Assistant Professor Position
Department of Biological Sciences
Mississippi State University
The Department of Biological Sciences at Mississippi State University invites applicants for a 9-month, tenure-track position in Plant Biology as Assistant Professor and Curator of the Mississippi State University Herbarium.
We seek candidates with demonstrated curatorial skills who can develop an extramurally-funded research program. Applications are welcomed from candidates employing traditional or modern approaches to address fundamental questions in any area of plant biology including, but not limited to, plant taxonomy, systematics, ecology, evolution, biogeography, or conservation biology.
Responsibilities will include development and maintenance of an extramurally-funded research program, oversight and curation of a vascular plant collection (including curation of the digital collection and use of the collection for education and outreach activities), and contribution to undergraduate and graduate teaching.
Located on the MSU-Starkville Campus, the Department of Biological Sciences is housed in recently-renovated Harned Hall, which provides modern facilities for cutting-edge research. The department offers degrees at the B.S. (Biological Sciences, Medical Technology, and Microbiology), M.S. (Biological Sciences thesis and non-thesis) and Ph.D. (Biological Sciences) levels. For more information please visit http://www.biology.msstate.edu.
The Mississippi State University Herbarium (MISSA in Index Herbariorum) was founded in 1885 with approximately 6,000 specimens. The herbarium houses many noteworthy collections from southeastern botanists of the 19th & 20th centuries, including S. M. Tracy, R. B. Channell, James D. Ray, Jr., and Sydney McDaniel. Today, MISSA houses more than 30,000 vascular plant specimens, with a strong focus on the southeastern United States, especially the state of Mississippi. The collection is currently undergoing digitization through the NSF-funded Magnolia grandiFLORA project, and data from this effort are being made available through a separate NSF-funded collaboration with the South East Regional Network of Expertise and Collections.
Mississippi State University is a comprehensive land-grant university that serves over 22,000 students. Faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences have diverse research interests in bioinformatics, cell biology, developmental biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, genetics, microbiology, and systematics, and are funded by the NIH, NSF and DOJ, as well as numerous private foundations. Campus research infrastructure includes supercomputing resources, and proteomics and genomics instrumentation at the Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing & Biotechnology, computing resources and statistical expertise at the Center for Computational Sciences, microscopy and imaging through the Institute for Imaging and Analytical Technologies and geospatial technology through the Geosystems Research Institute. Faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences have active collaborations with MSU faculty in the Departments of Anthropology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geosciences, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Plant Pathology & Entomology, Biological Engineering, and the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Applicants must apply online at http://explore.msujobs.msstate.edu (search job 497776 under Careers tab). Attach (in a single pdf file) a cover letter, a CV, a statement of research expertise and goals (2-page maximum) that includes a description of integrating the herbarium into research, teaching, and outreach activities, a statement of teaching interests and competency (2-page maximum), a statement of your contributions and commitment to inclusivity (2-page maximum), and contact information for three references, and reprints of up to three publications. Screening of applications will begin November 15, 2018.
MSU is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, ethnicity, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, disability status, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We always welcome nominations and applications from women, members of any minority group, and others who share our passion for building an inclusive community that reflects the diversity of our student population.