Assistant Professor of Soil-Water Interactions

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JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The Ecosystem Science and Management Department at The Pennsylvania State University (University Park, PA) invites applications for an Assistant Professor of Soil-Water Interactions. This is a tenure-line position with a 60% research and 40% teaching appointment. We seek candidates dedicated to building excellence and inclusivity in soil science, hydropedology, and water resources.

The successful candidate's research will focus on soil physics and/or vadose zone hydrology addressing local, regional, and national issues in terrestrial ecosystems. Potential areas of research include: climate-change related soil-water processes; environmental remediation; modeling and experimental approaches to investigate coupled soil physical, hydrologic, biogeochemical, and rhizosphere processes; water, solute, and sediment transport in relation to land use and management practices; and basic water quality, water scarcity, food production, and ecosystem functioning. This new faculty position complements existing departmental and campus-wide initiatives related to soil science, water resources, hydrology, water policy, forest and wildlands management, urban environments, and aquatic ecology. Teaching responsibilities include upper-level undergraduate courses in Soil Composition and Physical Properties and Principles of Forest Soil Management as well as a graduate-level course in the areas of soil physics or soil properties. The position comes with a competitive start-up package and salary based on 36-weeks of service annually, which can be supplemented with additional salary up to a total of 48 weeks from external competitive grants and contracts and/or from endowment funds.

Qualifications: Individuals must have a PhD. (or equivalent) in Soil Science, Hydrology, Environmental Physics, or other related discipline. The successful candidate must have completed all degree requirements by the appointment date. Candidates should possess broad conceptual and methodological knowledge of the soil-water-plant environment, along with demonstrated research experience using field-based experimental investigation and relevant computational modeling approaches. Additionally, candidates could have experience in some of the following areas: vadose zone hydrology monitoring and modeling, nutrient biogeochemistry and/or microbiology, rhizosphere carbon dynamics, and soil health. The ideal candidate possesses a strong track record of peer-reviewed publications, demonstrates a proven ability or exceptional promise to develop an externally funded research program, and a portfolio of high-quality teaching experiences at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

Application: Interested individuals are invited to apply at REQ_0000061207 at https://hr.psu.edu/careers. Application materials should include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, names and contact information for three references, three representative publications, statement of research experiences/future interests, statement of teaching pedagogy/interests, and a reflection of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging document. Applicants are also encouraged to weave evidence of their commitment to fostering inclusivity throughout their application material. Questions about the application process should be directed to Mary Jo Schillings at mjs9@psu.edu. Review of applications will begin January 6th, 2025.

The Pennsylvania State University Office of Human Resources - http://www.ohr.psu.edu

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability in all of its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusion that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity in society and nature, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusion as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.

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