Lecturer​/Senior Lecturer of Agricultural Sciences, Lecture Title Series

Overview

Job Title: Lecturer/Senior Lecturer of Agricultural Sciences, Lecture Title Series

Requisition Number: FE04889

Working Title: Lecture Title Series

Department: 81060:

PLANT AND SOIL SCIENCES

Work Location: Lexington, KY

Type of Position: Faculty

Position Time Status: Full-Time

Tenure Track Status: Non-Tenure Track

Required

Education:

Applicants must have earned a doctorate in a relevant life science discipline (e.g., biotechnology, genetics, plant/animal sciences, entomology, or related fields).

Required Related

Experience:

Preferred qualifications include demonstrated excellence in undergraduate instruction; experience mentoring undergraduates (especially pre-health); strong written and oral communication; and the ability to design, deliver, and assess laboratory-based courses. Experience with curriculum development in genetics with laboratory, biotechnology, plant breeding, forensic entomology, and/or applications of AI in life sciences is desirable. Evidence of strong organizational skills and the ability to work in collaborative, interdisciplinary environments is essential.

Required License/Registration/Certification: N/A

This is a 12-month, non-tenure eligible Lecturer appointment with ~80% instruction, 15% career and professional development mentoring, and 5% service responsibilities. The successful candidate will employ high-quality, high-impact pedagogical approaches leading to demonstrated outcomes in teaching, professional mentoring (with a focus on pre-med pathways), and student retention. Distribution of effort is reviewed and determined each year. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2026 or January 1, 2027.

Instruction: The lecturer will provide core and specialized instruction for the Agricultural & Medical Biotechnology (AMBT) program and supporting programs (Agricultural Ecosystem Sciences/Entomology) depending on the applicant’s specialty. Key teaching assignments include:

• ABT 101:
  Introduction to Biotechnology (1 Cr, Fall)
• ABT 180: AI in Life Sciences (3 Cr, online asynchronous)
• ABT 301:
  Writing and Presentation in the Life Sciences (2 Cr, Fall and Spring)
• ABT 360:
  Genetics (3 Cr, Fall and Spring)
• ABT 361:
  Genetics Lab (1 Cr, Fall and Spring; two lab sections each)
• AFE 100:
  Agriculture and Food Systems (3 Cr, Fall; one section)
• AES 3—:
  Plant Biotechnology or Modern Breeding (3 Cr, Spring) OR ENT 3—:
  Forensic Entomology (3 Cr, Spring) with a genomic and AI focus

Career & Professional Development Mentoring: Serve as a primary Career and Professional Development mentor with specialization for pre-med students, guiding health-related research engagement at UK and as the AMBT leadership member, supporting recruitment, outreach materials, and student success initiatives across AMBT.

Service: As a land-grant university, service to department, college, university, professional societies, and the public is expected.

The Environment: The AMBT program is an interdepartmental undergraduate program supported by the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (M-G CAFE) with instructional contributions from Plant and Soil Sciences, Plant Pathology, Entomology, Horticulture, and Veterinary Science. The program emphasizes hands-on independent research, individualized coursework, and extensive mentoring.

Rank & Salary: The rank is Lecturer or Senior Lecturer. Salary is negotiable and commensurate with training and experience. Employment is subject to fund availability and includes benefits focused on well-being and career development. The university provides retirement plans, medical coverage, life insurance, and optional benefits such as dental and vision insurance, as well as additional retirement plans. More information about benefits is available at the University of Kentucky benefits site.

Questions & Nomination: Dr. Tomo Kawashima, Search Committee Chair & AMBT Director, 321 Plant Science Building, 1405 Veterans Dr., Lexington KY 40546. Phone: . Email: tomo.k

Applications: Completed applications should include a cover letter, CV, and a statement of teaching interests and experience. The statement should include a…