Assistant Professor of Soil and Environmental Microbiology

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Working Title Assistant Professor of Soil and Environmental Microbiology

Brief Position Overview

The department invites applications for a tenure-track position at the level of Assistant Professor, with expertise in soil and environmental microbiology, to develop a nationally recognized soil and environmental microbiology research and education program, with a preferred start date of August 2027.

Faculty Tenure Track

Faculty Tenure Track Yes

Faculty Rank

Faculty Rank Assistant/Associate Professor

Position Number

Position Number 4A3471

Department

Department Land Resources & Environ Sci

Division

Division College of Agriculture/MAES

Appointment Type

Appointment Type Faculty

Contract Term

Contract Term Academic Year

Semester

If other, specify From date

If other, specify End date

Union Affiliation

Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining

FTE

FTE 1.0

Benefits Eligible

Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications

Contract Type

Contract Type MUS

If other, please specify

Recruitment Type

Recruitment Type Open

General Statement

The Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences at Montana State University seeks a collaborative colleague in the field of soil and environmental microbiology. The faculty member will lead a nationally recognized soil and environmental microbiology research and education program, providing expertise for research in soil health, water quality, and ecosystem functioning across managed and natural landscape systems. Teaching responsibilities will be two classes per year at the undergraduate and graduate levels, including Soil & Environmental Microbiology ( BIOM 452) and a graduate level soil microbiology course.

Duties and Responsibilities

The core disciplinary expertise for this position is soil and environmental microbiology serving applied and foundational studies, including topics such as microbial roles in biogeochemical cycling, microbial metabolic pathways, microbial community ecology and function, interactions between microorganisms and soil minerals/organic matter, environmental change effects and processes, plant-microbe interactions, and rhizosphere microbiology. Research applications may include bioremediation, nutrient cycling in agricultural systems, biological inoculant technologies, soil-health assessment, microbial responses to environmental change, and antimicrobial resistance, in collaboration with faculty members from a range of disciplines.

The position would complement the LRES undergraduate options of soil and water science, restoration ecology, sustainable food and bioenergy systems, geospatial analysis, and environmental biology, as well as MS and PhD programs in Ecology and Environmental Sciences.

In addition to Soil & Environmental Microbiology ( BIOM 452), teaching opportunities include a graduate level soil microbiology course, and sections of high enrollment undergraduate environmental science courses (e.g., ENSC 245 Soils, 460 Restoration Ecology, 499R Capstone) or complementary (option block) courses focusing on Applied Soil and Environmental Microbiology or Field Methods of Environmental Sampling and Analysis. Teaching responsibilities additionally include undergraduate curricular advising, undergraduate research advising, and training of graduate students with expectation of recruiting and funding doctoral students as a priority.

The hiring department has a historically strong extramural funding ethic and enterprise for supporting graduate students. Additional service responsibilities include departmental citizenship and engagement with the community consistent with the missions of a Land Grant University and…