Weed Science & Agroecology in Edible Crops – Asst Professor

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Assistant Professor
Weed Science/Ecology/Management in Edible Specialty Crops
Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University

The Department of Horticulture in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University invites applications for a full-time 12-month tenure-system Assistant Professor position (with a 50% Research, 40% Extension, and 10% Teaching assignment) to lead an internationally recognized, innovative and competitively funded research and extension program in weed science and ecology to support Michigan’s fruit and vegetable industries.

The position start date is anticipated to be August 16, 2025.

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing a collaborative research and extension program focused on weed science, management and agroecology. Specific areas of research may include, but are not limited to: optimization of herbicide products, rates, timings and application methods to selectively manage weeds and facilitate expanded herbicide registrations for edible specialty crops; effects of climate change on weed population dynamics and management;

development and application of automated, AI-assisted precision weeders to reduce pesticide use and labor costs; integration of preventative, chemical, biological and physical approaches to manage herbicide resistant weeds and improve production efficiency. Extension responsibilities include development of a forward-looking extension program that will provide leadership in the development of educational materials and presentations to inform and advise growers, extension educators, industry advisors, government regulators, and elected officials, based on industry needs and opportunities in vegetable and fruit specialty crop weed management, with a focus on sustainability, profitability, and environmental impact.

Michigan’s vegetable and fruit producers constitute a diverse array of specialty crop growers with a combined farm-gate value of $780 million. Access to the latest herbicides and comprehensive up-to-date practices and integrated systems are essential to ensure economic sustainability of these important specialty crop industries in Michigan while also protecting the environment and natural resources.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop and coordinate outreach and research collaborations within the MSU vegetable and fruit faculty and extension educator teams in MSU Extension’s Agriculture and Agribusiness Institute; procure competitive external grant funding; publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals; create and publish, refereed, industry relevant educational materials; develop leadership activities in regional, national, and international professional scientific associations;

advise and mentor students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting scientists; and contribute to the graduate-level curriculum in applied horticultural crop production, which may include teaching seminars or coordinating a team-taught course at the 800 level. Opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration exist with scientists in soil science, plant pathology, nematology, entomology, and agricultural engineering. Salary will be commensurate with the successful candidate’s experience.

MSU offers competitive start-up support for new faculty and attractive benefits including health and dental insurance and retirement plans.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Ph.D. in weed science, horticulture, agronomy, plant biology/physiology, forestry, or other relevant plant-science related fields.

• Demonstrated capacity to conduct and publish independent, original, innovative research

• Excellent oral and written communication skills appropriate for both scientific peers as well as agricultural stakeholder constituencies.

Desired:

• Graduate, postdoctoral or other professional experience in weed science/ecology.

• Experience in competitive grant proposal writing and administration.

• Experience working in a diverse environment and/or utilizing a…