Assistant Professor - Plant-Microbe Interactions Scientist
The Plant Microbiome and Plant Health in a Changing Climate
School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Tenure Track

The School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University is seeking a plant-microbe interactions scientist, whose research takes a systems approach to fill key knowledge gaps in plant-microbe interaction biology in the context of a changing climate. The successful candidate’s research will show strong promise of establishing predictive principles and foundational knowledge key to innovating for sustainable plant health. Example areas of inquiry include, but are not limited to: (a) the dynamic effects of changing abiotic stresses (heat, drought, flooding, cold, extreme weather events), agricultural and landscape management practices, and plant genetics on plant-associated microbial communities; (b) effects of the environment (micro- to macro-) on detection, signaling, and responses in plant-microbe and plant-microbe-microbe interactions; (c) structural and functional diversity at the molecular interface between plants and microbes across populations, genotypes, and environments over space and time, to understand specificity and evolution of pathogenic and beneficial associations; (d) impacts of microbes on plant physiology, biochemistry, development, and immunity and in turn on plant and soil microbiomes and how those impacts affect resilience of individual plants, populations, or ecosystems; and (e) mechanisms by which plant-associated microbial communities alter plant productivity, nutrition, metabolite production, and/or tolerance to biotic (pathogen, insect) and/or abiotic (climate, nutrient, pollution) stressors. The successful candidate will integrate cutting-edge approaches, such as metagenomics, multi-OMICs, single cell technologies, genome editing of plants and microbial communities, advanced imaging and other non-destructive sensing, systems modeling, machine learning, and others, at any spatial or temporal scale, ranging from molecules and cells to populations and ecosystems, nanoseconds to decades. They will collaborate broadly, across disciplines, to support translation of findings to pressing challenges in applied plant and agricultural sciences. In addition to their research program, the individual in this position will enhance course offerings by incorporating climate change into plant health- and plant microbiome-centered topics. In that role, the person will be expected both to develop new courses and to collaborate to enrich the content of existing courses.

Plant health is fundamental to human well-being. We depend on healthy plants for food, feed, fiber, pharmaceuticals, and ecosystem services at scales from individual consumers to global economies. With climate change, threats to plant health are increasing, and increasingly complex. Environmental conditions affect plant health directly, but also indirectly by influencing populations and impacts of plant associated microbes. Worldwide, plant pathogenic microbes cause annual crop losses estimated at over $220 billion, threatening food security, nutritional safety, and livelihoods. At the same time, beneficial microbes promote plant health by facilitating mineral uptake, suppressing disease, and strengthening drought and heat tolerance. Plant-associated microbes are rich sources of natural products (i.e., secondary metabolites) that are used in medicine, agriculture, and industry, and they profoundly influence metabolite production by plants. Microbes are also key partners in carbon sequestration by plants: > 5 billion tons of carbon are directed underground annually due to just one prevalent plant-fungal association. For both pathogens and beneficials, climate change is altering geographic distribution, metabolic activity, and the outcomes of interactions with plants, driving shifts in disease incidence and severity as well as productivity, nutrient and metabolite composition, and ecosystem benefits. Through both research and teaching, the successful candidate will address the critical need for integrating climate change and the microbiome into our understanding of plant health to solve plant health challenges sustainably.

Outstanding research and scholarship are expected, as is excellence in, and commitment to, teaching, advising, and inclusive mentoring of students. Applicants should have a strong track record and show continued promise across all these areas, and an ability to contribute to a vibrant culture of inclusive excellence at Cornell. We welcome candidates who understand the barriers facing women and other identities underrepresented in STEM careers and who have experience in inclusive teaching, mentoring, research, outreach, service or other activities, and an ongoing commitment to promoting an equitable and diverse scholarly environment.

Responsibilities:

This is a 9-month, full-time, tenure-track position, responsible for research (60% of effort) and teaching (40%). In addition, the individual will be expected to engage in service and leadership activities within their section, the school, the college, and the university, and in relevant external contexts.

