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Assistant Professor - Plant Biology

FACULTY VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Lehman College, of The City University of New York, ranks among the top five institutions in the nation for fostering social mobility. A four-year Hispanic-Serving Institution in the Bronx, Lehman offers bachelor’s, master’s, and advanced degrees and certificate programs in the Liberal Arts, sciences, and professions. The College’s community-driven mission and notable academic programs attract a diverse, international enrollment of over 15,000 students who take courses on its 37-acre, tree-lined campus and online degree programs. Many thousands more community members benefit yearly from its active cultural, educational, health, and economic outreach programs and services.

The Department of Biological Sciences of Lehman College, The City University of New York (CUNY) invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track faculty member at the Assistant Professor rank, starting September 2026. We seek outstanding scientists with a strong publication record, postdoctoral experience and significant research experience in the field of plant biology. The candidate is expected to build an active and collaborative, externally funded research program, to participate in undergraduate and graduate teaching and research training, and contribute to service in the department, university, and scientific community.

We seek applications from collaborative individuals with research interests in areas of plant biology that are synergistic with ongoing plant-related research at Lehman, CUNY, The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), and the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) including, but not limited to: biochemistry and synthetic biology, computational biology, developmental biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, machine learning and artificial intelligence, and plant-organismic interactions. We encourage applicants integrating modern approaches, computational biology and field experiments.

Plant Biology at Lehman and CUNY

Lehman College and NYBG serve as a central hub for plant biology research in New York City. These two institutions share a longstanding partnership through the CUNY Plant Sciences PhD program—an exceptional program that stands out as the only one in the Northeast, and one of the few nationwide, affiliated with a world-renowned botanical garden. Such a partnership provides access to diverse resources and expertise of the NYBG curators who serve on the Doctoral faculty at the CUNY Graduate Center along with CUNY colleagues. Today the CUNY Plant Sciences PhD program includes 36 doctoral faculty, of whom 22 are NYBG scientists. The CUNY Plant Sciences PhD programhas since expanded to include faculty from multiple CUNY campuses. The new Plant Biology faculty member is expected to add synergies and benefit from ongoing plant research at Lehman (metabolomics, plant physiology, bioinformatics, biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, bioinformatics, genetics, research on food insecurity and human health, urban ecology, plant development including crops such as corn, wheat, strawberries, rice, oranges, medicinal plants, and model systems); CCNY (photosynthesis and energy transfer; plant polymers); Brooklyn (algae, stress, biomass, biofuels; computational biology; York (genomics of plant metabolism); ASRC (structural biochemistry; ecosystem/environmental ecology; the New York Structural Biology Center; and NYBG (artificial Intelligence, plant bioinformatics; spatial modeling, climate change, big data/global ecology,evolutionary genomics, computational biology, plant genomics, seed developmental genomics, leaf modeling for photosynthesis, remote sensing, ethnobotany, taxonomy, systematics, and conservation). Doctoral students of plant biology are drawn from the CUNYGraduate Center Plant Sciences PhD program; Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior PhD program; PhD programs in Biology; Biochemistry; and Chemistry. Plant growth facilities include greenhouses, controlled chambers, hydroponics, and field space complemented by wet lab research spaces and a new Science Building for research and teaching.

QUALIFICATIONS

Ph.D. degree in Plant Biology or related field and postdoctoral training. Candidates must demonstrate effectiveness in teaching and communication, scholarly achievement, and collaborative potential. Preferred qualifications include a strong publication and funding record, innovative research, and a commitment to teaching and mentoring students at the undergraduate and graduate level. Individuals to be considered for this position are expected to join the Doctoral faculty of the CUNY Graduate Center and participate in the Plant Sciences PhD subprogram of Biology and other relevant PhD programs to mentor PhD students. In addition, it is expected that the successful applicant will be involved in research mentoring of undergraduate and Masters students at Lehman College, CUNY. Preferred candidates will contribute through their research, teaching, and service to the diversity of the academic community and to creating a welcoming climate to all. Candidates are expected to strive in realizing the institutional vision of Lehman College, and to demonstrate professionalism and collegiality when working with others within the department.

COMPENSATION

$109,025 for a 9-month, full-time appointment.

Faculty may be eligible for summer salary as additional compensation. CUNY offers faculty a competitive compensation and benefits package covering health insurance, pension and retirement benefits, paid parental leave, and savings programs. We provide mentoring and support for research and scholarship as part of our commitment to ongoing faculty professional development.

HOW TO APPLY

Visit www.cuny.edu, access the employment page, log in or create a new user account, and search for this vacancy using the Job ID or Title. Select "Apply Now" and provide the requested information:

Please submit the following documents collated into one PDF:

(1) Cover letter (1 page) summarizing research interests in plant biology and potential synergies with ongoing Plant Biology research at CUNY and its collaborating institutions.

(2) CV with hyperlinks to publications, funding, and prior teaching/mentoring experience

(3) Research Statement (2 pages) outlining experience, future goals, and potential funding sources.

(4) Teaching and Mentoring (2 pages) Statement outlining experience, interests, and goals.

(5) References (3) with contact information. Describe the nature of the relationship (e.g. PhD advisor, postdoctoral advisor, etc.). Letters will be requested after the applications are reviewed.

CLOSING DATE

Open until filled with review of applications to begin on September 1, 2025

JOB SEARCH CATEGORY

CUNY Job Posting: Faculty

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

CUNY encourages people with disabilities, minorities, veterans and women to apply. At CUNY, Italian Americans are also included among our protected groups. Applicants and employees will not be discriminated against on the basis of any legally protected category, including sexual orientation or gender identity. EEO/AA/Vet/Disability Employer.

Job ID

30651

Location

Lehman College