Assistant or Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences

University of Kentucky; Lexington, Northern (KY, KY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Kentucky invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant or tenured Associate Professor position in Earth Systems Data Science, starting August 2027. The distribution of effort is 38% teaching, 52% research, 10% service.

Collaboration across colleges in Kentucky is encouraged, with emphasis on big data applications to Earth Science problems.

Qualifications

• PhD required by appointment date.
• Active engagement in data science collaboration with geoscience.
• Clear potential for building a nationally recognized research program.

Responsibilities

• Teach at undergraduate and graduate levels and mentor students.
• Maintain an externally funded research program with scholarly output.
• Collaborate on cyberinfrastructure, AI/ML toolkit development, and sensor deployment.

Education

PhD in Earth Sciences or related field

Job description

Assistant or Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Job Title Assistant or Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Requisition Number

Requisition Number FE05053

Working Title

Department Name

Department Name 8E060:Earth and Environmental Sciences

Work Location

Work Location Lexington, KY

Type of Position

Type of Position Faculty

Position Time Status

Position Time Status Full-Time

Required Education

A PhD in Earth Sciences or a related field is required at time of appointment.

Required Related Experience

N/A

Required License/Registration/Certification

N/A

Job Summary

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences ( EES ) at the University of Kentucky (UK) invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant or tenured Associate Professor position in Earth Systems Data Science with a start date of August 2027. The anticipated Distribution of Effort of this 9-month appointment will be 38% teaching, 52% research, and 10% departmental service.
We seek candidates with expertise at the interface between geoscience and data science. We are particularly interested in a computational geoscientist that harvests and harnesses big data to solve important Earth Science problems with societal relevance. This position is supported by an NSF -EPSCoR RII Track I grant aimed at building resilience to extreme weather and climate change in rural Kentucky. The successful candidate will help to develop cyberinfrastructure to store, process, visualize, and distribute geodata, collaborate on AI/ML toolkit development, and/or support sensor deployment. This is one of several funded positions that will grow the EES faculty in the next few years and presents many exciting collaborative opportunities including partnerships with faculty, research scientists, and students at UK (e.g., EES , Kentucky Geological Survey, Civil Engineering, Kentucky Water Research Institute, Center for Applied Energy Research, etc.), as well as with scholars from seven additional colleges and universities across Kentucky.
In addition to maintaining a productive externally funded research program, the successful candidate will teach and mentor at the introductory non-major, undergraduate major, and graduate levels. A demonstrated peer-reviewed publication record and clear potential for developing a nationally recognized research program are required. Applicants must have a PhD in Geoscience or a related field by the date of appointment.
The position will remain open until it is filled; however, for best consideration, all application materials must be received by December 11, 2026.

Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities?

No

Preferred Education/Experience

Deadline to Apply

Open Until Filled Yes

Our University Community

We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.
The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status or whether the person complies with University regulation concerning smoking.
Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.

Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicants must include the following:

1. letter of application (upload as Cover Letter)
2. CV
3. research statement (upload as specific statement 1)
4. teaching statement (upload as specific statement 2)
5. In addition, please provide the names and contact information for three references when prompted in the academic profile. This information may be utilized to solicit recommendation letters from your references within the employment system.

Questions about this search should be addressed to Trisha Spanbauer, Search Committee Chair, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky ([e-mail]).

Employment at the University of Kentucky is subject to fund availability and comes with many rewards, focusing on your total well-being and career development, with leadership striving to provide a strong work-life integration. The University generously contributes to employees’ retirement plans, medical coverage, and life insurance. In addition, the University of Kentucky offers optional benefits such as dental and vision insurance, additional retirement plans and much more. To learn more about these benefits, please visit: https://hr.uky.edu/employment/our-benefits .