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Position Summary

The Department of  Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences and the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University (MSU) invite applications for a full-time, 12-month tenure-system Assistant Professor with 60% research and 40% extension assignment. The position start date is anticipated to be April 1, 2025.

This position will be appointed in either the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Science or the Department of Horticulture

This position is part of the new Agricultural Climate Resiliency Program, a partnership among MSU, the Plant Coalition, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development aimed at developing solutions to long-term climate- and water-related problems. As part of this program, MSU has launched an extensive cluster hire process to attract expertise in critical areas of research and outreach necessary to address such grand challenges. This position is part of a well-established plant and soil science research and extension team, as well as a network of extension educators across the state.

Geospatial climate modeling of agricultural systems[]{#_heading=h.1fob9te}. The successful candidate will conduct research and extension to develop and implement geospatial models, across multiple scales, that integrate the analysis of remote sensing data, vegetation data, climate data, soil-sensor data, and other relevant spatial datasets to conduct innovative hypothesis-driven research, including assessing the effectiveness of climate smart management practices in agricultural and/or landscape settings. The position will develop a forward-thinking extension program and lead the development of educational materials, and presentations to inform and advise farmers, extension educators, industry advisors, governmental and elected officials. Relevant research could include, but is not limited to, construction and analysis of detailed spatial maps depicting land cover, soil health, vegetation health, terrestrial water cycles, carbon sequestration, greenhouse-effect gas emissions, soil nutrient dynamics, and other relevant variables to monitor the progress and outcomes of new management technologies. The results will inform financial incentive systems and provide toolboxes through the candidate's extension program to educate stakeholders and policy makers about outcomes and return on investment that will favorably influence change across the agricultural industry. Applicants that leverage machine learning, neural networks and/or artificial intelligence approaches are encouraged to apply.

Location: The position will be based at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI, USA. Michigan State University (MSU) is one of the top research universities in the world and home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs. MSU is a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, and scientists that provide regional, national, and international leadership in basic and applied research and excellence in teaching. In addition, consistent with its Land Grant origins, the MSU community pursues international engagement and provides strong extension programs that partner with diverse stakeholders to provide much needed research in the areas of food, energy, water and the environment. MSU enjoys a park-like campus with outlying research facilities and natural areas. The campus is located in the city of East Lansing, adjacent to the capital city of Lansing. The Lansing metropolitan area has a diverse population of >500,000. Local communities have excellent school systems and place a high value on education. The University is pr