Assistant Professor of Soil Ecology

Assistant Professor of Soil Ecology Tenure-track Assistant Professor, Department of Agriculture, Landscape, and Environment, Soil Ecology The Department of Agriculture, Landscape, and Environment at the University of Vermont invites applicants for the position of Assistant Professor in Soil Ecology. This is a full-time (1.0 FTE) 9-month, tenure track position with an effort distribution of 45% teaching, 45% research, and 10% service. The faculty member is expected to establish an independent, competitively funded research program, resulting in national recognition. Research should focus on the study of soil ecology and its contribution to sustainable agriculture. Areas of interest may include, but are not limited to soil health, microbial indicators based on community ecology, ecosystem resilience, plant-soil interactions, soilborne disease management, nutrient cycling, and land management for ecological services and climate mitigation. Applicants with an interest in developing a program on field crops, specialty crops, horticultural crops, or orphan crops relevant to Vermont agriculture and/or forestry are especially encouraged to apply. The successful applicant will join a growing and vibrant department whose mission is to expand and integrate knowledge on the sustainable management of agroecosystems, environmental design within multifunctional landscapes, and reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture. A successful candidate will collaborate with the Soil Health Research and Extension Center, and opportunities exist to collaborate with Extension and the Institute for Agroecology.Applications will be reviewed beginning January 6, 2026 but will be accepted until the position is filled. The successful candidate is expected to start in August 2026. The successful candidate will be expected to teach an upper division Soil Ecology course, along with another course in Soil Health, that would expand the offerings for undergraduate and graduate students interested in the contribution of soil ecology to sustainable agroecosystems. Qualified applicants should hold a Ph. D. in soil ecology, soil science, or a related area. Postdoctoral experience is preferred. The University is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to Our Common Ground Values and academic excellence of UVM's community through their teaching, research, and service. Responsibilities The Assistant Professor of Soil Ecology will be responsible for developing a nationally recognized research program on soil ecology, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses within soil science or soil ecology and advising undergraduate Agroecology major and Soil Science minors.Successful candidates will demonstrate the capacity to: Maintain a high-quality funded research portfolio Publish in appropriate refereed and other journals Teach a course in Soil Ecology and Soil Health along with another course approved by the Chair Collaborate effectively with diverse groups of colleagues, students, and community partners Embrace principles of Our Common Ground Values in teaching, research and collaboration Provide service at the departmental, college, and university levels About Us The Department of Agriculture, Landscape, and Environment (ALE) is home to over 100 undergraduate majors and 20 graduate students. The Department of Plant and Soil Science is part of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), which oversees the Vermont Agricultural Experiment Station, UVM Greenhouse Facilities, Horticulture Research and Education Center, Proctor Maple Research Center, and Paul R. Miller Research and Education Center. Additional facilities include the Advanced Genome Technologies Core, Bioinformatics Shared Resource, Biostatistics Facility, and Vermont Advanced Computing Center. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to work across the department, college and university. The University hosts several Centers and Institutes, including the Soil Health Research and Extension Center, UVM Extension, Food Systems Research Institute, Institute for Agroecology, Center for Rural Partnerships, Water Resources Institute, and the Gund Institute for the Environment. Members of the University of Vermont community embrace and advance the values of Our Common Ground: Openness, Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Innovation, and Justice. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to UVM's mission and advancing Our Common Ground values through their teaching, service, research, scholarship, or creative arts. To learn more about Our Common Ground please visit: https://www.uvm.edu/president/our-common-ground The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category legally protected by federal or state law. Required Material Applications must be submitted online at www.uvmjobs.com. Applicants must provide: Cover letter specifically addressing the candidate's interest and experience working in soil ecology. Academic C.V. including teaching, publications, internal and external funding, and service activities. One-page statement that discusses readiness to commit to UVM's Our Common Ground using examples of skills, experiences, service; and ways in which past or future activities address fundamental questions important to an increasingly complex society. Teaching statement that discusses overall philosophy, approaches for engaging students, and previous initiatives. Names and e-mail addresses of at least three references who may be contacted after the initial application review. The names of the references must be entered into the UVM Jobs application system and the reference letters will be collected upon request and managed via that system. Research statement that discusses research interests, background experiences, and a vision for a research program on soil ecology /health that contributes to sustainable agriculture. Applications that lack these components will not be considered. Employment is subject to a successful background check. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; for full consideration applicants are strongly encouraged to submit all materials by December 20, 2025. Salary will be made at a level appropriate to the successful applicant's qualifications and experience. For further information about this position, please contact: Dr. Josef Görres, Search Committee Chair: jgorres@uvm.edu or Dr. Terence Bradshaw, ALE Chair: Terence.Bradshaw@uvm.edu. Job Location Burlington, Vermont, United States Job Close Date 7/2/2026 Category Agriculture - Plant and Soil Science Department Agricul Landscp Environmnt/51070 FLSA Exempt Employee FTE 1.0 Employee Term (months) 9 For full job description and to apply, visit https://www.uvmjobs.com/postings/84004 jeid-ccb8b4869ff42b439b1867591da62464