Assistant Professor in Freshwater Ecology

Position Title:

Assistant Professor in Freshwater Ecology

Faculty

The Department of Ecology, Evolution & Organismal Biology (EEOB) seeks applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Freshwater Ecology. We define freshwater ecology broadly (including lake, river, stream, and wetland ecosystems) but will give preference to candidates whose research includes a pathway for application to lakes and reservoirs in Iowa and the midwestern USA. The successful candidate will develop an externally funded, research-intensive program that contributes foundational knowledge in freshwater ecology—spanning organismal, population, community, ecosystem, or biogeochemical perspectives—while addressing processes and mechanisms relevant to inland waters of agricultural and human-dominated landscapes.

Research may be at any biological scale (genes, individuals, communities, populations, ecosystems), with any group of organisms. We are particularly excited about candidates who use innovative empirical, analytical, computational, or modeling approaches in their research. The successful candidate will also contribute to undergraduate and graduate education, including the teaching of a course in aquatic ecology.

Research programs that integrate basic ecological discovery with use-inspired or management-relevant questions are particularly encouraged. There will be opportunities for leveraging ongoing partnerships with state and federal agencies, as well as collaborations with a large assemblage of ISU scientists involved in research on water and environmental resources and with the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, the Iowa Water Center, and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, all located at ISU in Ames, IA.

This is a tenure-track position in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the rank of assistant professor. The distribution of effort for this position is 70% research, 25% teaching, and 5% service.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

• Ph.D. or equivalent in ecology, environmental science, limnology, aquatic biology, or closely related fields.
• Publications in nationally or internationally recognized journals.
• Research experience in freshwater ecology.

• A research vision that includes interest in lakes or reservoirs aligned with the mission of a land‑grant university, i.e., research that contributes foundational knowledge with relevance to regional, state, or stakeholder‑defined challenges.
• Ability to conduct impactful research.
• Commitment to effective teaching and mentoring.
• Ability and commitment to contribute to the Department and University’s Principles of Community.

The Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology is a collaborative and collegial community of about 80 faculty, graduate students, post‑doctoral researchers, and staff addressing a wide range of research questions using multiple, often integrative, approaches that bridge traditional scientific disciplines and spans multiple levels of biological organization. EEOB is jointly administered by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS).

The department co‑administers undergraduate programs in Biology, Environmental Science, and Genetics and administers the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program. Our faculty participate actively in multiple interdepartmental graduate programs, including Environmental Science, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, and Genetics and Genomics.

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August 16, 2027

09 Month Work Period

Full time

• Comprehensive health and work‑life benefits, including medical and dental.
• Retirement benefits, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans.
• Generous leave plans.
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa).
• Life insurance and long‑term…