Occupation · SOC 25-1043
Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in forestry and conservation science. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
471 mapped
Core skills
InstructingWritingReading ComprehensionLearning StrategiesSpeakingActive ListeningActive LearningMonitoringCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingTime ManagementSocial PerceptivenessScienceJudgment and Decision MakingSystems EvaluationCoordinationSystems AnalysisService OrientationPersuasionNegotiationMathematicsManagement of Personnel ResourcesOperations AnalysisOperations MonitoringQuality Control AnalysisOperation and ControlManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesTechnology DesignProgrammingTroubleshootingRepairingInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
English LanguageEducation and TrainingMathematicsBiologyComputers and ElectronicsGeographyPersonnel and Human ResourcesAdministrativeAdministration and ManagementCommunications and MediaCustomer and Personal ServiceSociology and AnthropologyLaw and GovernmentChemistryPsychologyMechanicalHistory and ArcheologySales and MarketingPublic Safety and SecurityEconomics and AccountingPhysicsEngineering and TechnologyTransportationBuilding and ConstructionTelecommunicationsForeign LanguageTherapy and CounselingDesignProduction and ProcessingMedicine and DentistryPhilosophy and TheologyFood ProductionFine Arts
Technology & tools
Apache StrutsAtlassian JIRABlackboard LearnCalendar and scheduling softwareCollaborative editing softwareCourse management system softwareDOC CopDesire2Learn LMS softwareESRI ArcGIS softwareElectronic data interchange EDI softwareEmail softwareGeographic information system GIS softwareGoogle AngularGoogle DocsHibernate ORMImage scanning softwareJavaScriptLearning management system LMSLeica Geosystems ERDAS IMAGINEMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft VisioMicrosoft WordMySQLOracle DatabaseOracle JavaOracle WebLogic ServerSAP softwareSASSakai CLESalesforce softwareStructure query language SQLWeb browser softwareWord processing softwareiParadigms Turnitin
Representative tasks
Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeGetting InformationInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsThinking CreativelyMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsTraining and Teaching OthersAnalyzing Data or InformationWorking with ComputersCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProcessing InformationDocumenting/Recording InformationEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkCoaching and Developing OthersCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsScheduling Work and ActivitiesPerforming Administrative ActivitiesPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming General Physical ActivitiesEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesHandling and Moving ObjectsAssisting and Caring for OthersStaffing Organizational UnitsControlling Machines and ProcessesSelling or Influencing OthersRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Course syllabi and homework assignments — draft and organize under faculty mentorship for undergraduate forestry or conservation science courses.Foundational lecture content on forest resource policy or forest pathology — prepare and deliver with guidance from senior colleagues in a university classroom setting.Student assignments and short papers — evaluate and assign grades using established rubrics provided by the supervising professor.Undergraduate laboratory or field sessions — assist in supervising student work under the direct oversight of a lead faculty member at a field research site.Student attendance records and grade logs — maintain accurately using institutional learning management and records systems.Current peer-reviewed literature in forestry and conservation science — read and summarize to support lesson preparation and personal professional development.Word processing and course management software — use to create instructional handouts, post course materials, and communicate with enrolled students.Teaching and research issues raised by colleagues — participate in departmental discussions and contribute observations in collaborative faculty meetings.Geographic information system tools — apply at a basic level to support spatially anchored lab exercises or field mapping activities for students.Undergraduate research or internship activities — assist in monitoring student progress and providing structured feedback under faculty direction.
developing
Course syllabi, reading lists, and graded assignments — design independently for undergraduate and introductory graduate forestry courses with minimal oversight.Lectures on topics such as forest resource policy, mapping, and forest ecology — prepare and deliver routinely to undergraduate and graduate audiences in a semester-long course.Student class work, papers, and laboratory reports — evaluate with consistent, well-calibrated grading practices that align with learning objectives across multiple course sections.Field research and laboratory supervision — manage student activities at field sites, ensuring safety protocols and scientific rigor are maintained throughout sessions.Student academic records and required institutional reports — maintain and submit on schedule in compliance with university administrative requirements.Professional conferences and discipline-specific literature — engage with regularly to incorporate emerging findings in forest pathology, conservation policy, or related areas into course content.Undergraduate teaching assistants and graduate students in internship placements — supervise and provide structured professional feedback on their instructional and research performance.Project management and calendar scheduling software — use to coordinate multi-week field research projects and synchronize student timelines with departmental resources.Collaborative curriculum or research proposals — contribute substantively with faculty colleagues to address shared instructional challenges or pursue joint grant opportunities.Inductive and deductive reasoning challenges in student research design — guide students through problem framing and methodology selection in familiar disciplinary contexts.
