Position Description

The Division of Environmental Sciences and Policy of the Nicholas School of the Environment invites applicants for an Assistant Professor of the Practice of Applied Remote Sensing.  This is a regular-rank Non-Tenure Track Faculty Position.

The successful candidate will join a dynamic team of faculty members dedicated to solving environmental science and management challenges in a multidisciplinary environment. This position will broadly focus on advancing environmental remote sensing techniques and applications to support our undergraduate, professional environmental management programs, and non-degree course offerings (https://nicholas.duke.edu/academics). This position will also support our certificate in geospatial analysis program. This position offers a unique opportunity to develop a practice collaborating with experts in growth areas such as remote sensing for environmental health; ecological resilience and climatic disasters; water resource management; biodiversity, biomass and carbon monitoring; renewable energy deployment and management; urban ecology and environmental justice and a host of other emerging applications.  This position also provides the opportunity to make a significant impact in the field while expanding students' learning experiences and contributing to the university's commitment to innovation and academic excellence. This role is also aligned with the Duke University Climate Commitment (https://climate.duke.edu/) focus on environmental problem solving.

A pivotal aspect of this role involves providing visionary leadership in the application of remote sensing to environmental problem-solving, underpinned by excellence in practical research or industry engagement that resonates with audiences primarily composed of environmental scientists, natural resource managers and policymakers, and climate change experts. While thought leadership can be showcased through publications in academic journals, we also highly value other practice-oriented activities, including ongoing collaborations with environmental organizations and agencies, contributions to the development of environmental data standards, involvement in environmental research consortia and communities of practice, remote sensing training for professionals, and the development of industry best practices.

Responsibilities:

●     Develop and deliver high-quality courses in applied remote sensing, with a focus on image processing, emerging machine learning techniques, field data collection and geospatial analysis applications. 

●     Serve as a mentor and advisor to guide students in the principles and practical applications of remote sensing across various disciplines, fostering a stimulating, supportive and inclusive learning environment.

●     Continually innovate and enhance components of undergraduate and graduate curricula, ensuring alignment with the latest advancements in remote sensing and geospatial analysis technologies.

●     Maintain an active personal research focus in the field of applied remote sensing.

●     Collaborate effectively with colleagues to contribute to the growth of remote sensing research and its integration into research programs in the Nicholas School and practical natural resource management applications.

●     Actively participate in the academic community by engaging in relevant service activities within the university.

Qualifications:

●     Possess an advanced degree (Ph.D. or other research doctorate preferred) in a field closely related to remote sensing, applied image processing, geospatial analysis, or a relevant application area.

●     Display extensive experience and proficiency in utilizing image processing techniques and machine learning algorithms for analyzing remote sensing data.

●     Showcase expertise in project management, along with a track record of successful project execution and collaboration.

●     Demonstrate exceptional communication skills to effectively convey intricate concepts to students and colleagues.

●     Exhibit creative approaches to innovative teaching methods and curriculum enhancements.

●     Hold a strong commitment to cultivating a positive and inclusive learning environment for students.

●     Prior experience working with remote sensing data from diverse platforms and scales (e.g., satellites, aircraft, drones) is highly advantageous.

Teaching Responsibilities: The successful candidate will be responsible for teaching a portfolio of fundamental and application/field courses each academic year, totaling to the equivalent of 3.5 semester-long courses, and advising Master’s Projects by students in NSOE’s Master of Environmental Management and Master of Forestry programs

Location: The position will be located on the main campus of Duke University, fostering direct interactions between the faculty and students. Duke University also maintains the Duke Forest research forest as well as the Duke University Marine Lab.

Duke University and Division of Environmental Sciences and Policy of the Nicholas School of the Environment are strongly committed to advancing inclusive excellence throughout our research, teaching, and service activities. A diverse faculty – defined broadly as representing a wide range of identities, lived experiences, and perspectives – is a prerequisite for excellence and is essential to driving innovation within our scholarly community. To achieve these goals, it is essential that all members of the community feel valued and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community are expected to uphold these values, and we seek to hire faculty who are passionate about increasing the participation and success of individuals from all different backgrounds and communities. 

Interested candidates should submit the following to https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/26018  by March 15, 2024: a cover letter (with contact information); a curriculum vitae; a three-page statement of research and practice  that includes a description of past research/practice accomplishments, plans for future research/practice, and their experience and approach to mentoring and supporting  a diverse and inclusive research/practice environment; a one-page statement describing their teaching philosophy, previous teaching experience, future plans for teaching, and experience and approach to fostering an inclusive learning and mentoring environment for their students; and three reference letters.

Duke University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.