Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology

Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology

The Department of Plant Pathology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis is recruiting an Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology with an emphasis in plant disease ecology. This is an academic year (9-month), tenure track Assistant Professor position, with responsibilities for research, teaching, mentoring and service, that includes an appointment in the California Agricultural Experiment Station (AES). Faculty members who hold an Agricultural Experiment Station appointment have a responsibility to conduct research and outreach relevant to the mission of the California Agricultural Experiment Station. Participation in outreach programs and performance of University service are also expected.
We seek a candidate with a strong quantitative background and broad training in plant pathology, ecology, epidemiology, and/or population biology to focus on current or newly emerging plant diseases at state, national or global scales. The successful candidate is expected to develop an independent, productive and competitively funded research program on diseases in orchard, vegetable, field and agroforestry crops and/or native plant communities. The candidate's research program should have a strong field component. We particularly welcome candidates who are interested in tackling real world problems, while also making novel contributions to methodology or theory in their area of interest. Research areas of interest include epidemiology, pathogen ecology, pathogen population biology, host-pathogen interactions within the context of their environment, vector-borne disease, disease management, and climate change/water use adaptation. We expect that this position will exploit new methodologies, with an emphasis on quantitative approaches, to develop knowledge that will contribute environmentally sound disease control methods for plant diseases that threaten agriculture and/or native plant communities.
The appointee will have responsibility for the graduate class PLP 201B, Impacts, Mechanisms & Control of Plant Disease. PLP 201B is a required first year graduate class that focuses on pathogen ecology and ecology-based plant disease management. This position will also play a key role in the Global Disease Biology undergraduate major (https://gdb.ucdavis.edu/) through instruction in the core classes GDB 102, Disease policy and intervention, or GDB 101, Epidemiology (depending on expertise). Mentoring of graduate students, undergraduate student advising, curricular development, participation in and development of outreach programs, and performance of departmental and university service is expected. The successful candidate will be an active member of the Plant Pathology Graduate Program and other graduate groups as appropriate to the appointee's interests and expertise.
The incumbent will be expected also to support the mission of plant pathology in the AES through teaching, outreach and research that is relevant to disease problems affecting agriculture and/or natural resources in the state of California. Participation in and development of public outreach and/or community engagement programs, and performance of departmental and university service is expected. This position is expected to collaborate with Cooperative Extension specialists and advisors, partners in allied industries or other appropriate public stakeholders.

This recruitment is conducted at the assistant rank. The resulting hire will be at the assistant rank, regardless of the proposed appointee's qualifications and experience.

Initial review of applications will be conducted using anonymized versions of the Statement of Research Accomplishments and Interests and the Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Applications demonstrating sufficient potential based on this review will be advanced to full review.

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment, UC Davis conducts a reference check on all first-choice candidates for Academic Senate Assistant Professor, Steps 4, 5, or 6 through Professor, Lecturer with Potential for Security of Employment, Steps 4, 5, or 6 through Senior Lecturer with Security of Employment, and Acting Professor of Law through Professor of Law positions. The reference check involves contacting the administration of the applicant's previous institution(s) to ask whether there have been substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the University's Faculty Code of Conduct. To implement this process, UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search for these faculty positions to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” into RECRUIT as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, only finalists considered for these faculty positions will be subject to reference checks.

All applicants for these searches will be asked to sign and upload an “Authorization to Release Information” form into UC RECRUIT. If the candidate does not include the signed authorization with the application materials in UC RECRUIT, the application will be incomplete and, as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration.

When the selection of the first choice candidate has been made, the Dean and/or Department Chair should contact Academic Affairs (mailto:vpaa_apteam@ucdavis.edu) to initiate the reference check process through email with the attached completed/signed release from the candidate, and current curriculum vitae (CV). Note, for appointment at the Assistant Professor or Lecturer with Potential Security of Employment level, the proposed step (4, 5, or 6) needs to be included. Academic Affairs shall contact the academic personnel office (or equivalent) at one or more of the previous institutions where the candidate has been employed. This may occur concurrently with the negotiation of the terms in the Tentative Offer Letter (TOL); however, the reference check must be cleared before finalizing and having the candidate sign the TOL.

To apply, visit https://apptrkr.com/4526765

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