Assistant Professor of Soil Microbiology

About the role

The Department of Plants, Soils, and Climate (PSC) in the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (QANR) at Utah State University (USU) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Soil Microbiology. The successful candidate will establish an externally funded and nationally recognized research program in soil microbiology and contribute to undergraduate and graduate education in soil science. Relevant research areas may include soil microbial ecology; plant–microbe interactions; nutrient and carbon cycling; soil microbiomes; biological controls on soil health; microbial responses to drought, salinity, temperature, or other environmental stressors; biogeochemistry; and other emerging areas that connect microbial processes to soil, plant, climate, and land-management outcomes. The position is expected to integrate laboratory, field, and quantitative approaches; mentor undergraduate and graduate students; collaborate across disciplines; and strengthen connections among basic soil science, agricultural and natural resource systems, and applied questions important to Utah and the Intermountain West.

Review of applications begins January 5, 2027 and continues until the position is filled. Start date is August 1, 2027. For additional information, contact Janis Boettinger at janis.boettinger@usu.edu.

Responsibilities

Research – 50%

• Develop and sustain an innovative, externally funded research program in soil microbiology and related soil, plant, ecosystem, or land-management systems.
• Use appropriate laboratory, field, molecular, analytical, statistical, computational, or modeling approaches to address fundamental and applied questions.
• Publish research in peer-reviewed outlets and present findings at professional meetings and other scholarly venues.
• Recruit and mentor graduate and undergraduate students and support their professional development and research success.
• Collaborate with faculty and partners across PSC, QANR, the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, USU Extension, the Ecology Center, and relevant state, federal, academic, and private-sector organizations.

Teaching – 45%

• Teach Soil Microbiology (upper-division undergraduate/graduate, 3 credits, alternate years).
• Teach Soil Health and Fertility (upper-division undergraduate/graduate, 3 credits, annually).
• Teach the Plants, Soils, and Climate Seminar course (upper-division graduate/undergraduate, 1 credit, each semester).
• Develop and teach a new or pre-existing course in areas that complement the candidate’s expertise, meets the full teaching load, strengthens soil science curricula, and according to departmental needs.
• Advise and mentor students and contribute to recruitment, retention, experiential learning, and student success.

Service – 5%

• Participate in appropriate department, college, university, and professional service.
• Contribute to collaborative academic programs, committees, student activities, and disciplinary societies.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications

• Earned Ph.D. in soil science, microbiology, microbial ecology, ecology, biogeochemistry, or a closely related discipline by the time of appointment.
• Training and research expertise in soil microbiology or closely related microbial processes in terrestrial systems.
• Evidence of scholarly productivity and potential to develop an externally funded research program.
• Potential for effective teaching and mentoring at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Strong written, oral, interpersonal, and collaborative communication skills.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience integrating laboratory and field studies using advanced analytical, molecular, omics, imaging, quantitative, geospatial, or modeling approaches.
• Research that connects microbial processes with soil health, nutrient cycling, plant productivity, water relations, climate resilience, or land management.
• Evidence of successful teaching or instructional development in soil science, microbiology, ecology, or a related field.
• Experience mentoring students and building collaborative, interdisciplinary research teams.
• Demonstrated ability or strong potential to secure competitive extramural funding from public and/or private sources.

Required documents

• Resume/Curriculum vitae (uploaded in Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”)
• Three professional references with contact information (typed at the beginning of the application)
• Cover letter describing interest in and qualifications for the position (uploaded under “Documents 1-10”)
• Research statement describing past accomplishments and a vision for an independent research program at USU (up to 3 pages, uploaded under “Documents 1-10”)
• Teaching and mentoring statement describing experience, philosophy, and approaches to student success (up to 2 pages, uploaded under “Documents 1-10”)

Document size may not exceed 10 MB.

Pay

Commensurate with experience, plus excellent university benefits.