Assistant Professor

Assistant Professor

The University of Kentucky's Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering is recruiting for a full-time, 12-month, tenure-eligible Assistant Professor in the Regular Title Series related to hydro informatics. This position has an anticipated start date of July 1, 2027, with a distribution of effort of approximately 70% research, 25% instruction, and 5% service. The successful candidate will be expected to establish an integrated, nationally recognized program on topics such as:
Integrating water resource and agricultural related datasets to develop and enhance process-based and AI models to analyze and enhance the impact of agricultural and implementation of best management practices to address hydrologic and water quality challenges. Develop novel and/or utilize existing models to aid in the design and implementation of practices that would reduce the impact of extreme rainfall events.

Complement ongoing work with researchers and stakeholders to efficiently acquire, process, and model water quality and hydrologic data from a wide array of sources.

The successful candidate is expected to: demonstrate commitment and ability to work with teams on interdisciplinary problems; create a proactive, high-impact research program that supplies clientele with new methods to analyze hydrologic and water quality impacts in agricultural and urban settings; teach one undergraduate and one graduate course per year; recruit and direct MS and PhD graduate students; and contribute to the multi-functional land-grant mission of the department.

Qualifications include: a Ph.D. in biosystems/agricultural engineering or a closely-related field with an emphasis in hydrology, water quality monitoring, and/or nature-based water treatment designs. In addition, the candidate should have some experience in AI, machine learning, and/or managing large data sets related to water resources and/or ecological engineering design; a P.E. or demonstrate the ability to qualify for a P.E. in Kentucky;

the ability to oversee graduate students; and demonstration of outstanding written and verbal communication skills.

The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (MGCAFE) is fulfilling the land-grant promise of educational excellence, civic leadership, transformational research, and shared knowledge serving the common good. We serve the people of the Commonwealth and across the world through education, outreach, service, and research by finding solutions to improve lives today and create a sustainable future. We integrate teaching, research, and extension in our work.

We recruit, retain, and graduate students who are competent, responsible, and workforce ready. For more than 130 years, MGCAFE has provided research results to the community. From traditional labs and research farms to high-tech diagnostic and research centers, we offer science-based, practical solutions that affect the everyday lives of Kentuckians and people around the world. Our Cooperative Extension programs are engaged in Kentucky's 120 counties, identifying and addressing needs not only in agriculture and natural resources, but also 4-H and youth development, family and consumer sciences, as well as community & economic development.

The University of Kentucky is an institution with over 23,000 undergraduate and 9,500 graduate students. UK is Kentucky's flagship university and a land grant institution. We have a university commitment to improve the lives of Kentuckians and beyond and that is why environmental stewardship and sustainability are core parts of our institution's legacy. We are recognized as a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, a Gold level Bicycle Friendly University by The League of American Bicyclists, and are recognized as a STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) Silver Rating by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

The university is geographically near downtown Lexington, which offers the vibrancy of an urban location while being in close proximity to working landscapes and recognized wilderness areas. It is a thriving community of 320,000+…