Assistant Professor, Botany, Eastern Kentucky University

Published: February 26, 2022    Jobs, Museum Director / President, Research Position, Teaching

Please visit Assistant Professor, Botany for complete job posting and application instructions.

The Department of Biological Sciences (https://biology.eku.edu/) at Eastern Kentucky University is accepting applications for a Botanist at the rank of Assistant Professor. This is a 9-month, tenure-track position to begin August 15, 2022. Teaching responsibilities will include courses in the undergraduate Biology (BS), Wildlife Management (BS), and graduate (MS) programs. Primary courses to be taught include General Botany, Dendrology, Plant Systematics, and Aquatic & Wetland Plants. Additional courses may be assigned based on the candidate’s expertise and departmental needs. The typical teaching load is 12 hours per semester, but new faculty can expect to teach 9 hours per semester during their first year.

Current departmental policies allow for continued reassigned time for research linked with extramural funding and student-centered research activities. The successful candidate will be expected to direct and advance the mission of the Ronald L. Jones Herbarium, the largest in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which is housed in the recently completed (August 2017) Science Building. Knowledge of the flora of the eastern United States is essential for both teaching and direction of the herbarium. In addition, the incumbent will establish an active research program, mentor undergraduate and graduate (MS) students, and engage with conservation-oriented organizations such as the Kentucky Native Plant Society, the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves, and US Fish and Wildlife Service. Areas of research may include, but are not limited to, computational biology, population biology, plant phylogenetics/systematics, and organismal diversity. A Ph.D. in Biology or a related field from a regionally accredited or internationally recognized institution by the time of appointment is required; post-doctoral and teaching experience are preferred.

Review of applications will begin March 21st and continue until position is filled. For inquiries regarding facilities, equipment, and natural areas, contact Dr. Jennifer Koslow (jennifer.koslow@eku.edu), Chair of the Search Committee. All interested applicants must apply via https://jobs.eku.edu/postings/19329. Applicants should submit a brief letter of interest, a current CV, a statement of research accomplishments and goals that includes a description of how their research program will engage undergraduate and graduate students, a statement of teaching interests that includes a description of experiences and planned approaches to teaching field botany, and contact information for three references. The application materials should also address the candidate’s experience and training in working in herbaria and the priorities of the candidate in directing the EKU Herbarium. Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a satisfactory background check and verification of educational credentials. EKU is an EEO/AA institution that values diversity in its faculty, staff, and student body. In keeping with this commitment, the University welcomes applications from diverse candidates and candidates who value diversity.