Assistant/Associate Professor of Plant Disease Resistance

This is a 12-month tenure-accruing position that will be 20% teaching (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences) and 80% research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station) available in the Department of Plant Pathology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida in Gainesville. This assignment may change in accordance with the needs of the unit.

About the role

Within their research appointment, the faculty member will develop an internationally recognized, externally funded program using contemporary methods to explore and improve genetic resistance of plant species to pathogens. The overarching goal is to understand plant resistance and susceptibility and to develop genetically improved plants for crop production, ecosystem restoration, or other applications. Fundamental research may focus on naturally occurring molecular and biochemical mechanisms and/or the genetic architecture of plant resistance and tolerance to pathogens. Translational research may involve selection, breeding, or engineering of new genetic lines of disease-resistant plants of ecological, economical, or other societal importance.

The faculty member will synergize their program with faculty in the Department of Plant Pathology and explore collaboration opportunities with faculty in the UF/IFAS Plant Breeding Working Group, the Crop Transformation Center, the Global Food Systems Institute, other units on campus, Research and Education Centers, government agencies, private, and non-profit organizations.

Within the teaching appointment, the faculty member will develop and teach a course aligned with plant disease resistance at the graduate level and participate in teaching other formal courses at the graduate/undergraduate level. Graduate student mentorship is expected to be an integral component of the faculty member’s teaching and research program. The faculty member will actively participate in graduate education through formal teaching, serving on and chairing graduate committees, supervising thesis and dissertation research, supervising undergraduate research, and publishing results with graduate students and postdoctoral associates.

Tenure will accrue in the Department of Plant Pathology. The faculty member will seek contract and grant funding actively to support their program and engage in Extension activities in their program area. The successful candidate will engage in scholarly activities related to instruction, including teaching undergraduate and/or graduate courses, advising and mentoring students, participating in curriculum revision and enhancement, seeking funding for the teaching program, supervising research and creative work, publishing teaching-related scholarship, producing learning tools, and engaging in professional development activities related to teaching and advising.

Faculty are encouraged to support and participate in the CALS Honors Program, distance education, and international education. Because of the IFAS land-grant mission, all faculty are expected to be supportive of and engaged in all three mission areas—Research, Teaching, and Extension—regardless of the assignment split specified in the position description.

Background Information

The Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida is one of the largest in the US, with 39 faculty located in Gainesville or at nine Research and Education Centers around the state. The department offers an extensive graduate curriculum, with 44 graduate students in Plant Pathology, 4 in Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology and Doctor of Plant Medicine Programs, and 21 post-doctoral associates active in professional development activities.

The University of Florida is a Land-Grant, Sea-Grant, and Space-Grant institution, encompassing virtually all academic and professional disciplines, with an enrollment of more than 56,000 students. UF is a member of The Association of American Universities. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) includes the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Florida Sea Grant program, and 16 on-campus academic departments and schools, 12 Research and Educational Centers (REC) located throughout the state, and Florida Cooperative Extension Service offices in all 67 counties. IFAS employs nearly 4,500 people, including approximately 990 salaried faculty and 1,400 permanent support personnel.

Requirements

• A doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in Plant Pathology, Genetics, or a closely related discipline is required.
• Experience in plant physiology, plant genomics, plant breeding, host/parasite interactions, and/or other aspects of plant health and genetics are highly desirable, as are quantitative analytical and molecular skills.
• Demonstrated skills in publication of peer-reviewed research, verbal communication, interpersonal relationships, and procurement of extramural funding.
• The ability and desire to lead as well as work effectively within interdisciplinary teams is required.
• Candidates must be supportive of the mission of the Land-Grant system and have a commitment to UF core values.

Preferred Qualifications

• Postdoctoral experience is desirable.