Position Title: Assistant Professor of Plant Breeding, Phenomics and Genomics

Employee Classification: LC Faculty TT/TN 9m

College/Division: Agricultural,Consumer & Env Sci Col

Department: 301400-PLANT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Internal or External Search: External - Open to all applicants

Location: Las Cruces

Offsite Location (if applicable):

Target Hourly/Salary Rate:  Commensurate on experience

Appointment Full-time Equivalency:  1.0

Exempt or Non-Exempt:  Exempt

Summary:  The Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (PES) at New Mexico State University (NMSU) seeks an Assistant Professor of Plant Breeding, Phenomics and Genomics with a focus on high-throughput phenotyping, breeding for crop improvement, genomics, and artificial intelligence (Al) analysis.

Classification Summary:
The Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (PES) at New Mexico State University (NMSU) seeks an Assistant Professor of Plant Breeding, Phenomics and Genomics with a focus on high-throughput phenotyping, breeding for crop improvement, genomics, and artificial intelligence (Al) analysis. The Department of PES maintains critical expertise in emerging plant biochemistry, molecular biology, genomic and genetic technologies
to benefit New Mexico producers, and national and international arid land agriculture. The plant genetics and crop breeding program at NMSU has nationally recognized facilities for field, greenhouse, and laboratory-based research that integrates genetics, genomics, molecular breeding, and high-throughput phenotyping technologies.

Classification Standard Duties:
Develop an innovative crop improvement research program that integrates automated high-throughput phenotyping, breeding, advanced genomics, and machine learning algorithms to enhance crop improvement efforts. Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in plant genetics, crop breeding, and molecular genetics that reflect the critical needs of the department

Required Education, Experience, Certification/License, Equivalency
Ph.D. (awarded by hire date) in plant genetics, plant genomics, plant breeding, or related disciplines. The successful candidate will show a commitment to excellence and specific evidence of interest and expertise in crop improvement using traditional and modern approaches, such as high-throughput phenotyping, genomics assisted breeding,

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Demonstrated ability to communicate with diverse stakeholders (students, academic, industry, and policy stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to publish research in leading research and academic outlets and success (or potential for success) in competing for external research funding.
Ability to contribute to undergraduate and graduate education and mentor diverse graduate students.
The department student community is diverse and multicultural and the ability to enjoy and thrive in this team-oriented environment will be necessary.

Job Duties and Responsibilities
The position is 60% research and 40% teaching.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop an innovative crop improvement research program that integrates automated high-throughput phenotyping, breeding, advanced genomics, and machine learning algorithms to enhance crop improvement efforts. The successful candidate will also be encouraged to explore crop traits important to value-added products such as enhancing product quality, high-value co-products, and
improving nutritional and industrial traits. The candidate will have opportunities to engage in collaborative research with multiple plant breeders (currently including alfalfa, chile pepper, onion, peanut), plant and microbial biologists, and robotics engineers working on the development of field robots. The ideal new Plant Breeding, Phenomics and Genomics faculty member will bring critical new research and teaching expertise supporting our Genetics, Agronomy, and Horticulture academic undergraduate and graduate programs.
The focus of the candidate's research should be to integrate breeding and crop improvement with emerging phenomics, Al and machine learning phenotyping techniques to enhance crop production under abiotic and biotic stress, increasing water and/or nutrient use efficiency, and increasing growth and yield in crops of economic importance to the southwest and other arid regions. Examples of relevant research/instruction themes could include quantitative genetics, plant breeding, marker-assisted selection, genomic and/or phenomic selection, with applied expertise in field plot techniques, experimental design, and statistical analysis. The new faculty member will teach undergraduate and graduate courses in plant genetics, crop breeding, and molecular genetics that reflect the critical needs of the department, and the candidate's area of expertise. The faculty member is expected to develop senior-level and graduate course(s) related to the high-throughput phenotyping of field and vegetable crops. Mentoring graduate and undergraduate students and providing leadership in PES plant genetics research and teaching programs will be expected. The faculty member will have an appointment in PES, with opportunities to work across Departments and Colleges with specialists in crop breeding, plant genetics and physiology, molecular biology, and plant nutrition. Fostering collaborations and participate in activities and on research teams that support the work of the Center for Excellence in Sustainable Food and Agricultural Systems (CESFAS) is also expected.

The PES Department is part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, which is home to seven other academic departments, five extension departments, approximately 150 faculty members and 1,800 students. PES consists of approximately 46 faculty and research scientists, 160 undergraduate and 40 graduate students {MS and PhD). Teaching and research themes within the PES Department include plant breeding and genetic improvement, molecular biology, plant physiology and ecology, agronomy, horticulture, and soil, environmental, and water sciences. Research opportunities also exist across NMSU's network of 12 Agricultural Science Centers located around the state, including several facilities near the NMSU main campus. Access to core facilities for microscopy, tissue culture, advanced chemical and omics analysis, and next-generation sequencing are available, complementing laboratories, greenhouse, and field experimental facilities. Opportunities exist to participate in USDA-, NIH-, NSF- and HSI/MSl-sponsored undergraduate and graduate training programs. Additionally, NMSU actively participates with numerous state, tribal and federal agencies. For more information on PES, see https://pes. nmsu.edu.

Preferred Qualifications

The successful candidate will show a commitment to excellence and specific evidence of an interest and expertise in crop improvement using traditional and modern approaches, such as high-throughput phenotyping and genomics-assisted breeding. Background in plant genetics and breeding, with expertise and experience in high-throughput phenotyping, structural and statistical genomics, quantitative genetics, marker-assisted selection, or genomic selection. Postdoctoral or other relevant experience, including the attraction of extramural support, is desirable. The ideal candidate will also demonstrate excellence and expertise that strengthens the university's capacity to engage students, community members, and affiliated scientists on issues relating to plant genetics and crop breeding for southwestern arid environments. It is envisioned that the faculty member will establish a nationally recognized program in crop breeding and genetic improvement (ideally, but not necessarily, associated with cotton or other important economic crops in the region) and the development and release of genetically improved cultivars. Service to the profession and on university, college, and departmental committees is expected.

Special Requirements of the Position
*The following documents are required. Please include on the application:
-Your resume/cv
-Cover letter
-Transcript
-Statement of research interests (2 page maximum), and a statement of teaching philosophy and experience (2 page maximum)

Department Contact:  Omar Holguin, 575-646-5913, frholgui@nmsu.edu

Contingent Upon Funding: Not Applicable

Bargaining Unit Eligibility: This is NOT a bargaining unit position with American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

Standard Work Schedule: Standard (M-F, 8-5)

If Not a Standard Work Schedule: 

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

Environment: Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment.

Physical Effort: No or very limited physical effort required.

Lifting Requirements: Requires handling of average-weight objects up to 10 pounds or some standing or walking.

Risk: No or very limited exposure to physical risk.