Assistant Professor

The Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso invites applications for a faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor. The search is for a candidate working at the forefront of water management in arid settings. This appointment will be 12 month, non-tenured, 75% research and 25% extension. The Assistant Professor will develop and lead impactful research and extension programs focused on arid zone hydrology and water systems with an emphasis on regional hydrological systems and development of resilient water management practices. This position will be located at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso and will be affiliated with the Department of Biological and Agriculture Engineering, Texas A&M University.

Position Responsibilities:

• Develop research and extension programs in arid hydrology and water systems with an emphasis on regional hydrological systems and the development of resilient water management practices.

• Contribute to integrated groundwater and surface water understanding for the region. 

• Participate in interdisciplinary projects that increase the understanding of the linkage between water management, climate, land use, stakeholders, and socio-economic systems. This includes quantifying the feedback mechanisms between all system components, from stream reach to local and regional scales, and examining spatial and temporal changes in system component states using GIS and remote sensing tools in extreme events.

• Partner with the Texas Water Resources Institute, state and federal water management agencies and organizations, water districts, utilities, and other water resource stakeholders.

• Publish refereed papers, secure external funding, communicate effectively with faculty and stakeholders, advise graduate students, and supervise support staff and students.

• Serve as content expert and community resource for Far West Texas

Administrative Relationships:

The position will be supervised directly by Resident Director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in El Paso, with evaluation and program reporting to the Head of the Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering at Texas A&M University.

Qualifications: 

• Ph.D. in agricultural engineering, or civil engineering focusing on ecosystem sciences, hydrology or water resources engineering.

• Experience in conducting research, particularly in areas such as water resources modeling, optimization, and quantifying the impact of climate variability on water availability is required, along with a basic understanding of economics and social interactions.

• Experience and/or interests in developing extension programs to transfer research-based knowledge related to water availability and economics to stakeholders.

• Commitment to interdisciplinary team-based research.

Preferred Experience: 

• Requires a deep understanding of the arid region water system and hydrological modeling (including surface and groundwater modeling) and the cultural and social dynamics.

• Expertise in GIS and Remote Sensing is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Collaborative leadership, community networking, communications, and teaching skills to foster partnerships and collaborations with the many entities and universities in the area working on water management issues.

• Strong numerical modeling and/or advanced statistical analysis skills are essential, including time series and spatial data analyses.

• Ability to effectively communicate, provide research leadership, developing successful research proposals, and publishing findings in peer-reviewed journals, and developing extension publications to transfer findings to stakeholders.

Location:

The Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, El Paso. In this location the Research and Extension Center Buildings are in separate locations, approximately 15 minutes apart.

El Paso Center: The El Paso Center is in the growing and culturally-rich-multi-national region of El Paso, Texas. In addition to being part of the Texas A&M University System, the center is situated near and works in close partnership with two other major universities in the region. Scientist at the El Paso Research Center are developing technologies and methods to improve water-use efficiency, increase water supplies and protect water quality. The Center is internationally recognized for its research in salinity management, reclaimed water use, crop and landscape plants, desalination concentrate management, ground-surface water management, and evaluation of the economic impacts of technology and policy changes. Facilities include 11 buildings with 65,000 square feet of space including laboratories with extensive analytical equipment, and five greenhouses.

Additional information about Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas A&M University Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering is available at:

Texas A&M AgriLife Research: https://agriliferesearch.tamu.edu/about-texas-am-agrilife-research/

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/about/

Texas A&M University Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering: https://baen.tamu.edu

Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso: https://elpaso.tamu.edu/

Applicants should apply online via Workday. Applications should include 1.) CV, 2.) Cover Letter, 3.) Research and Extension Statement, and 4.) List of 3 references (names, affiliations, and email).

Closing date for applications:  Applications will be reviewed beginning ­­December 1, 2022 and continue until the position is filled.  Date position is available: February 1, 2023.

For more information, please contact:  Dr. Girisha Ganjegunte, girisha.ganjegunte@ag.tamu.edu , Search Advisory Committee Chair

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity.