Careers in the Plant Sciences

Assistant Professor

University of California, berkeley - Berkeley, CA, 94720

Position Title: Assistant Professor
Position Type: Tenure-Track Assistant Professor
Application Review Begins: Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Application Deadline: Wednesday, November 01, 2023
Institution: University of California, berkeley
Department/Division: Plant and Microbial Biology
Field (e.g., systematics): Fungal Biology
City: Berkeley, CA, 94720
General Information: The Department of Plant and Microbial Biology in the Rausser College of Natural Resources at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) seeks applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor faculty position in fungal biology with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2024.

The department is a community of scholars whose research advances knowledge in plant and microbial systems in terms of biochemistry, cell and developmental biology, genetics and genomics, ecology, evolution, and pathogenesis, and their applications to ecosystems, agriculture, bioenergy, biomedicine, and biotechnology. Our undergraduate students have a choice of vibrant majors that span the disciplines in the department, and we administer top-ranked Ph.D. programs in microbiology and plant biology. Our researchers benefit from opportunities for interactions and collaborations with other biological science departments and units on campus, including the Innovative Genomics Institute (https://innovativegenomics.org/), the Energy Biosciences Institute (https://energybiosciencesinstitute.org/), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (https://biosciences.lbl.gov/) and the Food Institute (https://food.berkeley.edu/).

The Department of Plant and Microbial Biology values diversity, equity, and inclusion as exemplified by the following principles of community: we recognize the intrinsic relationship between diversity and excellence in all our endeavors; we embrace open and equitable access to opportunities for learning and development as our obligation and goal.

The Department of Plant and Microbial Biology is committed to addressing the family needs of faculty, including dual career couples and single parents. We are also interested in candidates who have had non-traditional career paths or who have taken time off for family reasons, or who have achieved excellence in careers outside academia. For information about potential relocation to Berkeley, or career needs of accompanying partners and spouses, please visit: http://ofew.berkeley.edu/new-faculty

The Department and UC Berkeley use inclusive hiring practices. We encourage potential candidates to see their career accomplishments holistically, as we do, and to make the decision to apply even if they do not see their experience as conforming strictly to each of the preferred qualifications in this job description. Any candidate who is excited about fungal research and teaching/mentoring at UC Berkeley belongs on our list for consideration of our open position.

Department: https://plantandmicrobiology.berkeley.edu/

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included. Successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skill related to ensuring equity and inclusion in the activities of their academic position (e.g., teaching, research, and service, as applicable).

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.
Qualifications/Requirements: Basic qualifications (required at time of application):

PhD (or equivalent international degree), or enrolled in PhD or equivalent international degree-granting program at the time of application.

Preferred qualifications

The ideal candidate will:

Demonstrate evidence of strong research productivity, potential for funding, and a commitment to excellence in teaching and research mentoring of undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdocs.

Demonstrate evidence of expertise and scholarship within a relevant field such as, but not limited to, basic biology of fungi, e.g. fungal genetics, biochemistry, development, metabolism, and ecology; mechanisms by which fungi interact with eukaryotes, e.g. in mycorrhizal fungi and other plant mutualists, and in fungal pathogens of plants or animals; interactions of fungi with bacteria or other microbes; the biology of fungal breakdown of plant material as it pertains to carbon cycling, wildfire recovery, and biotechnology applications; and other biotechnology-relevant facets of fungal biology, e.g. fungal production of secondary metabolites as drugs, fungi as seed amendments for agricultural use, and fungi as alternative food, leather, and building materials.

Demonstrate strong research skills and a potential to establish an innovative research agenda, to communicate their work effectively to a broader public, and to work with other researchers from diverse disciplines.

Demonstrate evidence of their commitment to working in an inclusive and interdisciplinary environment and their strong desire to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in ways that align with UC Berkeley’s mission to meet the educational needs of California’s diverse population (see: https://ofew.berkeley.edu/recruitment/contributions-diversity/support-faculty-candidates).
Responsibilities: Our current search is for applicants with interests in teaching and mentoring the next generation of scientists, and for research on fungi at any scale, from molecules and cells to colonies and ecosystems. Interests of the department for this hire include, but are not limited to, basic biology of fungi, e.g. fungal genetics, biochemistry, development, metabolism, and ecology; mechanisms by which fungi interact with eukaryotes, e.g. in mycorrhizal fungi and other plant mutualists, and in fungal pathogens of plants or animals; interactions of fungi with bacteria or other microbes; the biology of fungal breakdown of plant material as it pertains to carbon cycling, wildfire recovery, and biotechnology applications; and other biotechnology-relevant facets of fungal biology, e.g. fungal production of secondary metabolites as drugs, fungi as seed amendments for agricultural use, and fungi as alternative food, leather, and building materials.
Application Instructions (submission methods, etc.): Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae (your most recently updated C.V.), cover letter, a statement of research describing current and future research interests, a statement of teaching experience and philosophy, a statement of contributions to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (see https://www.ofew.berkeley.edu/recruitment/contributions-diversity), and up to five papers or other documents (optional). Applicants must include names of three to five persons that may be contacted confidentially on behalf of the applicants. Letters of reference will be sought from finalists only, and we will seek your permission before doing so.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

Applications must be received by Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) to ensure full consideration by the committee. 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.
Web Link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04065
Compensation Range:
Contact Name: Joanne Straley, jstraley@berkeley.edu