proficient
Graduate and undergraduate courses spanning the full scope of forestry and conservation science — design, deliver, and continuously refine based on assessment data and evolving disciplinary knowledge.Advanced graduate seminars on forest resource policy, forest pathology, and conservation systems — lead autonomously, integrating current research and complex case studies throughout.Comprehensive grading systems for research papers, field reports, and dissertations — apply with nuanced critical judgment, providing formative feedback that advances graduate-level scholarly development.Multi-season field research programs involving graduate and undergraduate students — oversee fully, managing logistics, data quality, student safety, and scholarly output at remote or complex sites.Non-routine academic challenges such as academic integrity issues or struggling graduate researchers — address with sound judgment and institutional knowledge, resolving cases with appropriate rigor and sensitivity.Developments in conservation biology, forest ecology, and related sciences — synthesize continuously by engaging with primary literature, professional societies, and interdisciplinary colleagues.Graduate student thesis and dissertation committees — chair or serve on, guiding students from proposal through defense across multi-year research timelines.Geographic information systems and object-oriented database tools — apply at an advanced level within research and instruction, enabling spatially complex analyses for graduate field courses.Cross-disciplinary teaching and research collaborations with colleagues in biology, geography, or environmental policy — initiate and sustain to address complex, real-world conservation problems.Instructional learning strategies — evaluate their effectiveness across course formats and adapt pedagogy to serve diverse graduate and undergraduate learners in both field and classroom environments.
advanced
Departmental or program-level curriculum in forestry and conservation science — lead the design, review, and accreditation alignment for the full academic unit at a research university.Strategic research agendas for a forestry or conservation science program — set and communicate to internal stakeholders, funding agencies, and national professional organizations.Junior faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate teaching assistants — mentor systematically, shaping their pedagogical philosophy, research productivity, and professional trajectories.Institutional policies governing field research safety, academic integrity, and graduate student welfare — develop or substantially revise to reflect best practices across the discipline.Multi-institutional or federal research partnerships in areas such as forest carbon sequestration, wildland fire science, or biodiversity conservation — initiate, negotiate, and lead at an organizational scale.Scholarly reputation and external influence of the academic program — advance through keynote presentations, editorial board service, and national conference leadership in forestry and conservation science.Graduate program admissions criteria, fellowship allocation, and degree requirements — oversee and refine to strengthen program quality, equity, and alignment with workforce and research needs.Enterprise-level academic technologies and information retrieval systems — champion adoption across the program to enhance research capacity and instructional innovation for all faculty and students.Emerging societal challenges such as climate-driven forest disturbance or land-use policy reform — translate into transformative interdisciplinary courses and publicly engaged scholarship that shape the field.Organizational resource allocation decisions including hiring priorities, laboratory investments, and field station development — advise senior administration with evidence-based recommendations rooted in disciplinary expertise.
Also known as
37 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Assistant ProfessorAssistant Teaching ProfessorAssociate ProfessorBiometrics InstructorCollege Faculty MemberCollege ProfessorConservation Biology ProfessorEcology ProfessorEnvironmental Conservation ProfessorExtension ProfessorForest Biometrics ProfessorForest Ecology ProfessorForest Explorers InstructorForest Management ProfessorForest Management TeacherForest Pathology ProfessorForest Pathology TeacherForest Products TeacherForest Resources ProfessorForest Technology ProfessorForestry Faculty MemberForestry InstructorForestry ProfessorInstructorLecturerNatural Resources Faculty MemberNatural Resources InstructorNatural Resources ProfessorNatural Resources Program InstructorProfessorRange and Road InstructorRange InstructorResearch ProfessorSilviculture ProfessorTimber Management ProfessorUniversity Faculty MemberWildlife Conservation Professor