OPEN FACULTY POSITION AT NBMG: Geologic Mapping Specialist

Complete description as posted at http://www.nbmg.unr.edu and http://jobs.unr.edu/.

FACULTY OPENINGS
Geologic Mapping Specialist:
Structural-Economic and/or Quaternary Geology
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology
University of Nevada, Reno

 The Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology (NBMG), University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), seeks applicants for one or two faculty positions beginning on or after October 1, 2013, with expertise in field-based Structural-Economic Geology and/or Quaternary Geology.  These openings are non-tenure track, 12-month faculty position(s).

We seek applicants with skills in state-of-the-art techniques in the following areas:

• Structural and/or Economic geology, with substantial experience in quadrangle-scale geologic mapping.  Experience in analyzing mineral deposits, geothermal systems, and/or hydrocarbon deposits is highly valued.
• Quaternary geology, with expertise in geomorphology and neotectonics, as well as substantial experience in quadrangle-scale geologic mapping as applied to natural hazards, engineering geology, or environmental geology.

Quadrangle-scale (primarily 1:24,000) geologic mapping in support of elucidating Nevada’s geological history and framework is a fundamental responsibility of these positions.  Experience in ArcGIS, 3D modeling, and integration of multiple geologic and geophysical data sets is also desired.  Applicants must have a Masters or Doctorate in geology or a related geoscience field.

One full-time or two half-time positions are available.  Half-time positions would have at least 50% state funding, with full-time support assured for two years from start date and the expectation that the other 50% of support would be obtained through grants and contracts after the initial two years.  Many funding opportunities exist (e.g., USGS STATEMAP program) for support.  Nevada is one of the most exciting regions in the world to conduct research in the geosciences.  Opportunities abound for research in structural geology, mineral deposits, geothermal systems, neotectonics, and natural hazards.

NBMG is a research and public service unit of UNR and the state geological survey.  Managed as part of the Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering within the College of Science at UNR, NBMG functions as an academic unit, and its principal scientists are faculty members at UNR.

For complete position descriptions and requirements, view the position announcement at http://www.nbmg.unr.edu and http://jobs.unr.edu/ or contact Geoscience Search, NBMG, Mail Stop 0178, UNR, Reno, NV 89557-0178. Applications received through  https://www.unrsearch.com/postings/12470 by August 5, 2013 will receive full consideration.  EEO/AA. Women and under-represented groups are encouraged to apply.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Applicants must have a Masters or Doctorate in geology or a related geoscience field and at least two years of additional experience, with a demonstrated record of research as indicated by thesis projects or peer-reviewed publications.  Graduate research must include one or more of the following disciplines: Structural geology, Economic geology and/or Quaternary geology, with substantial experience in geologic mapping.
• Excellent communication skills; commitment to public service and the mission of a state geological survey; potential for, or established record of publications; and ability to attract funding are essential.

Additional Preferred Qualifications:

• Preference will be given to candidates with substantial field-based experience, including quadrangle-scale geologic mapping, in a variety of geologic settings.
• Preference will be given to candidates who have begun to demonstrate research productivity with publications in the peer-reviewed literature.
• Experience in ArcGIS, 3D modeling, and integration of multiple geologic and geophysical data sets is also highly valued.
• Because individuals will be competing for funding from many sources, including federal agencies and industry, preference will be given to candidates who explain achievable plans for funded research on Nevada-focused topics in structural geology, economic geology, and/or Quaternary geology.

Position Responsibilities

Quadrangle-scale (primarily 1:24,000) geologic mapping is a fundamental responsibility.  The successful candidate will be expected to work independently and to collaborate with other faculty in NBMG, the UNR Department of Geological Sciences and Engineering, and the UNR Seismological Laboratory in conducting research and funded projects.  The successful candidate will also be asked to communicate effectively with the public and community leaders regarding the geology of Nevada, including its natural hazards and resources.  Candidates must have a commitment to the mission of a state geological survey.

Salary and Date of Appointment

These openings are non-tenure track, 12-month administrative faculty position(s).  Conversion to a tenure-track position may be possible in the future.  The 12-month base salary is competitive with other research universities.  Sufficient State of Nevada funds are available to cover the salary at the entry level for administrative faculty.

