Assistant/Associate/Full Professor Tenure System

Working/Functional Title

Assistant/Associate/Full Professor Tenure System

Position Summary

The Plant Resilience Institute (PRI) at Michigan State University invites applications for multiple tenure-stream faculty positions at the Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor level. We seek creative, collaborative researchers using innovative laboratory, computational, and/or field-based approaches to investigate plant responses to environmental challenges. Applications are encouraged from individuals studying any aspect of plant resilience across any scales, using model, non-model, or crop species. Research areas of interest include but are not limited to abiotic and biotic stress responses; plant-environment interactions; genotype-by-environment dynamics; and systems, synthetic biology, and other functional or AI approaches that advance our understanding of plant adaptation and productivity under changing environments. Consideration will be given to applicants whose research complements and expands PRI’s strengths in hormones and small metabolites, plant-microbe and plant-insect interactions, and molecular mechanisms of stress tolerance and adaptation.

The mission of the Plant Resilience Institute (PRI; https://plantresilience.msu.edu/) is to enhance plant performance and sustainability under variable environmental conditions, and to serve as a center of excellence for both foundational and translational plant research. Research within PRI encompasses molecular to ecological scales and aims to stabilize the productivity and quality of food and energy crops in the face of environmental stressors. PRI faculty use model, crop, and non-model plant species to investigate a wide range of biological mechanisms relevant to resilience, including the role of hormones and metabolites, interactions among biotic and abiotic factors, and genotype-by-environment interactions. The PRI is part of a broader world-class plant science community at MSU comprising more than 200 faculty members conducting research that spans the laboratory-to-field continuum in both agricultural and natural ecosystems.

New PRI faculty hires will be housed in the forthcoming Plant and Environmental Sciences Building, a state-of-the-art research facility slated for completion in early 2027. The new building will support cutting-edge research at the interface of plants and the environment, with thematic strengths in plant resilience, regenerative agriculture, photosynthesis, and ecological adaptation. The facility will include modern laboratories, environmental growth chambers, rooftop phytotrons, an advanced imaging facility, shared support spaces, and collaborative areas that promote interdisciplinary exchange. The building will be connected to adjacent buildings that house other facilities such as cell sorting and mass spectrometry.

Candidates whose work incorporates new or emerging technologies and who contribute to the collaborative environment of the PRI and MSU plant science community are especially encouraged to apply. Experience in science communication or outreach as a researcher, educator, or community member is also valued. In addition to membership in PRI, successful candidates will be appointed within one or more academic units at MSU as their tenure home, including the Departments of Plant Biology; Plant, Soil & Microbial Sciences; Horticulture; Computational Mathematics, Science & Engineering; Forestry; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Microbiology and Molecular Genetics; Entomology; and affiliated programs such as the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station and MSU AgBioResearch. Faculty are expected to teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses and contribute to student training and mentorship at all levels.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate -Plant Science, or other aspects of biology

Minimum Requirements

Applicants must have a Ph.D. in a related field, a strong record of research accomplishments in plant science or other aspects of biology, and a stated goal of conducting future research in the area of plant resilience.

Required Application Materials

Qualified applicants should submit an application comprising:

1.  Cover letter.
2.  Curriculum Vitae.
3.  Summary of research accomplishments and future research objectives (max 4 pages);
4.  Description of teaching experience and pedagogical approach (max 1 page);
5.  Contact information (name, address, email and phone) for four references.

Special Instructions

Review of applications will begin September 12, 2025, and continue until the position is filled. Questions can be directed to the search committee chair Robert VanBuren at Vanbur31@msu.edu

Review of Applications Begins On

09/12/2025

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.