Department Head and Professor of Natural Resource Management

The Department of Natural Resource Management at South Dakota State University (SDState) invites applications for Department Head and Professor. We are seeking a visionary and dynamic leader with a strong record of teaching, scholarship, and service, who can provide strategic direction and foster excellence in education, applied research, Extension outreach, and collaboration. The Department Head will report directly to the Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences. Located in Brookings, South Dakota, this is a 12-month administrative appointment with an academic rank of Professor. SDState is the state’s largest, most comprehensive land-grant university with over $94 million in annual research expenditures, more than 200 academic programs, and an enrollment of approximately 12,000 students. Visit https://www.sdstate.edu/about-us to learn more about SDState. The university is part of a dynamic community for families, students, young professionals, and retirees, which offers an abundance of attractions and activities. Learn more about Brookings by visiting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT8OnH5eIgQ&feature=youtu.be. The Department of Natural Resource Management (NRM) is a dynamic, collaborative community advancing education, research, and outreach in conservation, management, and restoration to empower people with the knowledge to address environmental and natural resource challenges. With approximately 265 undergraduate students, 60 graduate students, and 30 faculty/staff, the department offers undergraduate programs in Conservations Planning and Park Management, Ecology and Environmental Science, Natural Resource Law Enforcement, and Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences along with M.S. and Ph.D. graduate programs in Biological Sciences and Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. Faculty and students engage in innovative applied research and Extension activities for the conservation, restoration, and management of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems including fish, wildlife, rangelands, and native plants. Our work scales from applied molecular techniques to integrated socio-ecological systems. NRM houses the C.A. Taylor Herbarium and regularly conducts research and programming at Oak Lake Field Station and Cottonwood Field Station, and outreach through SDState Extension. The department works closely with the SDState hosted South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, which exists in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, the Wildlife Management Institute, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We offer a collaborative environment where faculty, staff, and students work together to tackle real-world challenges and make a meaningful impact. Learn more at https://www.sdstate.edu/natural-resource-management. For a complete listing of responsibilities, the minimum and preferred qualifications, the application deadline, contact information for questions on the position, and to apply, visit https://YourFuture.sdbor.edu, search for the position, and follow the electronic application process. The direct link to this posting is https://yourfuture.sdbor.edu/postings/47115. Full Consideration Deadline: April 6, 2026. Position is open until filled. For questions on the position, contact search committee chair, Angela Pillatzki, at (605) 688-5172 or angela.pillatzki@sdstate.edu. The department actively promotes access to and opportunities for all to receive the benefit of and participate in education, research, and service, and is especially interested in candidates that can contribute to this land-grant access mission. South Dakota State University is an EO employer – vets, disability.