Location: Ithaca, NY. The academic home for this position is the School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, housed on the Ithaca campus of Cornell University.
The School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University welcomes applications for a 9-month, full-time tenure-track position in Bioresource Soil Science and Management at the assistant professor level. The primary production that sustains human life begins and ends with the soil. Yet, degradation of soil health caused by emerging contaminants and agricultural intensification threaten the sustainability of our production systems. Biomass residual resources, such as food waste, human and animal waste, and other plant and animal materials, are often decoupled from production sites, resulting in degradation of soil health and reliance on chemical fertilizers to maintain fertility. Moreover, this decoupling generates waste streams that promote eutrophication of inland and coastal waters. As we reduce fossil fuel usage and increase the circularity of materials flows, there is a demand for research and education related to the management of bioresources in agricultural systems. Relevant research topics include: the effect of organic residuals on soil health and fertility, assessing and mitigating risks caused by the presence of emerging contaminants in residuals applied to soil, developing strategies for improving organics recycling and reuse. This position will serve as a bridge between bioresource producers and consumers, while safeguarding our land, water, and air from the hazard of legacy contaminants and associated toxicological concerns.
The ideal candidate will be an applied soil scientist with expertise in soil chemistry or biogeochemistry who will investigate the science of biomass residual management, including the identification and tracking of emerging contaminants. We are looking for a highly collaborative individual who will lead a research and extension program that investigates bioresiduals management in agricultural systems, as well as inform policy essential to addressing multiple grand challenges for sustainability. The incumbent will serve as a critical resource and collaborator for faculty programs across Cornell University. The position requires expertise in biochemistry and analysis of bioresource materials and their interactions with soil, plants, water and air, possibly in combination with geospatial and computational approaches. They will develop an innovative and cutting-edge research program with global reach that may operate with a regional and/or international focus, as well as a strong and innovative extension program focused on NY State. An outstanding research scholarship is expected, as is excellence in, and commitment to, extension/outreach serving New York State and beyond, translation of knowledge, and advising and mentoring of students. We seek a colleague with an outstanding record demonstrating success and promise across these areas, and who will be supported by, and contribute to, a vibrant culture of inclusive excellence. Candidates are expected to engage in service and leadership activities within their section and school, the college and university, as well as relevant professional societies.
Responsibilities: This position has an effort split of 60% research and 40% extension.
Research (60%) – The successful candidate is expected to include several key research areas: Sourcing and land application of bioresiduals, with a focus on soil and environmental health, including carbon and nutrient management; bioresource processing through the transformation of wastes (e.g., through pyrolysis, compositing, or other methods); emerging contaminants and emerging legacy chemicals, such as PFAS, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and metals that can enter waste streams and accumulate within agroecosystems; and environmental fate and long-term impact of bioresource management on plants, humans, microbes, and soils, with general focus on New York State-based concerns. We expect a research program that is supported by funding from entities that may include the USDA, NSF, DOE, and NY State.
Extension (40%) – The successful candidate is expected to take a forward-looking approach to support growing societal needs for bioresource sustainability in the context of circular economies. This extension program will have a major impact on both rural and urban constituencies in New York State, since production, processing, and application of bioresources occur in both urban (e.g., biosolids, food waste, food industries, yard waste, urban growers) and rural (e.g., agricultural and food production) settings. Support is provided to agricultural and other diverse private and public stakeholders in New York State and beyond, which produce organic waste that must be managed to prevent disease and degradation of environmental resources and processed into resources that promote human and animal health, soil fertility and carbon storage, or can be used as source materials for production of energy, feed, platform chemicals.
Department Affiliation: The successful candidate will be a tenure-line faculty member of the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, based on Cornell’s main campus in Ithaca, NY. They will affiliate with a Section in the School of Integrative Plant Science. A mentoring program will support the personal and professional development of the new faculty member, providing advocacy, guidance, and assistance. The candidate is expected to have a leadership role with the Cornell bioresource management community and associated funding programs.
Qualifications: The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. in soil chemistry, bio(geo)chemistry, or microbiology or related sciences with an understanding of bioresiduals management. A strong interest and commitment to transdisciplinary research, solution-focused science, and societal interactions are essential.
Applications and Starting Date: The anticipated starting date is July 1, 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) an extension/outreach statement outlining experience, interests, and goals, (5) a statement supporting diverse communities (this can be a stand-alone document (preferred) or the information can be embedded in other parts of the application materials) outlining how, through research, teaching, service, mentoring, extension, and/or outreach, the candidate has and will contribute to support Cornell’s historical mission of “any person … any study,” (6) copies of four relevant publications, (7) names and contact information for three references, and (8) unofficial transcripts. Materials should be submitted online to: academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/28150.
Applications received by December 15, 2024, will be given full consideration. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Inquiries may be directed to:
Professor Enid Martinez, Search Committee Chair
Soil and Crop Sciences - School of Integrative Plant Science
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
Email: cem20@cornell.edu
CALS hiring range for position:
Assistant Professor: $90,00 to $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.