Position Overview
This position is a full-time, nine-month (academic year) tenure-track appointment with a 50% teaching and 50% research split. Research activities will support the development of multifunctional agricultural systems, by analysis and improvement of the cumulative environmental effects of diversified farming systems across extended spatial and temporal scales. The successful candidate will integrate agroinformatics, biophysical modeling, and empirical approaches using modern agroecology research methods. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, landscape scale modeling to 1) strategically deploy emerging crops that minimize negative impacts on natural environments, 2) sustainably integrate crop and livestock systems, 3) predict watershed- and landscape-scale water quality and soil health outcomes associated with the adoption of conservation agriculture practices, or 4) forecast crop production and environmental impacts of current and future cropping systems under various climate change scenarios.
The successful candidate will be a member of the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics faculty, which includes scientists and educators from a broad range of disciplines and agricultural systems (see details below). The department will support the successful candidate to engage in interdisciplinary research, which can be achieved by collaborating widely with other University institutions such as the Forever Green Initiative, GEMS Informatics, U-Spatial, IonE, the AI-Climate Institute, and the Minnesota Office of Soil Health. Collaboration with faculty across departments and the use of resources such as the Minnesota Supercomputing Institute, will be encouraged and supported. Along with federal funding opportunities within agencies like USDA, DOE, and NSF, the successful candidate will have opportunities to apply for competitive grants at the state and regional levels such as the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, commodity groups, and state legislative priorities.
The successful candidate will be expected to teach two courses per year including an existing course within the Department’s undergraduate major. The candidate will have opportunities to develop a new course on agroecology, agronomy, agroinformatics, precision agriculture, or other related topics. Teaching efforts are expected to support undergraduate students in a range of majors in the College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences. Graduate level teaching opportunities may also be available, along with opportunities to participate in the development of graduate curricula around agroecology and sustainable agriculture. The successful candidate will be expected to advise graduate students in the Applied Plant Sciences program and other related programs such as Land and Atmospheric Sciences, Conservation Sciences, Water Resources Sciences.
The University of Minnesota is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and inclusive excellence of the academic community through their teaching/extension, service, and research, scholarship, or creative arts.
Responsibilities
Develop a nationally recognized research program in agroecology/agroinformatics
Contribute to the College’s strengths and mission to diversify cropping systems
Teach two undergraduate and/or graduate courses equal to at least 6 credits per year
Maintain an externally-funded research program
Advise graduate and undergraduate students
Engage in service activities that support the department, college, and the land grant mission
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
Ph.D. degree in relevant field
Demonstration of strong commitment to teaching
Proven ability to conduct innovative, original research in relevant field
A publication record in peer-reviewed journals
Excellent communication skills
Demonstrated ability to collaborate with other researchers
Preferred Qualifications:
Postdoctoral experience is strongly preferred.
Grant writing experience
Strong quantitative skills
Demonstrated teaching and mentoring experience at the university-level
Experience in research fields including agroecology, agricultural or environmental modeling at landscape and watershed scales, whole-farm modeling, agronomy/agroinformatics, computational ecology, or other related fields relevant to the position
Preferred Level of Education
PhD
How to Apply
https://hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/366940
Application deadline: April 28, 2025
