The School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) at the University of Michigan seeks applicants for a Professor of Practice to contribute to our capacity to train graduate students in dispute resolution and collaborative governance and to develop best practices and other scholarship that informs and advances the field and its impact. A distinguished record of professional practice in designing, facilitating and managing successful collaborative governance processes is critical. Evidence of non-academic impact in the candidate’s chosen area of work is a requirement for the position.
A relevant graduate or professional degree is required; a PhD is preferred but not required. We prefer to fill this position at the rank of Professor of Practice or Associate Professor of Practice; rank will be commensurate with experience. While some flexibility may be possible to accommodate a candidate’s area of practice, it is preferred that this position be filled as a full time, 9-month, in-person, Ann Arbor-based appointment. The successful applicant will serve an initial term of 3 to 6 years with the possibility of continuation based on a performance review under SEAS promotion and review process for Professors of Practice.
For more than fifty years, SEAS has been a leading academic institution in work on environmental conflict management and dispute resolution, training practitioners and conducting research on the effectiveness of various process strategies. We seek a faculty colleague who will build on these foundations and expand our course and programmatic offerings to enable more students to develop dispute resolution, negotiation, facilitation and process design skills. We expect the successful candidate to join with faculty colleagues to envision opportunities for innovation and fund raising while mentoring and preparing students for impactful careers. SEAS Professors of Practice complement traditional scholarly (on campus) research with engaged real-world (off campus) work. It is expected that Professors of Practice and other SEAS faculty will collaborate to increase SEAS’s impact by helping to resolve site-specific disputes and convene policy dialogues, and in doing so, advance the school’s objective of impact on environmental and sustainability challenges.
The School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan
SEAS’s mission is to contribute to the protection of the Earth’s resources and the achievement of a sustainable and just society. The School contributes new scientific knowledge, visionary leadership, and trained professionals toward that end. The faculty of the School is diverse, with natural scientists, social scientists, engineers, and designers working collaboratively in an integrative setting. A professional school set within a major research university, SEAS provides a model of interdisciplinary and applied research and a focal point of research, teaching and societal engagement on sustainability. The School focuses on key cross-cutting sustainability themes, including climate and energy; water; food, land use, and agriculture; conservation and restoration; and cities, the built environment, and mobility. There are many opportunities for research collaborations across the University of Michigan, including with academic units like Earth and Environmental Sciences, Civil Engineering, Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, and the School for Public Health, as well as with institutes and research centers like the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, the Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute, the Center for Land Surface Hazards (CLaSH), the William Davidson Institute, and the SEAS-led NOAA GLISA Partnership.
The School offers a Ph.D. as well as both research and professional M.S. degrees in seven specializations: ecosystem science and management; geospatial data science; sustainable systems; environmental policy and planning; behavior, education and communication; environmental justice; and sustainable development. The School also offers a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture (M.L.A.). The student body includes over 500 M.S./M.L.A. and 60 doctoral students. SEAS also co-manages an undergraduate Program in the Environment and participates in dual master degree programs with the Schools of Architecture and Urban Planning, Business, Engineering, Law, Public Health, and Public Policy. Additional information about the School can be found at www.seas.umich.edu.
Applications should include (1) a cover letter; (2) CV; (3) a concise personal statement describing your vision and plans for teaching, practice and scholarship. (4) a teaching statement describing courses that you are qualified to teach as well as information about classes you have taught or helped teach in the past. Provide a sample of professional work that illustrates your area of practice; comment on how you might link that work to course teaching; and (5) a list of at least three references with contact information. Academic and professional references are valuable. Please do not include letters of recommendation with your application; we will contact references as needed.
To apply, submit application materials in Interfolio, via this link https://apply.interfolio.com/195475. Review of applications will begin on October 26, 2026 and continue until the position is filled. SEAS hopes to appoint a faculty member to this position to begin Fall 2027.
For assistance or further information, you may contact SEAS.faculty.search.staff@umich.edu.
Employment will require both a criminal background check and an institutional reference check regarding any misconduct. Candidates will be required to submit a self-disclosure form as well as an authorization to release information form.
Additional information about the School for Environment and Sustainability can be found at https://seas.umich.edu/.
SEAS is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable environment that respects diverse experiences, promotes generous listening and communications, and discourages and restoratively respond to acts of discrimination, harassment, or injustice. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is deeply rooted in our values for a sustainable and just society.
Why Work at Michigan?
In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family, and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:
The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Individuals belonging to under-represented groups are encouraged to apply.
The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities."
