Assistant Professor of Agricultural Water Management @ Ohio State University

Assistant Professor of Agricultural Water Management Department of Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences The Ohio State University This position will be a 50% Research / 50% Extension (Outreach Education), full-time, tenure track, 9-month appointment. Position Location: Columbus Campus Position Description: The successful candidate will conduct research, advise graduate students, and provide leadership for outreach education efforts of the Department of Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering (FABE). The candidate will be expected to provide leadership in design, implementation and assessment of the effectiveness of land improvements for agricultural water management. A major focus for interdisciplinary research is the Lake Erie watershed and issues related to balancing water quality and agricultural production, and the major focus in outreach education is agricultural hydrology, including drainage systems, and other practices to support water quality and production. We invite the candidate to use OSU’s extensive network of experiment stations and research assets in their research and outreach education programs. The candidate will have opportunities to engage with the College of Public Health, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering, OSU Sustainability Institute, Ohio Water Resources Center, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and Ohio Department of Agriculture to advance multidisciplinary research and outreach efforts. The USDA-ARS Soil Drainage Research unit is co-housed with FABE and has a long history of collaborating on agricultural water management research and outreach throughout the Midwest. The Ohio State University seeks qualified candidates for this tenure-track Assistant Professor position starting on or after Aug. 15, 2022. FABE is committed to enhancing diversity and inclusion in our profession. We are particularly interested in applications from individuals with diverse life experiences and whose scholarship addresses indigenous knowledge and lifeways; natural and/or cultural resources of importance to different groups of people; use of assistive technologies to enhance outdoor and/or nature based learning; or enhancing the economic and social well-being of under-privileged or minoritized communities through environmental, outdoor, and/or nature-based education. Specific Expectations and Responsibilities: In addition to the general expectations mentioned above, the specific expectations from the successful candidate include: 1) provide research and outreach leadership in development and use of engineering design tools for the hydrology of agricultural systems, such as subsurface drainage, controlled drainage, irrigation, and water table management; 2) provide research leadership in the areas of surface water hydrology, erosion and sediment control, and impacts of agricultural water management decisions on nutrient fate and transport; 3) obtain funding to support research and outreach education programs that result in national impacts and high quality publications; 4) provide leadership to the profession through state, regional, and national professional society participation; 5) advise and recruit graduate students, and 6) develop a recognized extension program in agricultural water management that provides best practices (developed from research) to farmers, OSU Extension personnel, regulatory agencies, and other end users. Required Qualifications: Minimum qualifications include an earned PhD in agricultural, biological, hydrological or data science or engineering, or closely allied program. It is essential that the candidate has good knowledge of agricultural systems; excellent speaking and writing skills; ability and desire to work in interdisciplinary, interdepartmental Extension and Research teams; and ability to teach in various Extension settings. Preferred Qualifications: Preferred qualifications include experience developing or working in interdisciplinary research teams, experience in mentoring members of underrepresented groups, and experience in applied agricultural water management research and outreach. The candidate with sufficient knowledge in fluid mechanics, watershed hydrology, soil science, GIS, and hydrological and/or chemical/nutrient fate and transport modeling will be viewed favorably. Relevant background and experience related to best water management practices and their effects on pollution abatement is desired. Registration as a Professional Engineer or demonstrated eligibility is desirable. About the Department: FABE is co-located on both the Columbus and Wooster campuses and includes a diverse faculty of 26 tenure-track professors, with eight members holding joints appointments with other academic units. FABE offers undergraduate programs in Agricultural Systems Management, Construction Systems Management, and undergraduate and graduate programs in Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering. Total enrollment in FABE exceeds 550 students. US News and World Reports ranks FABE’s undergraduate program 6th and graduate program 10th, nationally. Research areas include development of bio-based materials, renewable energy, urban and agricultural water management, food processing and safety, digital agriculture, remote sensing, controlled environment, indoor air quality, and agricultural health and safety. FABE fields multiple highly regarded extension and outreach programs. Annual grant and contract expenditures for the academic unit exceed $5M. Historically, and with several recent federal grant awards, FABE is a national leader in agricultural water management, and the candidate will join a supportive and interdisciplinary team to further this area of research, outreach, and teaching. The Ohio State University main campus is located in Columbus, the capital city of Ohio. Columbus is the center of a rapidly growing and diverse metropolitan area with a population of over 1.5 million. The area offers a wide range of affordable housing, many cultural and recreational opportunities, excellent schools, and a strong economy based on government, service, transportation and technology sectors. The city of Columbus is ranked fourth in the world when it comes to quality of life (https://www.numbeo.com/quality-of-life/rankings.jsp) Additional information about the Columbus area is available at http://www.columbus.org. Application Process. Please send 1) a letter of interest describing your qualifications, areas of expertise, career goals, and alignment with preferred qualifications, where applicable; 2) a current CV; 3) statement of outreach education/teaching experience and philosophy (max two pages); and 4) a statement of efforts to enhance diversity, inclusion, justice and/or equity in academic settings (max two pages). Application materials should be uploaded via Workday at https://osu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/OSUCareers/job/Columbus-Campus/Assistant Professor-of-Agricultural-Water-Management_R43240-1 Initial consideration will be given to applications received by May 15. Review of applications will continue until the position has been filled. We welcome informal inquiries, which can be made by contacting Dr. Erdal Ozkan, Search Committee Chair at: Dr. Erdal Ozkan, Search Committee Chair Professor Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering 590 Woody Hayes Drive The Ohio State University Columbus, OH 43210-1058 Email: ozkan.2@osu.edu Phone: (614) 805-1932 For further information and application instructions please see: https://hr.osu.edu/wp content/uploads/applicant-faq.pdf