Assistant Professor - Controlled Environment Agriculture

Job Description

Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is seeking applicants for a tenure-track faculty position in Controlled Environment Agriculture applied to plant crops as part of its Phase II SmartFarm Innovation Network^TM faculty cluster hire. Phase II includes a total of seven (7) faculty positions to be filled within several academic units and Agricultural Research and Extension Centers. Collaborations of cluster hires and existing faculty will enhance interdisciplinary flagship programs at the nexus of digital, biological, social, and physical sciences and engineering with application to agriculture, food, and natural resources. The cluster hire will be affiliated with the Center for Advance Innovation in Agriculture for enhancing the interdisciplinary networking. This ambitious vision will create a statewide network of interconnected faculty, partners, and resources for scientific discovery and developing and deploying and extending new technologies. The goal is to increase overall efficiency, resiliency, sustainability, and economic value of food, agriculture production systems, and natural resources and expand Virginia Tech’s global influence in this rapidly evolving domain.

The tenure home for this full-time tenure track position (AY 9-months), Controlled Environment Agriculture, with a primary research and secondary extension appointment, is the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences (SPES) in CALS. The incumbent will be a faculty member within SPES and based at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) in Danville, VA at the Virginia Tech-IALR Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center . The incumbent will be expected to conduct research related to controlled environment production of food and/or medicinal plant crops and to develop collaborative research with other faculty working in integrated agriculture technologies, such as sensors, robotics and data analyses. The incumbent will be expected to develop an Extension program and work with and support the controlled environment agriculture industry in Virginia. Subject areas of research and Extension may include, but are not limited to production systems, development and application of new technologies, new crop development and pest control. Global engagement is important as the incumbent’s career advances, and will contribute to the expansion of Virginia Tech’s reputation in this domain.

Responsibilities: The incumbent will develop a nationally and internationally recognized program in controlled environment agriculture. The incumbent is expected to obtain extramural funding and publish research in peer-reviewed journals appropriate to the discipline. The incumbent is expected to work cooperatively with other faculty in SPES, CALS, IALR, Virginia Cooperative Extension and units and programs at Virginia Tech and collaborate with other universities. The incumbent will be expected to recruit and mentor graduate students and develop an Extension program designed to support the controlled environment agriculture industry in Virginia.

Applications: Required application materials include: 1) complete curriculum vitae, 2) official or unofficial transcripts of all graduate course work, 3) statement of current and future research interests as relevant to this position as well as experience in extension and related interests, and 4) names, addresses and emails for four professional references. All inquiries should be directed to Dr. Steve Rideout, Search Committee Chair, srideout@vt.edu, (540) 231-3197. For more information and to apply for this position [Job Card #515654, www.jobs.vt.edu]. Review of applications will begin on June 1, 2021 and all applications received by this date will be reviewed and considered.

Required Qualifications

● Ph.D. in horticulture, plant science, agricultural/controlled environment engineering or other closely aligned field.
● Experience in plant crop production or significant research or management in greenhouses or other types of controlled environments.
● Commitment to diversity and inclusion
● Commitment to Extension and engagement

Preferred Qualifications

● Successful grantsmanship and publishing
● Strong communication skills

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

Commensurate with Experience

Review Date

06/07/2021

Additional Information

The successful Candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges , a school of medicine , a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School , and Honors College . The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers . A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Dr. Steve Rideout at srideout@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.

Advertised: April 7, 2021
Applications close: