Assistant Professor in Soil Physics, Ecohydrology, or Hydropedology

Overview

Assistant Professor in Soil Physics, Ecohydrology, or Hydropedology

FLSA Status:
Exempt, 100%
Term: 9 month (academic year) 50% teaching, 50% research
Type:
Tenure-track

Reports to:

Department Head
College/Admin Unit:
College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
Campus

Location:

St. Paul Campus

The Department of Soil, Water, and Climate (SWAC), College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) at the University of Minnesota, seeks candidates for a 9-month tenure-track assistant professor position in the area of Dynamics and Interactions at the Soil-Water Nexus with 50% research and 50% teaching responsibilities. The goal of this new position is to address interactions and feedback loops between soil processes and properties, multi-scale hydrology and climate change, land-use change, surface or ground water hydrology, and water quality using process-based ecosystem and Machine Learning models, and/or remote sensing or combined experimental/modeling approaches.

Example research topics include, but are not limited to:
1) impacts of land use and climate change on trends in regional hydrology, flooding, aquifer recharge and water quality in natural, managed, and agricultural landscapes; and
2) impacts of alternative cropping systems and soil management on runoff, discharge, water quality, trace gas emissions, soil physics, ecohydrology, and/or hydropedology.

• Develop a nationally and internationally recognized research program; seek and secure extramural research funding from state and national competitive grant programs; develop an independent basic and applied research program.
• Possess the vision, energy, and enthusiasm to build collaborations across disciplines and interact with CFANS and University colleagues, including related Centers.
• Collaborate with engineers, computer scientists, agricultural scientists, environmental and climate scientists, state climatologists, USDA-ARS researchers, UMN Extension, and a network of Research and Outreach Centers across Minnesota.
• Teach undergraduate and graduate-level courses offered by the department related to the candidate’s discipline and background.
• Support and participate in the Land and Atmospheric Sciences (LAAS) graduate program, ESPM undergraduate program, and minors in Soil Science, Water Science, Climate Science, International Agriculture, and Precision Agriculture.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in soil science, water resources science, biosystems engineering, ecology, earth sciences, civil and environmental engineering, or related field.
• Demonstrated commitment to the University's goal of creating an inclusive campus climate.
• Basic and relevant applied research experience.
• Demonstrated record of peer-reviewed publication within discipline.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Broad understanding of soils, hydrology, drainage, streamflow, recharge and climate change interactions in agricultural and natural landscapes
• Broad understanding of soil and cropping system management impacts on hydrology and ecosystem processes
• Strong GIS and remote sensing image analysis skills
• Experience with regional-scale hydrologic, watershed modeling, process-based modeling, machine learning and AI modeling
• Strong working knowledge of empirical methods in soils, hydrology, drainage, streamflow, and/or recharge
• Effective technical writing and communication skills
• Teaching, teaching assistant, or teaching training experience
• Interest in interdisciplinary approaches and/or community-engaged research and education

College Overview
The College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) comprises 27 programs with 14 undergraduate and 13 graduate programs, plus 10 research and outreach centers across Minnesota and related institutions. CFANS emphasizes experiential, interdisciplinary, and intercultural learning; internships and global perspectives.

CFANS embraces equity and diversity and prioritizes purpose-driven scientific discovery to build a better tomorrow, together. Equal access and opportunity are provided in programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color,…