Research (60%) – The successful candidate will establish a cutting edge, well-funded research program that rises to international prominence. Excellence in and commitment to multidisciplinary team-based research is essential. The research program will integrate climate change and the plant-associated microbiome toward a holistic understanding of plant health needed to solve pressing challenges sustainably, and it will provide timely and relevant research opportunities to attract outstanding undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral scientists to this area and foster their career development.

Teaching (40%) – Expectations for teaching at 40% effort typically include teaching 6-7 credits annually. The successful candidate will develop a new undergraduate course and a new graduate course in their area of expertise that consider aspects of plant health in the context of both the plant microbiome and climate change. The undergraduate course will be a concentration or broadening course in the Plant Sciences major and should serve students from other majors, such as Agricultural Sciences, Biological Sciences, Environment and Sustainability, and Global Development, and minors such as Horticulture, Microbial Science, Sustainable Agricultural and Food Systems, Crop Management, Digital Agriculture, Infectious Disease Biology, and others. The candidate will also contribute new material related to climate change effects for existing, core graduate courses in plant-microbe interactions, both at the mechanistic and organismal (PLPPM 6010) and at the population and epidemiological (PLPPM 5020) levels.

Academic Affiliation within SIPS: Though it is anticipated that the successful candidate will join the Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology section of SIPS, they will have the option to choose the best fit from among any of the 5 sections (including Plant Biology, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Soil and Crop Sciences, and Horticulture).

Qualifications: The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology / Plant and Microbial Biology, Plant Biology, Microbiology, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Ecology, Biogeochemistry, Biological Engineering, or other relevant disciplines; an outstanding record of relevant research; and demonstrated success in mentoring. Highly regarded achievement in teaching is preferred, as is a demonstrated commitment to multidisciplinary team-based research.

Applications and Starting Date: The anticipated starting date is July 2025, or as negotiated. Qualified applicants should submit 1) a cover letter briefly summarizing background, qualifications, and interest in the position; 2) a Curriculum Vitae; 3) a research statement outlining experience, interests, and goals (4 page limit); 4) a teaching statement outlining experience, interests, and goals (2 page limit); 5) a statement supporting diverse communities outlining how the candidate will support Cornell’s founding principle of “any person … any study,” specifically the candidate’s experiences and/or approaches (past, current or future) to fostering learning, research, service and/or outreach in a diverse community (applicants may submit a stand-alone statement or embed the information in other parts of their application materials); 6) names and contact information for three references. Materials should be submitted online at https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/28742. Applications received by December 10, 2024, will be given full consideration. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Inquiries may be directed to:
Search chair: Adam Bogdanove
School of Integrative Plant Science
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14850
Email: ahr75@cornell.edu

CALS hiring range for position:

Assistant Professor: $90,000 - $130,000

Cornell University offers a competitive salary and benefits package. Support for start-up costs will be available. Salary is commensurate with experience.

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is a pioneer of purpose-driven science and Cornell University’s second largest college. We work across disciplines to tackle the challenges of our time through world-renowned research, education, and outreach. The questions we probe and the answers we seek focus on three overlapping concerns: We believe that achieving next-generation scientific breakthroughs requires an understanding of the world’s complex, interlocking systems. We believe that access to nutritious food and a healthy environment is a fundamental human right. We believe that ensuring a prosperous global future depends on the ability to support local people and communities everywhere. By working in and across multiple scientific areas, CALS can address challenges and opportunities of the greatest relevance, here in New York, across the nation, and around the world.

Cornell University seeks to meet the needs of dual career couples, has a Dual Career program, and is a member of the Upstate New York Higher Education Recruitment Consortium to assist with dual career searches including positions available in higher education in the upstate New York area.

Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League and Land-grant university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students, and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery, and engagement.

Cornell’s regional and global presence includes state-wide Cornell Cooperative Extension programs and offices in all counties and boroughs, global partnerships with institutions and communities engaged in life-changing research and education, the medical college’s campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, and the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, and we do not tolerate discrimination based on any protected characteristic, including race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex/gender, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff to all identities and backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.