe, caring and humane environment in which these values can thrive.
The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.
For more information, please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy .
In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.
As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.
The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, or discrimination. Consistent with this commitment, UC Berkeley requires all applicants for Senate faculty positions to complete, sign, and upload an Authorization of Information Release form into AP Recruit as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, applicants will only be subject to institutional reference checks if and when they are selected as the candidate to whom the hiring unit would like to extend a formal offer. More information is available on this website .
As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

Job location
Berkeley, CA