Thursday, February 20, 2020

Job Available: Assistant Professor of Soil Health

Job Available: Assistant Professor of Soil Health
School of Natural Resources
College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
University of Missouri


Position Description: Assistant Professor of Soil Health
Starting Date: September 2020, or as negotiated

Responsibilities: This is a tenure-track position in the School of Natural Resources (http://www.snr.missouri.edu) at the University of Missouri (MU). The successful candidate will develop an exciting and high-impact, nationally/internationally recognized, externally-funded research program that complements institutional strengths in soil health and microbiology. The selected candidate will also serve as Director of the MU Soil Health Assessment Center, a leading national soil health testing service and research laboratory employing several staff members. With this position, MU will better occupy a place among a select group of universities that boast a truly integrated and multidisciplinary approach to teaching, research, and actionable scholarship in the fields of sustainable agriculture and environmental quality.  The position will strengthen growing education programs, collaborate with other established MU research centers to garner major grants, form innovative new partnerships with private and public partners, and contribute greatly toward improving grant and publication metrics considered in the Association of American Universities’ (AAU) rankings. Teaching may include undergraduate courses in land management for soil health, environmental soil microbiology, and graduate courses related to the individual’s expertise (total of 3-4 courses per year). This position will complement and collaborate with faculty in: the School of Natural Resources; the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) (e.g., Plant Sciences, Bioengineering, Biochemistry); and other colleges and departments across the MU campus (e.g., Biology, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Geology, Veterinary Pathology).  Collaborative efforts will also develop through oversight of the MU Soil Health Assessment Center and participation in the CAFNR Center for Watershed Management and Water Quality, MU Metagenomics Center, MU Center for Agroforestry, the Interdisciplinary Plant Group (IPG) and with federal scientists employed by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service’s Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research Unit and U.S. Forest Service Unit housed on the MU campus.

Minimum Qualifications: A Ph.D. in Soil Science or a closely related area by the time of appointment.

Candidates will be evaluated on:
A history with a strong background in soil health and measurement and development of soil health indicators; demonstrated ability to integrate soil biological, chemical, and physical indicators of soil health with landscape properties to provide clients with science-based recommendations; experience with analytical procedures and the daily operations of a soil analytical laboratory; experience using metagenomic, metatranscriptomic, and/or metabolomic approaches for studying the soil microbiome; postdoctoral experience; a strong record of impactful peer-reviewed publications; teaching experience; and a level of grantsmanship that reflects high productivity relative to the applicant’s career stage. The area of expertise should complement existing institutional strengths in contemporary soil and environmental sciences. The candidate should have a demonstrated interest in working with state and federal agencies and other private and public stakeholders.

About MU: MU, the flagship institution in the University of Missouri System, has nearly 31,000 undergraduate and graduate students. It is a land grant institution and a member of the Association of American Universities.  Located midway between St. Louis and Kansas City, Columbia is a vibrant small city that is consistently ranked among the top such places to live in across America. The School of Natural Resources awards Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Natural Resources with emphases in multiple sub-disciplines and three B.S. degrees (Environmental Sciences; Natural Resources Science and Management; and Parks, Recreation and Sport). Detailed information about the programs and faculty is available at http://snr.missouri.edu. The School operates many laboratory and greenhouse facilities and has access to extensive field areas available within CAFNR’s Farms and Centers Network ( http://cafnr.org/ ). The School has robust collaborative ties to state and federal agencies charged with managing natural resources and numerous opportunities are available to access and conduct research on the extensive and diverse public lands surrounding Columbia.

Application: To apply for this position, please visit the MU web site at http://hrs.missouri.edu/find-a-job/academic/. Please submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, narrative of teaching philosophy (approximately 2 pages), narrative of current and future research interests (approximately 2 pages), and the names and contact information of three references.  Review of applications will begin on April 15, 2020 and will continue until the position is filled. For additional information about the position, please contact Dr. Stephen Anderson , Chair of Search Committee ( andersons@missouri.edu ).  Female and minority applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

Benefit Eligibility: This position is eligible for University benefits.  The University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, and educational fee discounts.  For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at http://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity:  The University of Missouri is an equal access, equal opportunity, affirmative action employer that is fully committed to achieving a diverse faculty and staff (equal opportunity/access/affirmative action/pro-disabled and veteran employer). For more information, call the Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resource Services/Affirmative Action officer at 573-882-4256.

The University of Missouri is fully committed to achieving the goal of a diverse and inclusive academic community of faculty, staff and students. We seek individuals who are committed to this goal and our core campus values of respect, responsibility, discovery and excellence.
To request ADA accommodations, please call Human Resource Services at 573-882-7976. TTY users, please call through Relay Missouri, 1-800-RELAY (735-2966) or en EspaƱol at 1-800-520-7309.

MU makes available to applicants a security report of crimes that occurred on campus over the previous three years.  For a copy of this report, contact the University Police Department at (573) 882-5923 or access their web site at: http://www.mupolice.com/.


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