Assistant Professor in Geospatial Science for Agronomic Systems

Job Summary

The Agronomy Department of the College of Agriculture, Purdue University, seeks applicants for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Geospatial Science for Agronomic Systems.  This is a full-time (9 month) tenure-track position with an appointment in research and teaching.  We are looking for candidates with experience in utilizing spatially distributed ‘big data’ including soil, land cover, satellite and UAV remote sensing, topographic data, and in-situ observations to address complex environmental and agronomic problems. Disciplinary knowledge of pedology, and soil variability is preferred. We expect the candidate to build a nationally and internationally recognized research program that may intersect soil, crop and environmental sciences, hydrology, climatology, geospatial science, data science, cyberinfrastructure, and computational sciences. This scientist should facilitate synergies between plot and field research data, remote sensing, geospatial technologies, and machine learning, to produce discovery and innovation on a state, regional, national, and international scale. Demonstrated experience and interest in working with diverse, multi-disciplinary teams is beneficial.

Research may include diverse topics such as: climate change impacts analysis, large-scale high-resolution mapping of soil properties, soil data visualization, and market development for carbon and nutrient trading. The successful candidate should also have demonstrated abilities in classroom education. Teaching responsibilities include intermediate undergraduate and graduate courses using modern geospatial technologies in applied soil, crop or environmental contexts and in developing on-line, interactive spatial mapping capabilities. Service expectations include participation in appropriate professional organizations and on departmental/college/university committees and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students.

The Department

The Agronomy Department is a diverse department of 30 faculty, 60 graduate students, and 171 undergraduate students (https://ag.purdue.edu/Agry/Pages/default.aspx). Purdue University offers excellent research facilities, including the Agronomy Center for Research and Education (https://ag.purdue.edu/agry/acre/Pages/default.aspx), a state-wide network of Purdue Agriculture Centers (https://ag.purdue.edu/arge/pac/Pages/default.aspx), and Cooperative Extension Offices (https://extension.purdue.edu/) in most of our 92 counties. Faculty and staff of the department also have access to world-class high-performance clusters at Purdue to support research efforts (https://www.rcac.purdue.edu)

The College

The Agronomy Department is an integral part of the College of Agriculture, one of the world’s leading colleges of agricultural, food, life, and natural resource sciences. The College boasts 3 World Food Prize laureates and is ranked seventh in the US in the 2021 QS World University Rankings. The College is deeply committed to the three land-grant missions (teaching, research, and extension), to international activities and perspectives that span all missions, and to excellence in all we do.  The College has 11 academic departments and includes 285 faculty, 2791 undergraduate students, and 769 graduate students. The College’s current strategic plan can be accessed at https://ag.purdue.edu/plan/Pages/default.aspx

Qualifications

Successful candidates must have a Ph.D. in Soil Science, Agronomy, Geography, Forestry, Civil Engineering, Geographic Information Science or an adjacent discipline; post-doctoral experience is preferred. Other areas of expertise may include but are not limited to state-of-the-art remote sensing, machine learning, geospatial technologies, web GIS, data science, and coding abilities related to GIS servers. We seek a candidate with a commitment to diversity and creating an inclusive, multi-cultural environment to educate, train, and mentor undergraduate and graduate students. Demonstrated written and oral communication skills are essential; and candidates should have a passion for teaching.

Application Instructions

Interested applicants must submit an application packet that includes: 1) an application cover letter, 2) a statement of research goals and objectives in this position (two pages maximum), 3) a statement of teaching philosophy (two pages maximum), 4) curriculum vitae that include a complete publication list, 5) a statement on how they will advance diversity and inclusion-see details below, and 6) the names and contact information for at least three professional references. All materials must be combined into one pdf and submitted electronically. The application review will begin on February 7, 2022, and continue until a suitable candidate is identified. Questions may be directed to Melinda Smith (smit2732@purdue.edu). A background check will be required for employment in this position.

Purdue University's Department of Agronomy is committed to advancing diversity in all areas of faculty effort, including discovery, instruction, and engagement. Candidates should address at least one of these areas in a separate Diversity and Inclusion Statement, indicating their past experiences, current interests or activities, and/or future goals to promote a climate that values diversity and inclusion. Purdue is an ADVANCE institution – https://www.purdue.edu/advance-purdue/

EOE/AA

Purdue University is an EOE/AA employer. All individuals, including minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.