Lubbock

Assistant Professor on Plant Phenomics and Image Analysis

33473BR

Plant and Soil Science

Position Description

Contributes to the university's mission through teaching, research and service, some variation by academic unit.

About the Department and/or College

The Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance (IGCAST, https: // www. depts.ttu.edu/igcast/) was established in 2020 at Texas Tech University (TTU) with the mission to conduct top-ranked research and graduate education on the use of functional and population genomics to understand the molecular mechanisms that determine the resilience of crops and related wild species to adverse environmental stresses in the era of climate change. IGCAST aims to integrate an interdisciplinary team of scientists to conduct internationally competitive, multidisciplinary research to study physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms and plant architecture underlying resistance to environmental stresses, contributing to the development of sustainable agriculture. Faculty members within the IGCAST will have an academic appointment in the Department of Plant and Soil Science, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Major/Essential Functions

IGCAST is seeking to recruit a 9-month tenure-track faculty member in Plant Phenomics and Image Analysis at the Assistant or Associate Professor level, depending on the candidate's qualification and experience. Qualified candidates should have a strong background in plant physiology, plant development and photosynthesis, large-scale phenotyping, and analysis of images generated with different systems and wavelengths. Appointees are expected to develop an internationally recognized program in plant phenotyping research linked to the use of genomic diversity, combining fundamental research and education with applications to improvement of environmental stress tolerance of crops, mainly but not limited to, cotton, sorghum, or other crops relevant to West Texas agriculture. Applicants with experience operating high-throughput greenhouse, field-phenotyping imaging systems using PhenoAIxpert, Field Scanalyzer, and/or satellite-based drone systems are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate should employ systems' biology- based approaches to study environmental stress responses from genome to phenome. Faculty at IGCAST will have access to the state-of-the-art plant growth facilities that integrate 3 fully automatized greenhouses and walk-in growth chambers and access to the state-of-the-art genomic, imaging, and metabolomic services available at the TTU. Position responsibility will focus on research with an anticipated teaching responsibility of one graduate course per year, plus the training of graduate students and post-doctoral associates. Service duties include program-building, as well as a commitment to extra-curricular activities. Service to the department, college, and university is expected.

Organization

Texas Tech University

Required Qualifications

Ph.D. in plant biology, genomics, and bioinformatics with at least two years of postdoctoral experience in high-throughput plant phenomics and image analysis to generate relevant biological information. Demonstrated record of effectiveness as a teacher, a record of peer-reviewed publication and/or peer- reviewed creative activity which has contributed to the discipline or field of study, to the candidate's intellectual and artistic development, and to the quality of the academic enterprise; a record of professional service appropriate to the discipline; promise of growth in teaching and research or artistic and creative activity.

Preferred Qualifications

Previous experiences with the PhenoAIxpert HT system are highly desirable. Appointees are expected to have good communication and analytical skills, cross-disciplinary research experience, teaching skills at graduate and/or undergraduate level(s), the ability to identify and aggressively pursue competitive funding from national and international sources, and demonstrated commitment to serving diverse student populations. Successful candidates are expected to publish in the top 10% of journals in their area of expertise. The ability and motivation to network with stakeholders, such as experts in the field, large companies, and start-ups, to establish public-private collaborations is a plus.

Safety Information

Adherence to robust safety practices and compliance with all applicable health and safety regulations are responsibilities of all TTU employees.

Does this position work in a research laboratory?

Yes

Special Instructions to Applicants

Questions should be addressed to Dr. Lam-Son Tran, Search Committee Chair, IGCAST, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, Phone 806-834-7247; email: [email protected]. Review of the applications will start June 15th, 2023, and will continue until the position is filled. The expected starting date is August 1st, 2024.

Required Attachments

Cover Letter, Professional/Personal References, Research Statement, Teaching Philosophy, Transcript

Job Type

Full Time

Pay Basis

Monthly

Pay Statement

Compensation is commensurate upon the qualifications of the individual selected and budgetary guidelines of the hiring department, as well as the institutional pay plan. For additional information, please reference the institutional pay plan by visiting www. depts.ttu.edu/hr/payplan.

Travel Required

Up to 25%

Shift

Day

Grant Funded?

No

Job Group

Assistant Professor

EEO Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or status as a protected veteran.

Salary Grade

800

Assistant Professor on Plant Phenomics and Image Analysis Texas Tech

University