Chair, Department of Environmental Science and Policy

Department: College of Science

Classification: 9-month Instructional Faculty

Job Category: Instructional Faculty

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax

Telework Friendly: Hybrid Eligible

Salary:  Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

Financial Background Check: Yes

Works with Minors Check: Yes

Chair, Department of Environmental Science and Policy (Tenure Track)

The George Mason University Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP) is seeking an energetic and experienced individual for a full-time, tenure track position to be filled at the Associate or Full Professor level beginning in August 2024. We are interested in individuals who have substantial experience in administering academic programs and have a strong record of teaching, grantsmanship, and publications. The successful candidate should demonstrate the ability to lead faculty in the formulation and implementation of the department’s vision and goals. The Chair supervises all departmental instructional and fiscal operations, supervises departmental staff, and conducts annual evaluations of faculty and staff. The Chair is also expected to help secure resources from both internal and external sources to help advance departmental goals in research and teaching, including the funding of graduate students. The initial appointment will be for four years and is renewable at the discretion of the Dean of the College of Science.

About the Department:

The Department of Environmental Science and Policy is well known for its truly interdisciplinary faculty focused on environmental and social sciences. ESP’s tenured, tenure-track, and term faculty actively engage in both research and teaching, a unique feature that supports and enriches the Department’s interdisciplinary research collaborations and academic programs. ESP also includes additional graduate program faculty from across the university and numerous environmental professionals. The following degrees are awarded by ESP: B.S. in Environmental Science, B.A. in Environmental and Sustainability Studies (in collaboration with the School of Integrative Studies), M.S. in Environmental Science and Policy, and Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Public Policy. The Department has a strong commitment to the achievement of excellence among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich our academic and culturally inclusive environment. We are also deeply committed to increasing diversity and encourage applications from women and minority scholars.

The Department is housed in two locations: the Fairfax campus and the Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center (PEREC). The Chair’s office is located in David King Hall on the Fairfax campus. This campus is home to all of the Social Science and Policy-oriented faculty, as well as some of the natural science faculty. Several teaching and research laboratories are also found in David King Hall. The Fairfax campus is home to many faculty from other departments who collaborate with the ESP Department. PEREC is located on the tidal Occoquan River in the Belmont Bay section of Woodbridge, Virginia, about 30 minutes from Mason’s Fairfax campus. Led by ESP faculty PEREC has an excellent infrastructure of research labs, teaching labs, support rooms and offices with a team of nine faculty researchers from three College of Science (COS) departments: five from ESP, two from Chemistry and Biochemistry, and two from Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences. The team has numerous collaborative research projects including the 38-year Gunston Cove ecosystem study and the more recent ecosystem study at Hunting Creek.

For more information on ESP, visit us online at http://esp.gmu.edu.

For more information on PEREC, visit us online at http://perec.science.gmu.edu.

George Mason University College of Science (Mason Science) is committed to advancing access, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (A-JEDI) throughout our STEM community, including within our hiring and retention practices. At Mason Science, our values include fostering an organizational culture that promotes anti-racism, belonging, respect, and civility. We believe that a diversity of opinions, cultures, and perspectives is what provides vibrancy, innovation, and growth to an academic community. By prioritizing inclusive excellence in academics, teaching, research, and global engagement, we strive to attract a diverse pool of faculty and staff who exemplify the Mason Science mission and vision.

About the Position:

The Department of Environmental Science and Policy in the College of Science at George Mason University is seeking an accomplished tenure-track level instructional faculty member who, in addition to the underlying duties as an instructional faculty, will be assigned duties as Department Chair. This additional assignment is considered to be an “at-will” position and will be reporting to the Dean of the College of Science. The position supervises all departmental instructional and fiscal operations, supervises departmental staff, and conducts annual evaluations of faculty and staff. The position is also expected to help secure resources from both internal and external sources to help advance departmental goals in research and teaching, including the funding of graduate students.

Responsibilities:

• Lead in enhancing and expanding the vision of the department, college, and university;
• Participate in college and university level committees to further the goals of the department and college;
• Provide leadership in curriculum and pedagogy revitalization;
• Elevate the status and visibility of the department among peer institutions;
• Promote a culture of diversity and inclusivity in the student body, faculty, and staff of the department;
• Provide a strategic framework for graduate recruitment and retention;
• Continue to promote the stability and growth of the undergraduate program;
• Supervise and support all department faculty and staff in a fair, active, and transparent manner;
• Manage the budget of the department including working with the development office to increase external fundraising;
• Teach two courses per academic year, either graduate, undergraduate, or both;
• Develop and fund an active research program; and
• Supervise and advise graduate students in the chair’s research program.

Required Qualifications:

• Terminal degree in related field;
• Record of instructional excellence at the undergraduate and/or graduate level;
• Demonstrated excellence in curriculum development;
• Demonstrated ability and experience in administrative roles;
• Strong leadership, managerial, and organizational skills;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in a variety of formats for a diversity of audiences; and
• Sustained record of teaching scholarly achievements, and service consistent with the rank of a tenured professor.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Record of effective leadership that may include examples of professional training; university growth or new programs; innovation in curriculum; and development of new facilities, funding, endowments, and partnerships;
• Successful record of maintaining a competitively funded research program that is acknowledged by peers;
• Consistent record of advising, supervising, and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students;
• Experience with fostering shared governance among diverse faculty with varying titles, ranks, and program specialties; and
• Research and teaching philosophies that align with the department and university.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for the Chair, Department of Environmental Science and Policy at https://jobs.gmu.edu/; complete and submit the online application; and provide a cover letter, CV, philosophy of teaching, research statement, statement of administrative experience and management philosophy (2 pages) (as Other Doc), and a list of three professional references with contact information.

Posting Open Date:  January 23, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  February 20, 2024

Open Until Filled?:  Yes