Assistant Professor - Hydrogeology

Assistant Professor - Hydrogeology

Brief Summary of Work for this Position
The Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (http://www.uncw.edu/earsci) invites applications for a nine-month tenure-track position to begin August 2023 in Hydrogeology at the rank of Assistant Professor.

We seek a candidate who will be able to contribute to multiple independent projects and research in hydrogeology and to collaborate across disciplines. Example research areas include but are not limited to groundwater and contaminant monitoring and modeling, coastal plain hydrogeology, material exchange at the groundwater/surface water interface, supporting floodwater and inundation studies, and coupling of hydrogeologic processes with other research in ecosystem processes and geochemical cycles. Preferred candidates will have demonstrated experience in research at the intersection of hydrogeology and environmental and social justice.

The successful candidate will be expected to establish and maintain a vigorous research program with significant field and quantitative components that involves undergraduate and graduate students. Teaching duties will be contributing to a diverse program at the undergraduate and graduate level with courses such as hydrogeology as well as surface water courses that support the Earth and Ocean Sciences major programs. Participation in University and Community service is expected.


The Department is committed to the idea that we all benefit from diverse student, staff, and faculty populations, experiences, and perspectives and we believe that our students, our faculty, and our curriculum are essential elements in that vision. We are seeking a colleague who shares that commitment, has potential for excellence in teaching and who is interested in being an integral part of the department.

The successful candidate will join a department with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence and will be expected to contribute actively to these efforts. Our department actively fosters a diverse and inclusive working and learning environment.

To instantiate our values of Access, Equity, and Diversity, the UNCW’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) is embarking on our third year of a cohort hire initiative. This year, our focus is in the areas of Environmental and Social Justice, prioritizing analytics and approaches that center examinations of race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, disability, democracy and citizenship, and Indigenous or otherwise decolonizing methodologies. We are actively building a network of researchers, scholars, and artists that will support the ongoing work in which we are engaged and to set a path forward as we grow these areas of critical study into regional and national strengths. This initiative is part of a larger set of coordinated diversity and inclusion initiatives within the UNCW Division of Academic Affairs. The position of Assistant Professor in Hydrogeology within the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences is part of this initiative.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

-Ph.D. in Geology or related discipline

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills & Experience
Preference will be given to candidates who have the following qualifications:

-Demonstrated experience and commitment to exceptional teaching at the college level

-Field Experience and laboratory experience

- Research focus areas:

  • Groundwater and contaminant monitoring and modeling
  • Coastal plain hydrogeology
  • Material exchange at the groundwater/surface water interface
  • Supporting floodwater and inundation studies
  • Coupling of hydrogeologic processes with other research in ecosystem processes and geochemical cycles

-Demonstrate a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion in academic matters

-Evidence of community engagement

-Experience in research at the intersection of hydrogeology and environmental and social justice

Primary Function of Organizational Unit
The Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences (https://uncw.edu/earsci/) offers the following degrees: B.S. in Geology and Oceanography, M.S. and B.A. in Geosciences, B.A. in Geography and Geospatial Science, and a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science. The department maintains an outstanding record of research and scholarship and provides powerful undergraduate/graduate student experiences that include applied learning, field studies, and mentored research. UNCW maintains a wide range of analytical facilities in support of research including sedimentology, geospatial analysis, electron microscopy, stable isotope mass spectrometry, aqueous chemistry, NMR and DNA facilities, as well as a dive shop, machine shop, and instrument shop at the UNCW Center for Marine Science (https://uncw.edu/cms/).

College/School Information
The College of Arts and Sciences is UNCW’s largest academic unit and awards approximately two-thirds of the university’s academic credits. Ours is a comprehensive arts and sciences college comprising the arts, the humanities, the mathematical and natural sciences, and the social and behavioral sciences.


