Assistant Professor​/Ornamental & Landscape Horticulture

Department Contact:Dennis Lozada, , dlozada

Internal or External Search:External - Open to all applicants

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Summary:

The Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (PES) at New Mexico State University (NMSU) is searching for a new faculty member in Horticulture with an emphasis on Ornamental and Landscape Horticulture.

Position Title: Assistant Professor/Ornamental & Landscape Horticulture

College/Division: Agricultural,Consumer & Env Sci Col

Department: 301400-PLANT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Location:Las Cruces

Offsite Location (if applicable):

Target Hourly/Salary Rate: Commensurate with qualifications

Appointment Full-time Equivalency:1.0

FLSA Status:Exempt

Bargaining Unit Announcement:This is NOT a bargaining unit position with American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

Contingent Upon Funding:Not Applicable

Standard

Work Schedule:

Standard (M-F, 8-5)

If Not a Standard

Work Schedule:

Job Duties and Responsibilities: The Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (PES) at New Mexico State University (NMSU) is searching for a new faculty member in Horticulture. The 9-month tenure-track position is 75% teaching and 25% research and outreach. PES is specifically seeking candidates who are interested in building upon our long-term commitment to Urban Horticulture, with emphasis on Ornamental and Landscape Horticulture.

The new faculty member will teach undergraduate and graduate courses required for horticulture, agronomy, and other majors in the Department, potentially including Introduction to Plant Science, Hydroponics, Landscape Design, Ornamental Plants, Care and Selection of Houseplants, and Seminar. Development of new courses in the candidate's area of expertise at the urban-agricultural interface, such as resilient landscape design, urban improvement (urban forests, urban ecology, biodiversity, horticulture in the built environment, herbaceous and non-herbaceous plant selection, etc.)

and regenerative agriculture is encouraged. The incumbent will mentor undergraduate and graduate students, provide leadership in PES horticulture research and teaching programs, assist students in job placements and internships, and co-advise the NMSU Horticulture Forum. Service to the profession and to university, college, and departmental committees is expected. Outreach with stakeholders (e.g., Master Gardeners, New Mexico State Forestry Division, New Mexico Grown Coalition, Municipalities and Urban Planners) is also expected.

The faculty member will have opportunities to work across departments and colleges, including the off-campus Agricultural Science Centers, with specialists in horticulture, soils, agribusiness, agricultural and extension education, crop breeding, economics, plant genetics, plant physiology, molecular biology, human nutrition, renewable energy, economics, and social sciences. Research areas may include sustainable landscaping and permaculture, urban food systems, climate resilient landscape design, urban ecology and biodiversity, green infrastructure and nature-based solutions or human health and social sustainability.

There is also potential for research collaboration with community colleges and other universities that offer specialized urban horticulture programs focusing on sustainable plant production, green infrastructure, and landscape management in urban and developed environments.

The State of New Mexico and NMSU provide unique and diverse opportunities for teaching, research, and outreach related to urban horticulture. NMSU's Horticulture program offers training in Hydroponics, Greenhouse and Nursery Management, Turfgrass Management, and Ornamentals, directly applying to urban landscapes. Las Cruces, New Mexico's second largest city and one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the state, currently faces classic urban horticulture challenges such as climate adapted plant material, poor soils, heat islands, water scarcity and irrigation efficiency and demand for urban green spaces in the built environment.

There is an active Extension/outreach Urban Horticulture program that provides robust support for urban residents. The faculty position is well-aligned to NMSU's mission as a land-grant institution, to address urgent climate and water challenges, support community needs, strengthen high-impact teaching in degree programs in horticulture and the Department's existing outreach, research, and teaching capacity.

The candidate will also be expected to foster collaborations and participate in activities and on research teams that support the work of the Center for Excellence in Sustainable Food and Agricultural Systems (CESFAS).

New Mexico State University is the state's land-grant institution, with more than 22,000 undergraduate and graduate students on the main campus in Las Cruces and four satellite campuses. The Plant and Environmental Sciences (PES) Department is part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, which is…