Assistant/Associate Professor Specialty Crop Weed with The Ohio State University in Wooster, OH

Our aim is to recruit, support, and retain a scholar in a 9-month-tenure-track position that will focus on applied weed science associated with the full spectrum of specialty cropping systems and management approaches. The successful candidate is expected to establish a nationally recognized applied research and extension program while providing statewide, regional, and national leadership. This leadership will support and strengthen the Ohio State University (OSU) Specialty Crops Team in developing and disseminating current science-based information and technologies aimed at improving specialty crop production systems.

It is expected that the successful candidate will interact with producers, industry representatives, and producer organizations, and with state and regional agencies as appropriate, to limit the effects of plant-plant (crop-weed) antagonism in these specialty crop systems. We encourage applications from scholars whose research, extension, and teaching directly supports the research, extension, and educational, missions of the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science (HCS) and the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). We strongly encourage applications from individuals with diverse life experiences and whose scholarship demonstrates successful collaborative efforts and interactions with industry, academic, government, Non-Government Organizations/Non-Profit Organizations, and other HCS-CFAES communities.

It is expected that the successful candidate will develop an integrated research and extension program that collaborates with other scientists and extension personnel to develop effective weed management programs. This program will support CFAES research priorities of developing sustainable climate-resilient cropping systems with the inherent goals of production efficiency, adoption of innovative technologies, food security and safety, and preservation of the environment, ecosystems, and water quality. Areas of research opportunity may include but are not limited to: herbicide efficacy with respect to weed management and crop safety; identifying, developing, and optimizing effective tools, technologies, and strategies for integrated weed management that combine chemical, physical, cultural, biological, and/or preventative tactics; herbicide resistance and drift prevention, management, and mitigation, weed biology, ecology, and seedbank management; and weed-crop interactions under changing climatic conditions. In addition, there will be opportunities to lead a highly engaged and highly appreciated Interregional Research Project No. 4 (IR-4) specialty crop pest management research program within the department.

The incumbent will become an integral part of undergraduate and graduate academic programs in HCS, so being prepared to teach and/or contribute to courses of specific interest to the incumbent and value to HCS-CFAES students is essential. The successful candidate will also be expected to apply for external research grants and advise graduate students in research relevant to advancing weed science and management in sustainable, climate-resilient specialty crop systems.

Required:

• Earned Ph.D. in weed science, horticulture, or related disciplines in plant science or plant ecology.
• Demonstrated expertise in conducting and reporting on applied research in specialty crop systems with emphasis on antagonistic plant-plant interactions and reporting to multiple audiences.
• Evidence of potential for excellence in research, extension, and teaching, as in developing communities of practice.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and a willingness and ability to work closely with diverse groups of academic (e.g., students, staff, faculty) and stakeholder audiences.
• Demonstrated interest in and/or experience with teaching, recruiting, mentoring, and advising diverse underserved students including but not limited to women, students of color, first generation, and non-traditional students.

Desired:

• Ample experience with a variety of specialty crops and their cropping systems.
• Implementation of modern techniques of remote sensing and digital agriculture.
• Innovative thinking and implementation of alternative weed management programs.
• Proven expertise integrating and leading interdisciplinary research and extension teams.

The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, protected veteran status, or any other basis under the law.