For half-time positions: These positions would have at least 50% state funding, with full-time support assured for two years from start date and the expectation that the other 50% of support would be obtained through grants and contracts after the initial two years.  Many funding opportunities exist (e.g., USGS STATEMAP program) for support.

Starting date will be October 1, 2013 or shortly thereafter, depending on availability of the successful candidate.

Application

Please submit a letter expressing your interest in the position and research plans; names, e-mail and postal addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three references; a complete vita; and electronic copies of up to three of your publications (including geologic maps) to https://www.unrsearch.com/postings/12470.

To ensure full consideration, applicants are encouraged to have all information on file by August 5, 2013.  For further information about NBMG, please consult our website (http://www.nbmg.unr.edu.  Additional information is available through http://jobs.unr.edu/.

The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action in recruitment of its students and employees and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, creed, national origin, veteran status, physical or mental disability, and sexual orientation. The University of Nevada employs only United States citizens and aliens lawfully authorized to work in the United States. Women and under-represented groups are encouraged to apply.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS OF UNR, NBMG, AND RENO

Nevada geology provides an exciting venue for basic and applied research.  Excellent exposures of rocks and complex structures help our geologists unravel the tectonic history of western North America.  Some of the world’s most productive gold and other mineral deposits are close at hand for studies of fundamental Earth processes and applications in exploration, mining, and environmental stewardship.  Abundant geothermal systems are natural laboratories for understanding relationships between fluid flow and geological structure and for furthering development of renewable energy.  Active tectonics, limited water resources, and booming population centers keep urban geology and studies of hazards at the forefront.  Easy access to federally managed lands facilitates field work.  Nevada’s desert climate and temperature differentials by latitude and elevation make field work possible in different parts of the state throughout the year.  Reno’s concentration of geoscientists from various industries, the U.S. Geological Survey, UNR, and the Desert Research Institute encourages interactions that stimulate research.

NBMG has excellent support staffs in administration, cartography, and geographic information systems.  UNR has strong reputations in economic geology, structural geology, geothermal resources, geodesy, seismology, neotectonics, hydrogeology, and many other fields.  NBMG works closely with industry, including the mining, geothermal, and geotechnical industries that are active in Nevada.  NBMG is a supporter of UNR’s Ralph J. Roberts Center for Research in Economic Geology and works closely with its director and graduate students on projects.  NBMG supports and benefits from UNR’s Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy.  The University also hosts the Reno Field Office of the U.S. Geological Survey’s mineral resources team.  The Geological Society of Nevada (GSN), with approximately 1,000 members, has monthly meetings in Reno that regularly attract 100 to 200 geologists.  NBMG supports GSN’s efforts to hold a major symposium every five years, generally with a focus on ore deposits in the Great Basin and elsewhere.  NBMG also has a new combined sample-management, information office, and publication-sales office, the Great Basin Science Sample and Records Library on the nearby campus of the Desert Research Institute.  The facility houses the GSN office and publications of the Nevada Petroleum and Geothermal Society.  Some faculty in NBMG have joint appointments with the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, which conducts seismological research and operates the seismic network covering much of Nevada and eastern California.

Other attractions for the position include good benefits (health, dental, eye, and life insurance coverage, worker’s compensation, and retirement, sick leave, and holidays) and a great area in which to live.  Reno is located within minutes of the Sierra Nevada and less than an hour from skiing and hiking near Lake Tahoe and Pyramid Lake.  The gaming industry provides large-city entertainment and restaurants, but the overall population (approximately 300,000 in the Reno-Carson City region) and excellent infrastructure make for commutes and a general ambiance more typical of a small town – “the biggest little city in the world.”  Festivals (Art Town in July, Hot August Nights, balloon races, and airplane races) are some of the many local highlights.  Public and private schools have excellent reputations for placing students in top colleges, and as a faculty member, your spouse and children may attend UNR for nominally low fees and partially waived tuition.  Students with good grades from UNR have excellent opportunities for graduate school and employment.  The San Francisco Bay area, Napa Valley, the Pacific coast, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas are within about an hour’s plane ride or easy drives.