Sustainability (Tenure-Track, Assistant Professor)
Posting Number: F-0912
College/Unit: College of Science and Engineering
Home Department: Department of Geography and Environmental Studies
Employee Group: Tenure-Track Faculty - Academic Year
Employment Status: Full-Time
Position Type: 10 month
Position Classification: Tenure Track Faculty
Position Begin Date: 08/18/2025
Position End Date:
Position Summary:
The Department of Geography and Environmental Studies in the College of Science and Engineering at Central Michigan University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Sustainability beginning August 2025. The successful candidate will be committed to excellence in teaching, research, and service and will provide mentoring for students in the award-winning Central Sustainability program. Central Sustainability is housed in the department and serves as Central Michigan University’s student-led Office of Sustainability, where emerging student leaders develop solutions for sustainability policy, practice, and programs on campus and through community partnerships.
We are looking for a colleague who embraces a holistic and systems-based approach to sustainability, understanding the importance of integrating both natural and social sciences to creatively implement sustainable solutions.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to teach at all undergraduate levels in the department’s sustainability, environment, and society major. While there are opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary graduate education, teaching, research, and mentoring are focused on undergraduate students, offering a rewarding opportunity to shape the next generation of sustainability leaders.
Areas of research and teaching specialization may include but are not limited to: 1) sustainability policy and management, 2) applied sustainability solutions for communities, 3) environmental justice and social vulnerability, 4) climate change impacts, resilience, and/or adaptation, 5) expertise in energy, waste, food, water, transportation, or other sustainability areas. We encourage candidates from diverse research backgrounds; however, the successful candidate is expected to have an appreciation for the department’s breadth of programs in geography, GIS , planning, and sustainability and the geographic tradition of cross-disciplinary approaches and collaboration.
Required Qualifications:
• Doctoral degree in geography, sustainability, environmental studies, planning, or relevant field (must be completed prior to the start date).
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated or strong potential for undergraduate teaching and mentorship.
• Commitment to fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging in the workplace.
• Ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience as the instructor of record.
• Track record of research, particularly projects that involve collaboration with students or community groups.
• Demonstrated use of cross-disciplinary approaches to address sustainability challenges.
• Potential to develop externally funded projects, including research initiatives or community engagement efforts.
• Interest in developing partnerships with local governments, community organizations, or private sectors.
Message to Applicants:
Central Michigan University is an NSF ADVANCE Institution, committed to increasing the advancement and representation of women and other people from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM fields. In seeing diversity as a strength, we encourage you to apply if you are enthusiastic about this opportunity, but you feel you may not meet all the preferred qualifications. Similarly, given that geography, environmental studies, and sustainability are integrative fields, we believe that diverse perspectives enhance our teaching.
Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering a broadly diverse and inclusive campus that respects all social identities, experiences, and perspectives. In an effort to further this initiative, we are especially interested in candidates who will advance and promote an inclusive and supportive environment for every member of our university community.
You must submit an on-line application in order to be considered as an applicant for this position. Position will be open until filled, with priority given to applications submitted by December 2, 2024.
Questions may be addressed to Dr. Matthew Liesch, Department Chairperson, at (989) 774-1205 or at matt.liesch@cmich.edu. Applications must include a CV, cover letter, statement of teaching philosophy, statement of research including your philosophy on mentoring undergraduate students, evidence of teaching effectiveness, contact information for three references, and copies of academic transcripts. As part of the cover letter, we invite candidates to describe their experiences engaging a diverse student body. Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee. Reference checks will occur for finalists.
About the Department:
To learn more about the department, please visit the https://www.cmich.edu/academics/colleges/college-science-engineering/departments-schools/geography-and-environmental-studies.
Posting Begins: 10/25/2024
Posting Ends:
Open Until Filled: Yes
About CMU:
Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.
We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.
CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.
Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.
CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.
Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
To apply, visit https://apptrkr.com/5762229