The College’s twenty-five units offer a variety of undergraduate majors leading to the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Fine Arts, the Bachelor of Music, and the Bachelor of Science. The College also offers a full complement of minors, including interdisciplinary minors such as Africana studies, Asian studies, Forensic studies, Latin America studies, Middle East & Islamic studies, Native-American studies, and Women’s and Gender studies, among others.


Applied learning is a hallmark of the student experience in the College of Arts and Sciences. Each of the College’s departments requires an applied learning experience as a part of the curriculum for its undergraduate majors. Examples include faculty-directed research, internships, service learning, and capstone courses and projects, all of which challenge students to integrate various strands of knowledge and to apply that knowledge to broader, real-world or real disciplinary situations. Through applied learning, students in the College gain direct hands-on experience with the skills of their major fields as an essential part of their preparation for life and career.


In addition to its undergraduate major and minor programs, the College is chiefly responsible for the curriculum that comprises the UNCW’s University Studies Program, through which all UNCW undergraduates gain a foundation in the liberal arts and develop the transferable skills essential for life in the twenty-first century. The College strives in its undergraduate programs and in its University Study offerings to nurture creative thinking, intellectual curiosity, diversity and inclusion, and academic integrity in students while providing them with a solid foundation of knowledge in their chosen fields. Upon completion of their undergraduate studies, College of Arts and Sciences students will have the necessary preparation for rewarding careers, advanced study, effective citizenship, and meaningful lives.


Graduate degrees awarded in the College of Arts and Sciences include the Master of Arts, the Master of Fine Arts, the Master of Public Administration, the Master of Science and the Doctor of Philosophy (Marine Biology and Psychology). In addition, the nationally awarded Graduate Liberal Studies program offers a personalized curriculum of interdisciplinary study leading to the Master of Arts. Post-baccalaureate certificates in Applied Statistics, Environmental Studies, Forensic Science, Conflict Management and Resolution, Gender Studies and Hispanic Studies are available. Graduate programs in the College are designed to develop intellectual competence and to prepare the student for careers in business, industry, government, teaching or for further study at the doctoral level.

University Information
The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world-class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking and a community rich in diversity, inclusion and global perspectives.

A public institution with nearly 18,000 students, UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to-BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation’s only bachelor’s degree program focused on coastal engineering.

The university’s efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of “Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity” institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969.

Please apply online at https://jobs.uncw.edu/postings/26854

Special Notes to Applicants
Prior to the official appointment to the university, the candidate(s) selected for hire must be able to demonstrate eligibility to teach assigned courses by successfully meeting the credentialing requirements based on official transcripts and other documentation as required.

Applications will be accepted until 11:59PM EST on 02/01/2023, the posting close date. To apply, please complete the online application available at https://jobs.uncw.edu/ and attach the materials as an Adobe PDF document including:

1. Letter of application – Cover Letter
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. Research Summary – Statement of Research Plans
4. Teaching Philosophy – Statement of Teaching Philosophy
5. Statement of diversity and inclusion – addresses how the candidate will contribute to fostering diversity and inclusion on campus; preferred candidates will have demonstrated experience in research at the intersection of hydrogeology and environmental and social justice.

  1. Unofficial undergraduate and graduate transcripts – upload under the Combined Unofficial Graduate Transcripts category
  2. List with contact information for three professional references
    8. If needed, applicants may upload additional materials under the Other category

    Note that all requested components must be submitted in order to meet the application requirements.

    For questions concerning the search, contact the search committee chair, Ralph Mead at meadr@uncw.edu

For questions about the online application process, contact Ms. Lorenda Heathcock at heathcockl@uncw.edu or 910-962-3490.

EEO Statement

At the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), our culture reflects our values of inclusion, diversity, globalization, ethics and integrity and innovation and we are committed to providing equality of educational and employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents – except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs. UNCW believes that embracing the unique contributions of our faculty, staff and students is critical to our success and paramount in being recognized for our global mindset.

Eligibility for Employment

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.