Assistant/Associate Professor, Sustainable Food Systems and Data Management

About the role

The BioResource and Agricultural Engineering (BRAE) Department in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, is seeking a full-time, academic year, tenure-track Assistant/Associate Professor of Sustainable Food Systems and Data Management, starting approximately August 12, 2027. Rank and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to interdisciplinary teaching, research, and service activities focused on advancing sustainable, resilient, and equitable food systems through data-driven approaches.
• Teach courses across the Sustainable Food Systems major, with primary responsibility for courses covering systems thinking, life cycle assessment (LCA), data literacy, and sustainability analysis.
• Support the institution’s Learn By Doing teaching mission, applied undergraduate research, and stakeholder engagement while building collaborations across agriculture, environmental science, engineering, nutrition, economics, and policy disciplines.
• Supervise undergraduate senior projects and clubs.

Requirements

• An earned doctorate (Ph.D.) in Agricultural Engineering, Biosystems Engineering, Systems Engineering, Data Sciences, or a closely related field.
• Candidates nearing completion of the doctorate (ABD) may be considered but must provide proof that the doctorate was awarded prior to the start of the appointment.
• Expertise in sustainability assessments or life cycle assessment methodology applied to food or agricultural systems.
• Competency in quantitative data analysis relevant to food and agricultural systems.
• A commitment to undergraduate teaching and learn-by-doing pedagogy.
• Proficiency in written and oral use of the English language.
• An ability to secure external funding and publish research.
• An ability to interact well with peers, students, industry partners, and the general public.
• An ability to collaborate in multidisciplinary settings.
• A commitment to fostering inclusive, equitable, and supportive learning environments.

Qualifications

• An earned doctorate (Ph.D.) in Agricultural Engineering, Biosystems Engineering, Systems Engineering, Data Sciences, or a closely related field.
• Candidates nearing completion of the doctorate (ABD) may be considered but must provide proof that the doctorate was awarded prior to the start of the appointment.
• Expertise in sustainability assessments or life cycle assessment methodology applied to food or agricultural systems.
• Competency in quantitative data analysis relevant to food and agricultural systems.
• A commitment to undergraduate teaching and learn-by-doing pedagogy.
• Proficiency in written and oral use of the English language.
• An ability to secure external funding and publish research.
• An ability to interact well with peers, students, industry partners, and the general public.
• An ability to collaborate in multidisciplinary settings.
• A commitment to fostering inclusive, equitable, and supportive learning environments.

Skills

• Experience with modeling tools and LCA software (e.g. OpenLCA) and associated databases (ecoinvent, agri-footprint, etc.).
• Experience with statistical or scripting environments (Python, R).
• Industry or applied research experience in food supply chains, agricultural processing, or agri-food sustainability.

Benefits

Rank and salary commensurate with education and experience of the individual selected.

Pay

• Assistant Professor: $90,948 - $105,156
• Associate Professor: $105,492 - $114,720

Schedule

Starting approximately August 12, 2027.