Assistant Professor of Plant Breeding Phenomics and Genomics

PositionTitle: Assistant Professor of Plant Breeding Phenomics and Genomics

Employee Classification: LC Faculty TT/TN 9m

College/Division: AgriculturalConsumer & Env Sci Col

Department: 301400PLANT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Internal or External Search:External Open to all applicants

Location: Las Cruces

Offsite Location (if applicable):

Target Hourly/Salary Rate: Commensurate on experience

Appointment Fulltime Equivalency: 1.0

Exempt or NonExempt: Exempt

Summary: The Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (PES) at New Mexico State University (NMSU) seeks an Assistant Professor of Plant Breeding Phenomics and Genomics with a focus on highthroughput phenotyping breeding for crop improvement genomics and artificial intelligence (Al) analysis.

Classification Summary:
The Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (PES) at New Mexico State University (NMSU) seeks an Assistant Professor of Plant Breeding Phenomics and Genomics with a focus on highthroughput phenotyping breeding for crop improvement genomics and artificial intelligence (Al) analysis. The Department of PES maintains critical expertise in emerging plant biochemistry molecular biology genomic and genetic technologies
to benefit New Mexico producers and national and international arid land agriculture. The plant genetics and crop breeding program at NMSU has nationally recognized facilities for field greenhouse and laboratorybased research that integrates genetics genomics molecular breeding and highthroughput phenotyping technologies.

Classification Standard Duties:
Develop an innovative crop improvement research program that integrates automated highthroughput phenotyping breeding advanced genomics and machine learning algorithms to enhance crop improvement efforts. Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in plant genetics crop breeding and molecular genetics that reflect the critical needs of the department

Required Education Experience Certification/License Equivalency
Ph.D. (awarded by hire date) in plant genetics plant genomics plant breeding or related disciplines. The successful candidate will show a commitment to excellence and specific evidence of interest and expertise in crop improvement using traditional and modern approaches such as highthroughput phenotyping genomics assisted breeding

Knowledge Skills and Abilities
Demonstrated ability to communicate with diverse stakeholders (students academic industry and policy stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to publish research in leading research and academic outlets and success (or potential for success) in competing for external research funding.
Ability to contribute to undergraduate and graduate education and mentor diverse graduate students.
The department student community is diverse and multicultural and the ability to enjoy and thrive in this teamoriented environment will be necessary.

Job Duties and Responsibilities
The position is 60 research and 40 teaching.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop an innovative crop improvement research program that integrates automated highthroughput phenotyping breeding advanced genomics and machine learning algorithms to enhance crop improvement efforts. The successful candidate will also be encouraged to explore crop traits important to valueadded products such as enhancing product quality highvalue coproducts and
improving nutritional and industrial traits. The candidate will have opportunities to engage in collaborative research with multiple plant breeders (currently including alfalfa chile pepper onion peanut) plant and microbial biologists and robotics engineers working on the development of field robots. The ideal new Plant Breeding Phenomics and Genomics faculty member will bring critical new research and teaching expertise supporting our Genetics Agronomy and Horticulture academic undergraduate and graduate programs.
The focus of the candidates research should be to integrate breeding and crop improvement with emerging phenomics Al and machine learning phenotyping techniques to enhance crop production under abiotic and biotic stress increasing water and/or nutrient use efficiency and increasing growth and yield in crops of economic importance to the southwest and other arid regions. Examples of relevant research/instruction themes could include quantitative genetics plant breeding markerassisted selection genomic and/or phenomic selection with applied expertise in field plot techniques experimental design and statistical analysis. The new faculty member will teach undergraduate and graduate courses in plant genetics crop breeding and molecular genetics that reflect the critical needs of the department and the candidates area of expertise. The faculty member is expected to develop seniorlevel and graduate course(s) related to the highthroughput phenotyping of field and vegetable crops. Mentoring graduate and undergraduate students and providing leadership in PES plant genetics research and teaching programs will be expected. The faculty member will have an appointment in PES with opportunities to work across Departments and Colleges with specialists in crop breeding plant genetics and physiology molecular biology and plant nutrition. Fostering collaborations and participate in activities and on research teams that support the work of the Center for Excellence in Sustainable Food and Agricultural Systems (CESFAS) is also expected.

The PES Department is part of the College of Agricultural Consumer and Environmental Sciences which is home to seven other academic departments five extension departments approximately 150 faculty members and 1800 students. PES consists of approximately 46 faculty and research scientists 160 undergraduate and 40 graduate students MS and PhD). Teaching and research themes within the PES Department include plant breeding and genetic improvement molecular biology plant physiology and ecology agronomy horticulture and soil environmental and water sciences. Research opportunities also exist across NMSUs network of 12 Agricultural Science Centers located around the state including several facilities near the NMSU main campus. Access to core facilities for microscopy tissue culture advanced chemical and omics analysis and nextgeneration sequencing are available complementing laboratories greenhouse and field experimental facilities. Opportunities exist to participate in USDA NIH NSF and HSI/MSlsponsored undergraduate and graduate training programs. Additionally NMSU actively participates with numerous state tribal and federal agencies. For more information on PES see https://pes. .

Preferred Qualifications

The successful candidate will show a commitment to excellence and specific evidence of an interest and expertise in crop improvement using traditional and modern approaches such as highthroughput phenotyping and genomicsassisted breeding. Background in plant genetics and breeding with expertise and experience in highthroughput phenotyping structural and statistical genomics quantitative genetics markerassisted selection or genomic selection. Postdoctoral or other relevant experience including the attraction of extramural support is desirable. The ideal candidate will also demonstrate excellence and expertise that strengthens the universitys capacity to engage students community members and affiliated scientists on issues relating to plant genetics and crop breeding for southwestern arid environments. It is envisioned that the faculty member will establish a nationally recognized program in crop breeding and genetic improvement (ideally but not necessarily associated with cotton or other important economic crops in the region) and the development and release of genetically improved cultivars. Service to the profession and on university college and departmental committees is expected.

Special Requirements of the Position
*The following documents are required. Please include on the application:
Your resume/cv
Cover letter
Transcript
Statement of research interests 2 page maximum) and a statement of teaching philosophy and experience 2 page maximum)

Department Contact: Omar Holguin

Contingent Upon Funding:Not Applicable

Bargaining Unit Eligibility:This is NOT a bargaining unit position with American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

Standard Work Schedule:Standard (MF 85

If Not a Standard Work Schedule:

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

Environment: Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment.

Physical Effort: No or very limited physical effort required.

Lifting Requirements: Requires handling of averageweight objects up to 10 pounds or some standing or walking.

Risk: No or very limited exposure to physical risk.