Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Row Crop Entomology

About the Department

As part of the Land Grant University, the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University is composed of over 40 faculty that direct a diverse portfolio of programs in teaching, research, and extension. Collectively, these strengths not only serve our clientele and our science but also provide a rich environment for graduate education and training that can be tailored to the specific career interests of the student, irrespective of whether they prefer training in the basic sciences or are preparing for a career in extension. Our education and research programs provide graduate and undergraduate students with unique hands-on learning opportunities using the latest technologies.

Entomology and Plant Pathology houses the Plant Disease and Insect Clinic, the Larry Grand Mycological Herbarium, Micropropagation and Repository Unit, Structural Pest Management Training Facility, an Insect Museum with 1.9 million vouchered insects, and the Center for Integrated Fungal Research. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences houses 12 Academic departments with 294 faculty, 2,891 undergraduate students and 899 graduate students. The College is home to 18 research stations strategically located across the state that enhances our interactions with our farmers, stakeholders, and industry partners.

Essential Job Duties

The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology seeks a tenure-track Assistant Professor (12-month) to provide statewide leadership in arthropod management for North Carolina row crop production, with a focus on sweetpotato, peanut, and soybean. The position is 70% Extension and 30% research, connecting applied research, grower needs, and emerging technologies to strengthen sustainable pest management across North Carolina agriculture.

You’ll have the opportunity to build on your expertise in row crop entomology, integrated pest management, pest ecology, and insecticide resistance while shaping innovative approaches to pest prediction, decision support, and resistance management. Your work may draw on field experimentation, landscape-scale studies, pest monitoring, and data-driven tools, including artificial intelligence, precision agriculture, remote sensing, and drones. Through your research and Extension program, you’ll translate new knowledge into practical solutions that help growers and agricultural professionals make informed, sustainable pest management decisions.

Key Responsibilities

Extension & Outreach

• Shape a statewide Extension program that helps North Carolina growers address arthropod pest challenges in major row crops, including sweetpotato, peanut, and soybean.
• Translate research into practical recommendations that help growers, consultants, and industry stakeholders make informed pest management decisions.
• Connect with agricultural professionals and growers through field days, Extension programming, and innovative digital decision-support tools.
• Build strong partnerships with commodity groups, Extension agents, and state and federal partners to address emerging arthropod management challenges.
• Support the growth and development of graduate students and other trainees through mentorship, research guidance, and professional development opportunities.
• Strengthen agricultural workforce capacity by developing training and professional development opportunities for Extension agents, consultants, and agricultural professionals.
• Advance adoption of integrated pest management through innovative technologies and decision-support tools that translate research into practical solutions for North Carolina agriculture.

Research & Discovery

• Build an applied, externally funded research program that responds to grower needs and strengthens the impact of your Extension work.
• Advance understanding of pest ecology and management through field- and landscape-scale research addressing current and emerging crop protection challenges.
• Share new knowledge and practical solutions through peer-reviewed publications, Extension resources, and other scholarly contributions.
• Secure and steward extramural funding to advance applied research and strengthen the impact of Extension priorities.

Mentorship, Teaching & Service

• Mentor graduate students and other trainees through research guidance, professional development, and career preparation.
• Contribute to undergraduate and graduate instruction through teaching courses and supporting the department’s educational mission.
• Contribute expertise and perspective through departmental, college, university, and professional service activities.

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience

• PhD in entomology or equivalent degree

Other Required Qualifications

• Knowledge of integrated pest management (IPM) principles and their application to agronomic cropping systems.
• Expertise in pest ecology and management across field, landscape, and broader agroecosystem scales.
• Advanced understanding of insecticide resistance mechanisms and proven capability in developing and applying innovative resistance management strategies.
• Technical experience with AI, precision agriculture, remote sensing, drones, or other emerging technologies applied to crop protection.

Preferred Qualifications

• Extension experience in Row Crop Entomology

Required License(s) Or Certification(s)

• NC Pesticide License
• NC Driver’s License