Deadline
Dec 14, 2026
Closing in 56 days
Location
N/A
United States
Employment
Permanent
Full time
Reference
N/A
Posted
Oct 17, 2026
About the role
Assistant or Associate Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences, Regular Title Series
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Posting Details
Posting Details| Job Title | Assistant or Associate Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences, Regular Title Series |
|---|---|
| Requisition Number | FE05069 |
| Working Title | Legume Breeder |
| Department Name | 81060:PLANT AND SOIL SCIENCES |
| Work Location | Lexington, KY |
| Type of Position | Faculty |
| Position Time Status | Full-Time |
| Tenure Track Status | Tenure Track |
| Required Education | Applicants must have an earned doctorate in plant breeding, plant biology, genetics, agronomy, or related areas. |
| Required Related Experience | Post-doctoral or faculty experience in modern and classical plant breeding, as well as in aspects of genome-scale plant biology, is desirable. Evidence of strong written and oral communication skills is required, and it is expected that the incumbent will obtain extramural funding to support a vigorous research program. |
| Required License/Registration/Certification | N/A |
| Job Summary |
RESPONSIBILITIES: This is a tenure eligible position with a 12-month appointment and approximately 85% research, 10% instruction, and 5% service responsibilities. The annual distribution of effort will be aligned with this colleague’s strengths and college/department needs. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2027. Research: This faculty member will use genomic approaches, coupled with field and greenhouse research, to develop novel germplasm and genomic resources and/or databases for under-resourced legume forage and cover crops relevant to pasture, hayfields, and cropping systems of Kentucky. This person will also have complementary innovative multi-disciplinary research on topics such as the plant-animal health interface, novel grassland/forage management approaches, breeding for climate resilience, and the integration of the improved germplasm into sustainable production systems. Collaboration with the USDA-ARS-Forage Animal Production Research Unit is expected, particularly in the arena of breeding for legume isoflavone optimization and use in forage systems. The incumbent will pursue cutting edge research on breeding for crop mixtures, or crop systems as a whole versus the plant in isolation. This may involve advanced statistical approaches and/or machine learning or AI. The successful applicant will contribute to graduate student education by advising students and serving on graduate committees. Instruction: The successful applicant will contribute to the instructional mission of the department by teaching classes that support multiple undergraduate degree programs (e.g., Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology or Agricultural Ecosystem Science) and/or the Integrated Plant & Soil Sciences graduate degree program. Service: As a land-grant university, service to department, college, university, professional society, and/or society at large is expected. QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants must have an earned doctorate in plant breeding, plant biology, genetics, agronomy, or related areas. Post-doctoral or faculty experience in modern and classical plant breeding, as well as in aspects of genome-scale plant biology, is desirable. Evidence of strong written and oral communication skills is required and it is expected that the incumbent will obtain extramural funding to support a vigorous research program. Applicants for appointment at the Associate Professor level should demonstrate a record of accomplishment appropriate for that rank. RANK AND SALARY: The rank of this position is at the Assistant or Associate Professor level. Salary is negotiable and is commensurate with training and experience. Employment at Employment at UK is subject to fund availability and comes with various rewards, focusing on your total well-being and career development, with leadership striving to provide a strong work- life integration. The university generously contributes to employees’ retirement plans, medical coverage, and life insurance. In addition, UK offers optional benefits such as dental and vision insurance, additional retirement plans and much more. To learn more about these benefits, please visit: https://hr.uky.edu/employment/our-benefits. THE ENVIRONMENT: The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (M-G CAFE) is fulfilling the land-grant promise of educational excellence, civic leadership, transformational research, and shared knowledge serving the common good. We serve the people of the Commonwealth and across the world through education, outreach, service, and research by finding solutions to improve lives today and create a sustainable future. We integrate teaching, research, and extension in our work. We recruit, retain, and graduate students who are competent, responsible, and workforce ready. For more than 130 years, M-G CAFE has provided research results to the community. From traditional labs and research farms to high-tech diagnostic and research centers, we offer science-based, practical solutions that affect the everyday lives of Kentuckians and people around the world. Our Cooperative Extension programs are engaged in Kentucky’s 120 counties, identifying and addressing needs not only in agriculture and natural resources, but also 4-H and youth development, family and consumer sciences, as well as community & economic development. The University of Kentucky is an institution with over 27,500 undergraduate and 9,500 graduate students. UK is Kentucky’s flagship university and a land grant institution. We have a university commitment to improve the lives of Kentuckians and beyond and that is why environmental stewardship and sustainability are core parts of our institution’s legacy. We are recognized as a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, a Gold level Bicycle Friendly University by The League of American Bicyclists, and are recognized as a STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) Silver Rating by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. The university is geographically near downtown Lexington, which offers the vibrancy of an urban location while being in close proximity to working landscapes and recognized wilderness areas. It is a thriving community of 320,000+ with a strong commitment to quality of life, education, and the arts. Lexington is in the Bluegrass Region, an internationally acclaimed cultural landscape and agricultural region. QUESTIONS AND/OR NOMINATIONS TO: Dr. Hongyan Zhu Chair, Search Committee 301B Plant Sciences University of Kentucky Lexington KY 40546-0312 Phone: 859-257-3647 Email: [email protected] Web: https://personnel.mgcafe.uky.edu/directory/zhu-hongyan APPLICATION: Completed applications should include the following: a cover letter, CV, with full legal name as it appears on passport or driver’s license and ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID), if available, and statements of research and teaching interests and experiences. In addition, names and contact information of three individuals from whom letters may be requested should be included in the application packet. Applications should be submitted by December 14, 2026, for full consideration, while the position will remain open until filled. Please use the University of Kentucky’s electronic application process to apply. In your uploaded document(s), please begin with a cover letter that outlines your approach to the position’s responsibilities, your qualifications, and your vision for innovative and impactful research programs that address existing and emerging issues, followed by the name, address, email, and phone number for three references, and conclude with career curriculum vita and relevant statements. To apply for this position click on the quicklink: https://ukjobs.uky.edu/postings/651927 or copy and paste the URL into your browser Click Apply for this Posting Follow the instructions on how to create an account. Complete the Employment Application and upload the required documents. If you need assistance with the electronic application process, contact HR/ Employment, phone (859) 257-9555, press 2, or email [email protected]. The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, social or economic status or whether the person is a smoker or nonsmoker, as long as the person complies with University regulation concerning smoking. |
| Skills / Knowledge / Abilities | |
| Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? | Yes |
| Preferred Education/Experience | |
| Deadline to Apply | |
| Open Until Filled | Yes |
| Our University Community | We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus. The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status. Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen. |
Posting Specific Questions
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
Applicant Documents
Required Documents- Curriculum Vita
- Cover Letter
- Specific Request 1
How to apply
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