Assistant Professor in Crop Physiology

The Department of Plant and Soil Science in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Texas Tech University is seeking an assistant professor of plant physiology with an emphasis in gas exchange, response to elevated CO2 concentrations, mechanisms of plant response to water deficit and thermal stress, crop modeling, and transcriptomics. This will be a 9-month, tenure-track position. 

The Plant and Soil Science department currently has strong research and teaching programs in both the basic plant sciences (genomics, genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and molecular breeding) and applied crop production and crop research (agronomy, precision agriculture, remote sensing, crop modeling, and soil sciences). The department is also home to a world-class fiber and biopolymer research facility. However, the department currently does not have a faculty member that bridges the gap from basic to applied in their teaching and research programs.   A plant physiologist with experience in both basic and applied plant physiology would provide collaboration opportunities among several research groups both within the PSS department and with other departments, including biology, chemistry, and natural resources.

The successful candidate would employ a systems approach to plant response to environmental stress, including analysis of physiology from the whole-plant and crop-level down to organ-specific molecular responses. The researcher will use robust analytical methods and modeling to address complex interactions within these systems.

A typical teaching load in the Department varies from 2 to 4 courses per academic year depending on the extent of the research program. Service duties include program-building, as well as commitment to extra-curricular activities.  Service to the department, college, university, and professional societies is expected.

QUALIFICATIONS:  Minimum qualifications include the following:

Ph.D. in plant physiology with a major emphasis on system gas exchange, response to elevated CO2, and transcriptomics at the time of appointment;

Demonstrated communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate with scientific and general audiences orally and in writing;                                                                                                                  

Demonstrated analytical skills, including the ability to quantify complex interactions within controlled environment systems in natural production settings;

Cross-disciplinary research experience;

Demonstrated teaching skills, including experience teaching or serving as a teaching assistant in plant physiology or crop physiology courses;

Ability to identify and aggressively pursue competitive funding from competitive national sources for research;

Demonstrated ability to publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals;

Demonstrated and ongoing commitment to serving diverse student populations.

Preferred qualifications include the following:

Plant physiology and breeding experience with production crops in West Texas, specifically cotton, sorghum, peanuts, maize, and triticale;

Expertise on advanced electron microscopy techniques in relation to developmental biology.

International experience, including collaboration with or research experience with top international research institutions or industry laboratories.

Evidence of efficient communication with producers and stakeholders

Proficiency in English and Spanish

Integrative research experience in soil-microbe-plant interactions and bio-remediation

Demonstrated ability to analyze big data set

Post-harvest physiology of horticultural crops

Evidence of ability to secure external funding;

Experience working with diverse student populations and first-generation students is highly desirable.

In addition, applicants must be authorized for employment in the United States.

Please note that all application materials must be submitted on-line through the Texas Tech University application site at http://www.depts.ttu.edu/hr/workattexastech/  and search for Requisition Number 16392BR.  Applicants should submit a CV, official transcripts, along with teaching and research statements.  Applicants should supply names and contact information of three (3) individuals who may be contacted for letters of reference.  Questions should be addressed to Dr. Glen Ritchie, Search Committee Chair, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409-2122, Phone (806) 834-4325; email: glen.ritchie@ttu.edu. Review of the applications will begin April 1st, 2019 and will continue until the position is filled.  Expected starting date is Fall 2019.