Assistant Professor - Department of Plant Biology

Assistant Professor

Department of Plant Biology

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The Department of Plant Biology in the School of Integrative Biology seeks a tenure-track assistant professor with scholarly interests and expertise in any subdiscipline of plant biology to join a transdisciplinary cluster of new professors focused on Climate Impacts, Risk, and Inequality. This cluster involves faculty hires in six additional departments: (1) Entomology, (2) Evolution, Ecology & Behavior, (3) Atmospheric Sciences, (4) Earth Science & Environmental Change, (5) Geography & Geographic Information Science, and (6) Journalism. Together with existing faculty on the UIUC campus, this new cluster of hires will boost the University's ability to address the grand challenges facing society. Successful applicants will perform fundamental biological research with relevance to areas such as: ameliorating the impacts of climate change on food security, human health, and ecosystem integrity; developing alternative technologies for clean energy and agricultural sustainability; and/or addressing social injustice arising from environmental inequities. For more information, please see: publish.illinois.edu/2023climatecluster

The University of Illinois provides a highly collaborative and supportive academic environment for cross-disciplinary plant systems research given its strengths in photosynthesis, bioengineering, crop sciences, global change, molecular and cellular biology, genomics, ecology, chemistry and computation. Relevant interacting units include the: Institute for Genomic Biology; Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Environment; Center for Advanced Biofuel and Bioproduct Innovation; Center for Digital Agriculture; National Center for Supercomputer Applications; Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded Realizing Improved Photosynthetic Efficiency project; and many departments across the colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop an externally funded research program, teach at undergraduate and graduate levels, and collaborate with faculty to develop research and education initiatives in plant biology. The department and school are committed to providing an inclusive environment. Therefore, we particularly seek a candidate who can add intellectual diversity, and work successfully with diverse students and colleagues. A Ph.D. or equivalent in biology, plant science, or another relevant field is required, and postdoctoral experience is highly desirable at the entry Assistant Professor level.

The appointment is for a full-time, nine-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor. Target start date is August 16, 2024. Salary is commensurate with experience.

Please Note: Research shows that Black, Indigenous, and People of color (BIPOC), women, and other marginalized groups may hesitate to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every qualification. The University of Illinois is interested in finding the best candidate for the job, recognizing that such a candidate may come from unconventional pathways and/or non-traditional backgrounds. We encourage candidates to think broadly about their background and qualifications for the position.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is a world leader in research, teaching, and public engagement. Faculty in the College create knowledge, address critical societal needs through the transfer and application of knowledge, and prepare students for lives of impact in the state, nation, and globally. To meet these objectives, the College embraces and values diversity and difference through hiring faculty candidates who can contribute through their research, teaching, and/or service to the diversity and excellence of the Illinois community.

The University of Illinois has an active and successful dual-career partner placement program and a strong commitment to work-life balance and family-friendly programs for faculty and staff (provost.illinois.edu/faculty-affairs/work-life-balance).

To find out more about the resources available at the university and Urbana-Champaign community please visit these sites:

Dual Career Program

Benefits

Living in Champaign-Urbana

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (www.illinois.edu) is located approximately 120 miles south of Chicago in a metropolitan area of approximately 232,000 people. The campus is home to internationally recognized facilities and interdisciplinary programs including the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology (www.igb.illinois.edu), Beckman Institute (www.beckman.illinois.edu), Energy Biosciences Institute (energybiosciencesinstitute.org), W.M. Keck Center for Comparative and Functional Genomics (biotech.illinois.edu/centers/Keck), National Center for Supercomputing Applications (www.ncsa.illinois.edu), and the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (sustainability.illinois.edu).

APPLICATION PROCESS

To ensure full consideration, please create your candidate profile through jobs.illinois.edu and submit application materials. Applicants must submit the following:

• application letter,
• curriculum vitae,
• summary of research and plans,
• teaching philosophy and experience,
• contributions to inclusive excellence activities statement that explains your contributions to inclusive excellence in the areas of service, teaching, research/creativity and should include specific examples of your activities, including a discussion of the outcomes of activities engaged in and how this influences future planning.
• contact information including e-mail addresses for three professional references. After a review of the candidate’s record, the search committee may then contact the applicant about soliciting letters of reference.

We ask that all documents be uploaded in a single .pdf file as an upload in the Resume/CV section.

Only applications submitted through the University of Illinois Job Board will be considered. Full consideration is guaranteed for all applications received by October 6, 2023. Interviews may take place before the closing date, however, no hiring decision will be made until after that date.

Questions about the position may be directed to Cassandra Kenton cass3188@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois must also comply with applicable federal export control laws and regulations and, as such, reserves the right to employ restricted party screening procedures for applicants.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, COVID-19 vaccination requirement, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.

Requisition ID: 1019167
Job Category: Faculty
Apply at: jobs.illinois.edu