The Department of Plant Pathology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis is recruiting an Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology with an emphasis in plant virology. This is an academic year (9-month), tenure track Assistant Professor position, with responsibilities for research, teaching, mentoring and service, that includes an appointment in the California Agricultural Experiment Station (AES). Faculty members who hold an Agricultural Experiment Station appointment have a responsibility to conduct research and outreach relevant to the mission of the California Agricultural Experiment Station. Participation in outreach programs and performance of University service are also expected.
The successful candidate is expected to develop an independent, productive and competitively funded research program in fundamental and/or applied virology regarding viruses and/or virus-like agents associated with plants. This includes work with emerging viral diseases of field, fruit and nut and vegetable crops in California and around the world. Areas of interest include virus-plant host interactions, diagnostics, epidemiology, seed transmission, and virus-vector interactions.
We expect that this proposed position will exploit new technologies to develop knowledge that will contribute environmentally sound disease control methods for plant virus diseases that threaten agriculture. The individual may take advantage of the large-scale diagnostic capabilities at Foundation Plant Services (FPS) for virus discovery and develop associations with the Seed Biotechnology Center and Genome Center.
The appointee will have responsibility for the graduate class in Plant Virology (PLP 230). This position will also play a key role in the Global Disease Biology undergraduate major through instruction in current classes (e.g., Plant-virus-vector interactions, PLP 123, or Introductory Plant Pathology, PLP 120) and/or by developing a disease-oriented virology general education course. Mentoring of graduate students, undergraduate student advising, curricular development, participation in and development of outreach programs, and performance of departmental and university service is expected. The successful candidate will be an active member of the Plant Pathology Graduate Program and other graduate groups as appropriate to the appointee’s interests and expertise.
The incumbent will be expected also to support the mission of plant pathology in the AES through teaching, outreach and research that is relevant to disease problems affecting agriculture and/or natural resources in the state of California. Participation in and development of public outreach and/or community engagement programs, and performance of departmental and university service is expected. This position is expected to collaborate with Cooperative Extension specialists and advisors, partners in allied industries or other appropriate public stakeholders.
This recruitment is conducted at the assistant rank. The resulting hire will be at the assistant rank, regardless of the proposed appointee’s qualifications and experience.
UC Davis supports Family-friendly recruitments. UC Davis covers travel expenses for a second person to accompany an invited faculty recruitment candidate who is a mother (or single parent of either gender) of a breast or bottle-feeding child less than two years of age.
UC Davis recognizes the necessity of supporting faculty with efforts to integrate work, family and other work-life considerations. To recruit and retain the best faculty, the campus sponsors a Work Life
Program that provides programs and services that support faculty as they strive to honor their commitments to work, home and community.
UC Davis was ranked #1 in 2016 on Forbes Magazine list of the 13 most important STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) universities for women, and is actively seeking the U.S. Department of Education’s “Hispanic Serving Institution” designation. Davis celebrates the multi-cultural diversity of its student body by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for students through such organizations and programs as the Center for African Diaspora Student Success; the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual Resource Center; Casa Cuauhtémoc Chicano-Latino Theme House; Asian Pacific American Theme House; ME/SA (Middle astern/South Asian) living-learning community; Multi- Ethnic Program (MEP); Chicano/Latino Retention Initiative; and Native American Theme Program.
The UC Davis Partner Opportunities Program (POP) is a service designed to support departments and deans’ offices in the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty. Eligibility for POP services is limited to full-time Academic Senate Ladder Rank faculty (including Lecturers with Security of Employment (LSOE), Lecturers with Potential Security of Employment (LPSOE), Senior Lecturers with Security of Employment (SLPSOE)), and Cooperative Extension Specialists.
The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment, UC Davis conducts a reference check on all first-choice candidates for Academic Senate Assistant Professor or Lecturer with Potential for Security of Employment, Steps 4, 5, or 6, or Acting Professor of Law positions. The reference check involves contacting the administration of the applicant’s previous institution(s) to ask whether there have been substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the University’s Faculty Code of Conduct.
To implement this process, UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search for assistant professor to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” into RECRUIT as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, only finalists considered for Academic Senate Assistant Professor or Lecturer with Potential for Security of Employment, Steps 4, 5, or 6, or Acting Professor of Law positions will be subject to reference checks.
Qualifications
Basic qualifications(required at time of application)
Ph.D. or equivalent degree in plant pathology, virology, microbiology, or related field (degree must be awarded by start of appointment).
Preferred qualifications
-Post-doctoral experience is preferred.
-The successful candidate must have a record that documents productivity in research as evidenced by publications in peer-reviewed journals.
-Evidence of a commitment to seek and the potential to obtain extramural funding for research.
-Evidence of promise and ability to develop and instruct undergraduate and graduate courses.
-Commitment to mentor graduate students in MS and PhD programs.
-Willingness and interest to advise undergraduates
-Interest, understanding, and commitment to the objectives of a land-grant university and the Agricultural Experiment Station including mission-oriented research and substantive outreach engagement programming.
-Evidence of communication skills and collegiality consistent with effective departmental, campus and professional citizenship.
Application Requirements
Document requirements
- Curriculum Vitae, including publication list – Your most recently updated C.V., including a list of publications.
- Up to 3 Publications – Please combine up to three publications and upload as one document.
- Statement of Research accomplishments and future research plans relevant to plant virology
- Statement of Teaching Accomplishments and Philosophy
- Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – Contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion documented in the application file will be used to evaluate applicants.
- Authorization to Release Form – A referenct check will be completed only if you are selected as the first choice candidate.
- Cover Letter (Optional)
- Summary or abstract of the Ph.D. dissertation (Optional)
Reference requirements
- 3-5 required (contact information only)
Apply link:https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF05269
Help contact: syoranchak@ucdavis.edu
Open date: September 21, 2022
Next review date: Friday, Dec 2, 2022 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date: Monday, Apr 3, 2023 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.