Junior Professor (Tenure Track) in Forest Ecology and Multifunctional Forest Management

In the Science, Engineering and Technology Group of KU Leuven, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, there is a full-time academic vacancy for a junior professor in the area of Forest Ecology and Multifunctional Forest Management in Leuven (Campus Arenberg). We are looking for internationally oriented candidates with an excellent research record and educational competence within the field of forest ecology and management.

Forests are crucial for maintaining biodiversity, regulating climate, and providing wood and other resources for our society. Research in forest ecology and multifunctional forest management helps us grasp the complex interactions within these ecosystems and is vital to developing sustainable practices that balance environmental health with human needs. Protecting and expanding forests through informed management ensures their benefits for future generations. The successful candidate will establish an international research program focused on quantitative solutions for forest monitoring, conservation, and multifunctional management, with an emphasis on temperate forests. Additionally, the role involves teaching forest-related courses within the Bachelor's and Master's programs of the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering.

The Division Forest, Nature, and Landscape aims to optimize the management of ecosystem services of natural and anthropogenically influenced ecosystems. The academic research and education focus on the characterization of biodiversity, the structure and functioning of land-use systems, understanding the effect of human intervention in these ecosystems, and developing nature-based engineering solutions.

The division has extensive expertise with a wide range of sensors, methods, and instruments to monitor, analyze, model, and manage complex socio-ecological systems. The division oversees the University Forest (in Belgium) and two TreeDivNet experiments (located in Belgium and Ethiopia), providing you with valuable opportunities to further expand upon these initiatives. We are committed to fostering an inclusive academic environment and seek candidates who share these values.

The division is embedded in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, which has as its main mission the conduct of high-quality scientific research regarding the functioning of geo- and ecosystems across different time and spatial scales, including human-environment interactions, and the sustainable management of natural resources.

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Duties

Research

You will establish an international-level research program focused on developing quantitative solutions for the monitoring, conservation, and multifunctional management of forests. This program will address the optimization of various ecosystem services, such as climate regulation, wood production and biodiversity, by creating engineering solutions tailored to challenges like climate and land use changes, as well as societal and economic needs. 

You possess a deep understanding of the ecology and management of temperate forests, and you have extensive fieldwork experience. Experience with advanced modelling or advanced technologies in forest research is valued. While the research will primarily focus on temperate forests and their tree species, it may also extend to other forest biomes.

You will establish a research group and develop partnerships both within KU Leuven and on an (inter)national scale. Collaboration within the Division Forest, Nature, and Landscape on topics such as urban forestry, ecosystem restoration, digital twins, and biodiversity conservation will be highly valued. 

You are expected to obtain competitive funding that supports the attainment of PhDs and generates publications conforming to international standards, ultimately garnering widespread recognition. Additionally, you will focus on the valorization of your research findings, ensuring they support policy-making regarding forest ecosystems.

Teaching

You will provide high-quality education to both Bachelor's and Master's students at the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, within the domain of Forest Ecology and Management with a clear commitment to the quality of the programme as a whole. The educational profile of the faculty is strongly geared towards engineering solutions and applied competencies. 

The initial teaching assignment will include the courses ‘Forestry’, ‘Forest management’ and several field courses. You will develop your teaching in accordance with KU Leuven's vision on activating and research-based education and take advantage of the opportunities for educational professionalization offered by the faculty and the university. 

Courses are taught in Dutch and English. Before teaching courses in Dutch and English, you will show your proficiency to the required language standard. 

You will also contribute to the faculty’s and the university’s pedagogical project through the supervision of student projects (for example, bachelor’s and master’s theses) and by acting as a promoter of PhD students.

Service

You are willing to engage in scientific, societal, and internal service activities (such as serving on the departmental council). You will play an active role in promoting KU Leuven to new students and the wider professional field, and contribute to shaping forest-related policy at the Flemish and European level.

Profile

• You have a PhD in Bioscience Engineering, Forestry, Ecology or a related degree.
• You have at least 3 years of experience in scientific research following the date of obtaining your doctorate.
• You have demonstrable excellence and productivity in research regarding forest ecology and management. For this profile, thorough field knowledge of temperate forests is a basic requirement.
• You have a strong research profile. The quality of your research is proven by publications in prominent international journals and through international research experience.
• A demonstrable network in relevant forest-related research is particularly appreciated. Experience with relevant policy-supporting activities is regarded as a strength.
• You possess strong organizational skills and the ability to foster a collaborative, collegial environment. You also possess leadership capacities within a university context.
• You have demonstrable qualities for providing academic education. Teaching experience is valued, and a commitment to developing these skills will be supported. 
• You have a clear vision for delivering high-quality academic education in your field and are dedicated to the educational mission of the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering.
• Proficiency in English is required. KU Leuven provides courses in academic English.
• The official administrative language used at KU Leuven is Dutch. If you do not speak Dutch (or do not speak it well) at the start of your employment, KU Leuven will provide language training to enable you to participate in meetings.
• Before teaching courses in Dutch or English, you will be given the opportunity to learn Dutch, respectively English, to the required standard.
• We encourage applications from candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of our academic community.

Offer

We are offering full-time employment in an intellectually challenging environment. KU Leuven is a research-intensive, internationally oriented university that carries out both fundamental and applied scientific research. The university is highly inter- and multidisciplinarily focused and strives for international excellence. In this regard, we actively work together with research partners in Belgium and abroad. We provide our students with an academic education that is based on high-quality scientific research.

You will work in Leuven, a historic, dynamic and lively city located in the heart of Belgium, within 20 minutes from Brussels, the capital of the European Union, and less than two hours from Paris, London and Amsterdam.

You will be appointed as an assistant professor on the tenure track for a period of 5 years; after this period and a positive evaluation, you will be permanently appointed (or tenured) as an associate professor.

To facilitate scientific onboarding and accelerate research in the first phase, a research position equivalent to a doctoral scholarship for four years will be made available. In addition, a starting grant of 110,000 euro is offered to new professors, appointed for at least 50%.

KU Leuven is well set to welcome foreign professors and their family and provides practical support with regard to immigration & administration, housing, childcare, learning Dutch, partner career coaching, …

More information

Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Interested?

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