Assistant Professor

About the role

Texas A&M AgriLife Research is seeking an Assistant Professor with a strong focus on water and plant stress physiology, emphasizing salinity management and the utilization of alternative water resources. This is a 12‑month, non‑tenure‑track appointment (75 % research, 25 % extension) partially supported by the Texas Water Resources Institute. The position is administratively located at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Lubbock, Texas, with an academic affiliation in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station.

Responsibilities

• Lead research on crop responses to abiotic stress, with an emphasis on water quality and salinity, including soil‑water‑plant interactions under saline irrigation.
• Develop and optimize cropping systems that utilize brackish, produced, and other non‑conventional water sources, particularly in semi‑arid and arid regions.
• Advance understanding of salinity tolerance mechanisms and stress physiology in key regional crops.
• Design and conduct field and laboratory experiments on alternative water use, salinity mitigation techniques, and adaptive crop‑management strategies.
• Collaborate with scientists at the Lubbock center and establish interdisciplinary teams across AgriLife Research centers, other Texas A&M University System campuses, Texas Tech University, and federal agencies such as USDA‑ARS.
• Seek and secure competitive research funding from federal, state, commodity, and industry sources related to saline water use and abiotic stresses.
• Disseminate research findings through peer‑reviewed publications, Extension articles, and stakeholder engagement.
• Support and communicate with county Extension programs on saline water use for irrigation, engaging producers, water managers, and commodity groups to translate research into practical solutions.
• Participate in professional organizations and serve on departmental, agency, and university committees.
• Support the Extension Network by cooperating with District‑based County Extension Agents, Regional Program Leaders, and other specialists.
• Develop research‑driven Extension programming targeting clientele in the Texas Panhandle.
• Provide training and technical assistance to County Extension Agents and contribute to standing and ad‑hoc committees, commodity‑association technical support, and collaborative outreach activities.
• Work with agricultural producers, industry stakeholders, and Extension personnel to promote adoption of innovative alternative‑water‑resources management practices in the High Plains and other water‑limited regions.

Qualifications

• Required: Ph.D. in Crop Science, Soil Science, Agronomy, Environmental Science, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in field‑based research related to water quality, salinity, or water‑use efficiency.
• Proven ability to publish in high‑quality journals and secure competitive research funding.
• Commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder‑driven research.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills for effective interaction with academic, industry, and agency partners.
• Preferred: Prior academic, post‑doctoral, or professional experience.
• Prior research experience in Crop Science, Soil Science, Agronomy, Environmental Science, or a closely related discipline.
• Experience working with federal agencies or in multi‑agency collaborative settings.
• Modest outreach experience with stakeholder interaction.
• Grant‑writing experience and evidence of the ability to attract external funding.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Teamwork‑oriented: collaborative, effective within multidisciplinary teams, and able to engage a broad range of stakeholders.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Thought leader: ability to apply novel approaches to solving critical challenges in water‑limited conditions.
• Adaptable: keen observer of global, national, state, and regional trends affecting production agriculture on the High Plains, with capacity to adjust research focus accordingly.
• Committed to excellence: strong dedication to producing high‑quality research with both academic and practical, producer‑level impact.

Location and Facilities

Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 1102 East Drew Street, Lubbock, TX 79403. The Lubbock Center includes 132,600 sq ft of offices, laboratories, a classroom, and an auditorium; 14 greenhouse units; workshops, storerooms, and sheds; and 300 acres of cropland for research. Additional research sites comprise 690 acres at Halfway (Hale County) and 220 acres in Lamesa (AG‑CARES, Dawson County).

Benefits

• Health, dental, vision, life, and long‑term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums.
• 12–15 days of annual paid holidays.
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month.
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
• Employee Wellness Initiative.
• Security‑sensitive position requiring a criminal history investigation.
• Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability employer.