Tenure-Track: Assistant Professor, Artificial Intelligence for Horticultural Crop Systems

About the role

The Department of Horticultural Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University invites applications for a full-time, 9-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Horticultural Crop Systems. This position is part of a four-position cluster hire in AI in Agriculture in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences aimed at building new research capacity and supporting the development of an undergraduate minor in AI-Enabled Agricultural Systems to prepare students for a rapidly expanding ag-tech workforce.

Responsibilities

• Develop an innovative, externally funded research program that solves key biological questions in horticultural science by application of artificial intelligence approaches.
• Conduct original research that results in high-impact, peer-reviewed publications and advances sustainable, profitable horticultural systems.
• Lead innovations that advance sustainable horticultural production systems that strengthen Texas's economy and enhance nutrition and food quality, thereby promoting healthy living.
• Develop and teach new courses, including a three-credit course in Decision-Centric AI for Horticultural Crop Production, which will be part of an 18-credit minor in AI-Enabled Agricultural Systems.
• Mentor graduate students, undergraduate researchers, and postdoctoral scholars, while inspiring the next generation of horticultural scientists to serve Texas and beyond.
• Engage with growers, commodity groups, and technology industries across Texas, supporting Texas A&M's land-grant mission to serve the state through teaching, research, and outreach that address real-world challenges.

Requirements

• A Ph.D. primarily in horticultural sciences, plant sciences, agronomy, biology, or a related field, with additional training in Artificial Intelligence and a strong emphasis on horticultural crops; or a Ph.D. in AI/ML or data sciences must be accompanied with a strong background in plant systems.
• Demonstrated ability or potential to secure extramural funding and develop a productive research program.
• Evidence of effective teaching and mentoring.
• Excellent scientific communication skills.

Qualifications

• Experience in studying plant biological questions and applying artificial intelligence technologies in horticultural crops.
• Robust statistical skills and experience in analyzing large datasets and data fusion.
• Engagement in sensor systems, computer vision, robotics, and remote sensing.
• Integration of crop modeling, phenomics and plant physiology.
• Computational skills, including programming languages, coding, software development, and artificial intelligence.
• Prominent track record of publications in high-impact, peer-reviewed horticultural research journals.
• Record of interdisciplinary collaborations and/or stakeholder engagement.
• Familiarity with challenges and opportunities relevant to Texas horticulture.

Skills

• Strong background in horticulture, plant sciences, or crop systems.
• Expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning (ML), or data analysis.
• Ability to apply AI across scales, from field and greenhouse systems to plant and molecular levels.
• Ability to link data with biological understanding to address both practical production questions and fundamental aspects of plant performance.

Benefits

Not specified.

Pay

TBD.

Schedule

60% research, 30% teaching, and 10% service.