Assistant Professor - Plant Responses to Environmental Changes - Department of Plant and Microb

Position Overview

Salary range:
The current salary range for this position is $84,100-$132,900 (9‑month academic year salary). Off‑scale salary and other components of pay, which would yield compensation higher than this range, are offered to meet competitive conditions.

Anticipated start:
July 1, 2027

Open date:
July 13, 2026

Next review date:
Wednesday, Sep 30, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date:
Wednesday, Sep 30, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Applications will continue to be accepted until this date.

The Department of Plant and Microbial Biology in the Rausser College of Natural Resources at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) invites applications for a tenure‑track Assistant Professor faculty position in "Plant Responses to Environmental Changes".

The department is a community of scholars whose research advances knowledge in plant and microbial systems in terms of biochemistry, cell and developmental biology, genetics and genomics, ecology, evolution, and pathogenesis, and their applications to ecosystems, agriculture, bioenergy, biomedicine, and biotechnology. Our undergraduate students have a choice of vibrant majors that span the disciplines in the department, and we administer top‑ranked Ph.D. programs in microbiology and plant biology.

Our researchers benefit from having access to extensive greenhouse and field space and opportunities for interactions and collaborations with other biological science departments and units on campus, including the Innovative Genomics Institute, the Energy Biosciences Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Food Institute, as well as additional local research centers, including the Plant Gene Expression Center, the Joint Genomics Institute, and the Joint Bioenergy Institute.

The department seeks applicants conducting fundamental research to provide knowledge on how plants respond and adapt to environmental changes, including abiotic stress factors (e.g., temperature, drought, flooding, salinity) and biotic interactions (e.g., pathogenic and symbiotic microbial interactions, insects, parasitic plants, etc.). The candidate's research will be expected to integrate a broad spectrum of cutting‑edge genetic, genomic, physiological, quantitative analysis and modeling, systems biology, and/or synthetic biology approaches.

Applicants should also have strong interests in teaching and mentoring the next generation of scientists in plant biology. Candidates whose research programs include both fundamental biology and translational research bearing on crop improvement, particularly in the context of adaptation to climate change‑associated environmental challenges, are especially encouraged to apply.

The Department of Plant and Microbial Biology recognizes the intrinsic relationship between diversity and excellence in all our endeavors; we embrace open and equitable access to opportunities for learning and development of all members as our obligation and goal.

The Department of Plant and Microbial Biology is committed to addressing the family needs of faculty, including dual career couples and single parents. We are also interested in candidates who have had non‑traditional career paths or who have taken time off for family reasons, or who have achieved excellence in careers outside academia. For information about potential relocation to Berkeley, or career needs of accompanying partners and spouses, please visit the Office for Faculty Equity and Welfare's website.

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Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

PhD (or equivalent international degree) or enrolled in PhD or equivalent international degree‑granting program at the time of application.

Preferred qualifications

• Demonstrate evidence of strong research productivity, potential for funding, and a commitment to excellence in teaching and research mentoring of undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars.
• Demonstrate evidence of expertise and scholarship within a relevant field such as,…