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Position Details

Position Information

Announcement Number FAC - VA - 26001

For questions regarding this position, please contact:

Janak Joshi

[email protected]

406-994-7520

Classification Title

Working Title Assistant Professor in Precision Agriculture

Brief Position Overview

Faculty Tenure Track Yes

Faculty Rank TT

Position Number 4A3824

Department Plant Sciences

Division College of Agriculture/MAES

Appointment Type Faculty

Contract Term Academic Year

Semester

If other, specify From date

If other, specify End date

Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining

FTE 1.0

Benefits Eligible Eligible

Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications.

Contract Type MUS

If other, please specify

Recruitment Type Open

Position Details

General Statement

MSU’s Department of Plant Science and Plant Pathology is seeking a scholar whose research and teaching focus on Precision Agriculture to advance plant sciences research and optimize agricultural productivity. Areas of interest include but are not limited to phenotyping, agricultural technology, decision support systems, agricultural sensing systems or spatial science. A strong emphasis is placed on conducting on-farm research and fostering collaboration with faculty across the College of Agriculture. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of innovative tools and systems that support Montana growers and improve agricultural outcomes statewide.

Duties and Responsibilities

This tenure-track position involves a combination of research (60%), teaching (30%), and service (10%).

Research: Develop and maintain an active, externally funded research program in Precision Agriculture. Conduct on-farm and/or small-plot trials addressing Montana’s agricultural needs.

Integrate research with teaching and service activities where appropriate.

Teaching: Teach undergraduate and graduate courses aligned with the candidate’s area of expertise. Contribute to curriculum development in Precision Agriculture.

Advise and mentor undergraduate and graduate students.

Service: Participate in departmental, college, and university committees.

Engage with professional organizations and contribute to outreach and extension activities.

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

+ A terminal degree in Plant Sciences, Agriculture, Engineering, Plant Sciences or a closely related field by the start date, with a strong background in field research is required. A candidate with a terminal degree in a related field with string experience in Agriculture will be considered.

+ Demonstrated research excellence in sensors and technologies, precision farming or high-throughput plant phenotyping.

+ Experience in conducting on-farm and/or small plot trials.

+ Potential for excellence in teaching and curriculum development in Precision Agriculture.

+ Evidence of mentoring undergraduate and graduate students.

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

+ Experience in big data management and analysis, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

+ Post-doctoral research experience is preferred.

+ Effective teaching, outreach, or extension experiences.

+ Demonstrated ability to write grant proposals and secure extramural funding.

The Successful Candidate Will

+ Collaborative approach to working with faculty, researchers, and stakeholders.

+ Have an appreciation for and add to the Department’s commitment to supporting students.

+ Contribute to the Department and College’s mission of providing outstanding research, teaching, and extension.

+ Have strong oral and written communication skills, and effective interpersonal skills.

+ Collaborate productively with students, staff, and faculty at MSU .

+ Contribute to the development of a precision agriculture curriculum in the College of Agriculture.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Physical Demands

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

The Program

The Department

The Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology has 28 tenure track faculty including plant pathologists, plant breeders, plant physiologists, horticulturalists, entomologists, cereal chemists, and plant molecular biologists. The Department has state-of-the-art laboratory and plant growth facilities. Field research facilities are available both on campus and at seven MAES Research Centers located strategically throughout the state. The Department offers both MS and PhD degrees in Plant Pathology and Plant Science. There are currently 20 MS and 30 PhD graduate students and more than 150 undergraduate students in the Department.

https://plantsciences.montana.edu/

The College

Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies 1

Desired Start Date January 13, 2026

Position End Date (if temporary)

Open Date

Close Date

Applications will be:

Screening of applications will begin on August 15, 2025; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.

Special Instructions

Required documents:

+ Curriculum vitae

+ Research statement

+ Teaching statement

+ Cover letter addressing each of the required and preferred qualifications

EEO Statement

Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.

In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.