Assistant Professor – Environmental Soil Scientist - Utah State University

Overview:

The Department of Plants, Soils, and Climate, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, seeks dynamic applicants with outstanding teaching and applied research experience for a 9-month, tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor (70% teaching, 25% research, 5% service). This primary teaching role will focus on Western calcareous soils, as well as bridging fundamentals in soil science with applied and interdisciplinary fields to find solutions to contemporary environmental and agricultural challenges.

The successful applicant will be expected to build on the long history of soil science excellence at Utah State University (USU) by developing an impactful program that helps train the next generation of soil scientists. Annual teaching responsibilities include: 1) the fundamentals of soil science course, taught with an applied lens; 2) a course on reclamation and urban soils; and 3) one additional course related to their expertise that engages students with regional and/or advanced topics in soil science. The teaching formats will be both in-person and remote delivery to meet the needs of students across the USU system.

Utah State University invites environmental soil scientists with a passion for teaching and conducting applied science in a changing landscape. Land use in Utah has a rich history, from mining to industry and agriculture, and sits on a unique geological and climatological backdrop that creates a diversity of soils and growing regions, resource limitations, and environmental challenges, particularly as the population rapidly increases. This affords plentiful research opportunities and collaborations within and across disciplines, as well as with federal agencies, such as the US Bureau of Land Management and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Applied research programs may address a wide variety of topics ranging from climate change and water scarcity to reclamation of contaminated and salt-affected soils, soil health and fertility, urban soil safety, and sustainable ecosystems and landscapes within arid/semi-arid environments. The Department of Plants, Soils, and Climate presents many collaborative opportunities within the department, as well as through longstanding relationships across the departments of Applied Economics; Biology; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning; Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences; Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences; and the statewide Cooperative Extension system. Related programs and resources at USU include the Center for Water Efficient Landscaping; Institute for Land, Water, and Air; Utah Climate Center; Utah Agricultural Experiment Station; and AggieAir Remote Sensing. Soil science students are active on the USU Soils Team, as well as in professional internships.

Review of applications will begin February 1, 2025, but applications will be accepted and considered after that date until the position is filled. The anticipated start date is August 1, 2025.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and teach a fundamental undergraduate course in soil science (PSC 3000), a course in urban soil management and reclamation (PSC 4500), plus a third course related to their area of expertise.
• Pursue research in applied soil science that relates to regional priorities.
• Publish in peer-reviewed journals appropriate to the discipline and compete successfully for external funding to support their research and teaching programs.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students, including an advisor role for the Utah Soils Team.
• Collaborate with a wide range of scientists in the department and university.
• Contribute to the department, college, and university through service.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in soil science or related discipline.
• Experience with classroom teaching of students in higher education.
• Experience in soil science-related research.
• Record of publication in peer-reviewed academic journals.
• Evidence of ability to pursue and obtain competitive funding.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Expertise in soil science, particularly arid/semi-arid soils, urban soils, biogeochemistry, and/or applied soil chemistry.
• Demonstrated excellence in communication skills across diverse disciplines.
• Evidence of effective mentoring of students and staff.
• Experience with both in-person and online or remote delivery of teaching.

Required Documents:

Applications must be submitted online. To review the full posting and apply, please visit: jobs.usu.edu, click the “join us” button, and scroll down to find the position. Complete applications for this position must include the following items:

1. Cover letter,
2. Curriculum vitae,
3. 1-2-page Research statement,
4. 1-2-page Teaching statement
5. Three professional references with contact information

Documents 2-4 will be uploaded in the Candidate Profile under Other Documents 1-10

 

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary:Commensurate with experience, plus excellent benefits.ADA:

Employees typically work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes.  

University Highlights:

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant, public service university, with a strong commitment to excellence, access, and inclusion, empowering people to lead successful lives of involvement, innovation, and impact. Utah State provides high-quality education to 27,500-plus students locations throughout the state, including at three residential campuses, eight statewide campuses, and 23 education centers. USU Online educates students from all 50 states and 55 countries. For over 25 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns in all of Utah’s counties. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge through research and scholarly activities, providing a high-quality undergraduate and graduate education at an affordable price.

 

Utah State is committed to cultivating a community of inclusive excellence where all perspectives, values, cultures, and identities are acknowledged, welcomed, and valued. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when they named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU. 

 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or hr@usu.edu. 

 

About the Region

U.S. News and World Report ranked Utah first for its strong economy, fiscal stability, education, and health care. Outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities abound throughout the state, including five national parks, 43 state parks and recreation areas, and 15 alpine ski resorts. The home of USU’s main campus, Logan, is a city of 54,000-plus people in a picturesque mountain valley 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. The Logan metro area claimed the top spot in the Milken Institute’s 2022 ranking for best-performing small cities in the nation. 

 

*updated 04/2024

Notice of Non-discrimination:

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

 

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Cody Carmichael, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov

*updated 09/2023