Assistant Professor of Soil-Plant-Water Interactions

University of California, Davis; Davis (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Family-Friendly Recruitment

Work-Life Program

Partner Opportunities Program (POP) &"

Job summary

The Department of Land, Air and Water Resources at UC Davis is recruiting an Assistant Professor of Soil-Plant-Water Interactions with a focus on quantifying and modeling water movement through the soil-root-plant-atmosphere continuum in agricultural systems.

The appointee will build a competitive research program, contribute to teaching, mentorship, and public service, and collaborate with Cooperative Extension Specialists and Advisors.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or equivalent degree awarded by start of appointment in a relevant field.
• Strong potential to establish a competitively funded research program on soil–plant–water interactions.
• Ability to teach courses related to soil-plant-water interactions (e.g., HYD 124, SSC 107) and contribute to curricular development.
• Commitment to outreach, public service, and collaboration with Cooperative Extension and stakeholders.
• Experience with data-driven approaches and process-based modeling across spatial scales.

Responsibilities

• Establish a funded research program addressing soil–plant–water interactions and climate variability.
• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in soil-plant-water interactions.
• Advise and mentor undergraduate and graduate students; participate in curricular development.
• Collaborate with Cooperative Extension Specialists and Advisors and other stakeholders; contribute to outreach and public service.

Skills

Soil–plant–water interactions

Root-zone processes

Hydraulics understanding

Data-driven approaches

Education

Ph.D. or equivalent in Soil Science, Hydrology/Ecohydrology, Plant Sciences, Crop Sciences, Agronomic Sciences, Agricultural or Biological Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Biophysics, Earth System Science, Environmental Sciences, Ecology, or related field

Tools

In situ sensing

Proximal sensing

Remote sensing technologies

Process-based models

Job description

Position Description

The Department of Land, Air and Water Resources (LAWR) in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis is recruiting an Assistant Professor of Soil-Plant-Water Interactions with a preferred emphasis in quantifying and modeling water movement through the soil-root-plant-atmosphere continuum in agricultural and managed ecosystems. This is an academic year (9-month), tenure-track Assistant Professor position that includes an appointment in the California Agricultural Experiment Station (AES). Faculty members who hold an Agricultural Experiment Station appointment have a responsibility to conduct research and outreach relevant to the mission of the California Agricultural Experiment Station. Participation in outreach programs and performance of university and public service are also expected.

The appointee is expected to establish a competitively funded research program focused on soil–plant–water interactions. The program should advance fundamental understanding of interactions and addresses critical and emerging challenges in sustaining agricultural productivity and ecosystem functioning under a changing climate and increasingly variable and limited water supplies. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: root-zone processes, root water uptake, and soil–root–plant hydraulics; interactions among soil properties, root systems, and plant water status; plant responses and adaptation to environmental stresses, including drought, heat, salinity, and irrigation with marginal-quality water; crop consumptive water use, water productivity, water footprints, and resilience; effects of soil and crop management practices on soil water dynamics, root-zone conditions, plant-available water, and the regulation of plant water use; and the development and integration of in situ, proximal, and remote sensing technologies, data-driven approaches, and process-based models to understand and predict soil–plant–water processes across spatial scales, from the rhizosphere and root zone to fields, farms, and watersheds. Applications are particularly encouraged from individuals researching topics that link these processes to California priorities such as sustainable groundwater management, CV-SALTS, Agricultural Order, and climate extremes. The department's current teaching load is approximately 2.5 undergraduate or graduate courses per academic year, and the applicant will be expected to teach courses in the area of soil-plant-water interactions. Example courses include HYD 124 (Plant-Water-Soil Relationships), SSC 107 (Soil Physics), and a new upper-level hydrology course in topics such as Root-Zone Science: Soil–Water–Plant Dynamics from Roots to Landscapes, and a graduate course on the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum or root-zone processes and modeling. The appointee will be expected to advise and mentor undergraduate students, and mentor M.S. and Ph.D. students through graduate groups such as Hydrologic Sciences, Soils and Biogeochemistry, and Horticulture and Agronomy, and contribute to curricular development in the department. Participation in and development of public outreach and/or community engagement programs, and performance of departmental, university, and public service is expected. This position is expected to collaborate with Cooperative Extension Specialists and Advisors, partners in allied industries, or other appropriate public stakeholders.

Initial review of applications will be conducted using anonymized versions of the Statement of Research Accomplishments and Interests. Applications demonstrating sufficient potential based on this review will be advanced to full review.

Full-time Equivalent (FTE)

This position will be recruited at the Assistant Professor rank. This is a tenure-track academic year (9-month) position.

Availability of Space and Resources

Office and laboratory space will be provided by the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources in the Plant and Environmental Sciences Building on the UC Davis central campus. The appointee will also have access to campus field research facilities, greenhouses and controlled-environment facilities, UC Davis Core facilities, and the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources network of Research and Extension Centers (e.g., Kearney and West Side, Hopland, Intermountain, South Coast, Research and Extension Centers).

Start-up funding will be provided based on the programmatic needs of the successful candidate.

Family-Friendly Recruitment

UC Davis supports family-friendly recruitments. UC Davis covers travel expenses for a second person to accompany an invited faculty recruitment candidate who is a mother (or a single parent of either gender) of a breast- or bottle-feeding child under the age of two.

For more information, please visit the UC Davis WorkLife Program.

WorkLife Program

UC Davis recognizes the importance of supporting faculty as they balance work, family, and other work-life considerations. To recruit and retain outstanding faculty, the campus sponsors a WorkLife Program that provides programs and services to support faculty as they fulfill their commitments to work, home, and community.

For more information, please visit the UC Davis WorkLife Program.

Partner Opportunities Program (POP) and Capital Resource Network (CRN)

The UC Davis Partner Opportunities Program (POP) and Capital Resource Network (CRN) are services designed to support departments and Deans' offices in recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty.

For more information, please visit:

• Partner Opportunities Program (POP)
• Capital Resource Network (CRN)

Please note that eligibility for these programs may depend on applicable policies and funding availability.

Ph.D. or equivalent degree in Soil Science, Hydrology/Ecohydrology, Plant Sciences, Crop Sciences, Agronomic Sciences, Agricultural or Biological Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Biophysics, Earth System Science, Environmental Sciences, Ecology, or a closely related field. Degree must be awarded by start of appointment.