Assistant/Associate/Full Professor & Endowed Professorship

Position Function:

The Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture (WFA) at Mississippi State University (MSU) invites applications for the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Endowed Professorship in Wild Turkey Management, Research and Outreach. We are seeking an innovative wildlife biologist to develop a robust applied-research program in wild turkey ecology and management, with emphasis on the demographic, ecological, and management factors influencing wild turkey populations across private and public lands.

Salary Grade:  UC

Please see Staff Compensation Structure or Skilled Crafts and Service Maintenance Compensation Schedule for salary ranges.  For salary grade UC, these positions are "Unclassified" and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.

Department Profile:

The Southeastern U.S. hosts some of the greatest biodiversity in North America including numerous endangered and threatened species. Mississippi is characterized by diverse terrains including broadleaf forests, oak savannas, prairie grasslands, temperate pine forests and delta wetlands, along with abundant waterways. These rich landscapes provide habitat for hundreds of species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Wild turkey are the second most hunted game species in the Southeast, and account for about $125 million in annual economic impact in the state. Mississippi is home to 11 national wildlife refuges, 6 national forests, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Natchez Scenic Trail, multiple national monuments, military parks, battlefields, several US Army Corps of Engineer reservoirs, 25 state parks, the Mississippi River, and 53 Wildlife Man-agement areas. Mississippi State University is ranked as one of the top research institutions in the United States. The Carnegie Institute has designated MSU as an “R1 – very high research activity” doctoral granting institution. The National Science Foundation has MSU as ranked No. 12 nationally in Agriculture and Natural Resources Conser-vation research expenditures with more than $109 million spent annually. The 43-member faculty within the De-partment of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture leads one of the most productive research programs in the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University. We are home to the Mississippi USGS Coop Unit of scientists, the Center for Human-Wildlife Conflict, the USDA Wildlife Services National Training Academy and five endowed faculty professorships. The department has a highly collegial and interdisciplinary group of faculty, post-doctoral fellows, and Research and Extension Associates that help make the department one of the premier in-stitutions for applied wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture science in the nation. Annually, the department faculty bring in $15-20 million in extramural funding. As one of the fastest growing undergraduate programs in the region, our 330 undergraduate students concentrate in wildlife agriculture science, human-wildlife interactions, conservation biology, wildlife veterinary medicine, conservation law enforcement, and wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture science. The department also mentors over 120 graduate students across a variety of programs, with high job placement following receipt of a graduate degree.

Information related to upland game bird research and outreach activities at MSU can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/@MSUExt_Gamebird
https://www.facebook.com/people/MSU-Extension-Gamebird-Program/61563401581429/ https://www.instagram.com/msuext_gamebird/

Area of Specialization:

wild turkey ecology and management

Anticipated Appointment Date:

January 1, 2027. 

Tenure Track Status:

Yes. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

This position will operate with support from the Endowed program established to advance wild turkey science and management at MSU and through the generous contributions of the NWTF and other private donors. Consistent with current priorities in wild turkey conservation, the successful candidate is expected to develop an integrated research program addressing one or more of the following areas: 1) demographic drivers of population change, 2) habitat management and landscape ecology, 3) harvest management and season structure, and 4) disease, health, and other emerging constra