Associate Professor or Full Professor, Economic Geology and Director of the Ralph J. Roberts Center for Research in Economic Geology (CREG)

The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.

If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at (775) 784-1495 or [email protected].

Job Description

The Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology (NBMG) at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) seeks a renowned individual for a tenure-track faculty position at the Associate Professor or Full Professor level to lead our Economic Geology program and become the new Director of the Ralph J. Roberts Center for Research in Economic Geology.  We are looking for individuals with field and lab experience, including research studies related to the genesis, transport, and distribution of metals in the crust, the formation of precious, base, and/or critical mineral and metal deposits, fluid-rock interaction and the circulation of fluids, magmatic and hydrothermal processes, and/or exploration methods. Research must integrate one or more of the following disciplines: economic geology, structural geology, igneous petrology, and geochemistry. 

Responsibilities for this position will include: 1) Managing the industry-funded, Ralph J. Roberts Center for Research in Economic Geology (CREG); 2) Research on mineral deposits, focusing on the western US and Nevada’s enormous mineral wealth; 3) Education via supervision of graduate students and teaching courses in Economic Geology; 4) Serving as a spokesperson for the Economic Geology program at NBMG-UNR, requiring effective communication with the public and community leaders regarding the geology of Nevada and its mineral resources; 5) Working independently as well as collaborating with NBMG faculty-staff, other geoscience units at UNR and in the region, and others in industry and government in developing funded projects and conducting research; 6) Contributing to the development of datasets and reports on Nevada’s mineral resources; and 7) Public outreach and service within the University and community. 

The position will be a tenure-track Associate or Full Professor faculty appointment with an academic-year base salary (9 months) that is competitive with other research universities.  Starting date will be July 1, 2027, or shortly thereafter, depending on availability of the successful candidate.

Required Qualifications

Interested applicants must have a Doctorate in Geology or a related geoscience field and a demonstrated record of research on topics associated with mineral deposits as indicated by peer-reviewed publications and/or industry-related reports.  Excellent communication skills, as demonstrated in written application materials; public service; potential for, or established record of publications; and ability to attract funding are essential.

Preferred Qualifications

Preference will be given to candidates with:

• Academic or industry experience in the analysis of mineral deposits, particularly research that combines quantitative analytical methods with field-based approaches.
• A clear and achievable plan for securing research funding focused on Nevada-related topics in economic geology, as described in the applicant’s letter of interest.
• Additional preferred fields of expertise include:
  • Precious metals
  • Critical minerals
  • Base metals
  • Magmatic and hydrothermal processes
  • Geochemistry

Compensation Grade

Associate Professor

Full Professor

 

To view the salary schedule for this position, please visit: Salary Schedules and select (9-month contract) Academic Faculty. Salary is competitive and commensurate with related education and experience.

 

Perks of working at UNR

• Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance
• Generous sick leave, life insurance, and long-term disability – Faculty Benefits
• E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers an annual or semester membership and family membership options.  E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center
• Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.
• Faculty Senate is the principal representing body for faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. Faculty Senate
• No state income tax!

 

Grants-in-aid for Faculty Employees

The University is proud to provide a reduced-rate tuition benefit to faculty and qualified dependents. Faculty can take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate. Dependents of faculty have unlimited credits, but in order to be eligible children must be unmarried and under the age of 24 and must receive at least 50% of their financial support from the employee and/or employee’s spouse or domestic partner.  Faculty Grants-in-Aid

 

Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program

The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a dual career assistance program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them to identify career opportunities in Northern Nevada. Dual Career Assistance Program

 

Department Information

NBMG is a research and public service unit of UNR and serves as the state geological survey of Nevada.  Managed as part of the Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering in the College of Science at UNR, NBMG functions as both an academic unit and statewide agency.  Its principal scientists are tenure-track faculty members.  Nevada is one of the most exciting regions in the world to conduct research in the geosciences and one of the best in the U.S. for the study of mineral deposits.  The successful applicant will have access to many state-of-the-art facilities at UNR, including a new electron microprobe, two SEMs, new fluid-inclusion and Raman facilities, and laser ablation ICP-MS.  For further information about NBMG, please consult our website: http://www.nbmg.unr.edu  

Contact Information

Beth Jacobsen at 775-682-8787 or [email protected]

Exempt

Yes

Full-Time Equivalent

100.0%

Required Attachment(s)

Please note, once you submit your application the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments, prior to the committee review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at [email protected]

 

Attach the following attachments to your application:

1) Resume/CV

2) Cover Letter

3) Contact Information for Five Professional References

4) Statement of research interests and plans (limit three pages)

5) Statement of teaching interests (limit two pages)

6) Electronic copies of up to three (3) of your publications/reports

Posting Close Time

This posting will close at 12:00 am on the date listed below. The posting will no longer be available to apply to after 11:59 pm the day prior.

 

Posting Close Date

11/4/2026

Note to Applicant

A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

  

HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.

  

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.

  

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

  

For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.

    

Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.

The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes). 

About Us

The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.

Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”

Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school – the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.

The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.

Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada – led by the University of Nevada, Reno – was named one of the inaugural 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (TechHubs). Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories. Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.

Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.

The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.

Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement – all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.

For more information, please visit the University’s website.

University of Nevada, Reno