Assistant Professor of Geography (Environmental Remote Sensing & Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems)

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Assistant Professor of Geography (Environmental Remote Sensing & Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems)

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Application Deadline: All applications must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date indicated in the posting. For positions listed as Open Until Filled, applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

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Posting Details

Request to Recruit

Position Title	Assistant Professor of Geography (Environmental Remote Sensing & Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems)
Tenure Status	Tenure Track
Provide Rank	Assistant Professor
Position Number	010601
VISA Sponsorship?	VISA sponsorship is available for this position. All candidates must be eligible to work and live in the U.S.
Department	Geography & Planning - 250300
Working Location (City, State)	Boone, North Carolina

Position Summary Information

Minimum Qualifications	Ph.D. in Geography, Environmental Science, or a closely related field by the time of appointment (August 2027). Demonstrated expertise in Environmental Remote Sensing and digital image processing. Demonstrated research agenda and technical competency in Remotely Piloted. Aerial Systems (RPAS) for spatial data acquisition (including photogrammetry, LiDAR, or multispectral sensors). Evidence of, or strong potential for, excellence in university-level teaching.
Areas of Interest and Preferred Qualifications (No Minimum Level Required)	An active FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification (or immediate eligibility and willingness to obtain it). Experience with advanced spatial modeling, Google Earth Engine, and other cloud-based raster processing, or programming languages relevant to spatial data (e.g., Python, R). A track record of, or clear plan for, involving undergraduate and graduate students in field-based research. Experience or interest in interdisciplinary collaboration.
License/Certification Required	Current FAA Part 107 License Preferred
Description of the Department or Unit	The Department of Geography and Planning currently enrolls 100+ undergraduate majors and 25 Master’s degree students. Department resources include two GIScience labs, a shared visualization lab, and a full-time GIScience lab systems administrator.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities	Position DescriptionThe Department of Geography and Planning at Appalachian State University invites applications for a full-time, 9-month, tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor beginning August 2027. We are seeking an active teacher-scholar specializing in Environmental Remote Sensing and Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS/drones). The ideal candidate will leverage these technologies to address pressing climate, environmental, or earth systems questions. Given our location in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, candidates whose research can utilize or benefit from regional mountain environments—while maintaining a nationally or internationally recognized research program—are highly encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses in our core GIScience curriculum, including introductory and advanced Environmental Remote Sensing and GIS, RPAS/Drone workflows and regulations, and potentially other courses in physical geography, climate science, environmental modeling, or spatial data science. This position involves active mentorship of both undergraduate students and students in our M.A. in Geography program. Essential Responsibilities ● Teaching: Teach a typical 3/3 load consisting of remote sensing, drone applications, and GIScience courses, one or more will be graduate level taught online.● Research: Maintain a robust research agenda resulting in peer-reviewed publications and actively seek external funding.● Service: Participate in departmental, college, and university-level service.● Mentorship: Advise undergraduate majors and serve on graduate thesis committees for the M.A. in Geography program.
Type of Position	Full Time Position
Appointment Type	1.0
Number Of Months Per Year	9
Physical Demands of Position	To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions

Posting Details Information

Proposed Date of Hire	07/01/2027
Suggested Salary Range	Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.
ABD Consideration:	No ABD consideration (see desc. below)
ABD Description	ABD with reduction in rank and salary: ABD will be considered for this position. Evidence of successful defense of the dissertation must be received by July 31 for a fall hire or November 30 for a spring hire. If confirmation of defense is not provided by the deadline, the candidate will receive a new one-year fixed-term contract and be hired at the rank of Instructor. The candidate’s salary will also be reduced to a lower rate commensurate with other full-time instructors in the same department. However, if degree verification is provided before the end of the one-year fixed-term contract, the candidate will be returned to the rank of assistant professor with commensurate compensation beginning July 1 of the following academic year. No ABD consideration: Only candidates with an earned doctorate or terminal degree from an accredited institution will be considered for the position. Since ABD will not meet the minimum requirements, ABD will not be considered.
Special Instructions to Applicants	For full consideration, applications must be submitted electronically through the Appalachian State University portal. Applicants should submit: A Letter of Application detailing qualifications, research agenda, and teaching philosophy. A current Curriculum Vitae. A 1-page statement of Research Plans (specifically addressing how you would utilize App State’s resources and local geography). A 1-page statement of Teaching Philosophy. Contact information for three (3) Professional References.
UNC System Code (Section 610(2)) Special Faculty Hires	The continued employment of a special faculty member during the term appointment may be made expressly contingent on items such as the continued availability of funding from any source, on enrollment levels, or any other contingency established by the institution.
Posting Date	10/01/2026
Closing Date
Open Until Filled	Yes
Evaluation of Applications Begins	11/15/2026
Search Chair Name	Kara Dempsey
Search Chair Email	[email protected]
Quick Link	https://appstate.peopleadmin.com/postings/56189
Posting Number	FA00101P

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

1. Cover Letter / Letter of Interest
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. List of References with Contact Information
4. Statement of Teaching Philosophy
5. Statement of Research Interests

Optional Documents