Position Announcement

Position Title:  Assistant or Associate Professor-Small Grains Breeding and Genetics

Appointment: 30% COALS-70% TAES.

                                Tenure track/tenured

                                11 or 12 month appointment

General Duties and Responsibilities: Texas A&M University and the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station announce an opening for an Assistant or Associate Professor in Small Grains Breeding and Genetics.  This position is a 12 month tenure-track position with a 70% research (TAES) and 30% teaching (COALS) appointment located in the Department of Soil & Crop Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.   The successful applicant will develop a nationally recognized and extramurally funded program in small grains breeding and genetics as a member of a multi-disciplinary statewide small grain improvement program.  The program will target the development, determine the adaptation, and strategic deployment of new cultivars (including wheat and oat germplasm) for Texas, with emphasis in East, South, and Central Texas.  Given the annual yield losses due to fungal diseases in this region, it is expected that significant efforts in breeding and evaluation for foliar disease resistance will be an important portion of the program.  The germplasm developed will provide new and novel sources of resistance to various small grain pathogens as well as forage and grain quality traits.  This germplasm provides a basis for potential research in novel sources of resistance to various small grain pathogens, abiotic stress (i.e. heat and drought tolerance), forage quality and grain quality traits. Interaction with other members of the small grains improvement program (which includes pathologists, agronomists, molecular geneticists and cereal chemists) on important research topics is expected.  As part of the program, the incumbent will be expected to teach an undergraduate and/or graduate course in plant breeding and advise graduate students in plant breeding and genetics. 

Administrative Relationships: This position will report to the Head of Soil & Crop Sciences. The incumbent will provide daily supervision to undergraduate and graduate students, technicians and other staff.

Qualifications:   An earned Ph.D. in plant breeding, molecular breeding, genetics, plant pathology, or related field is required.  If Ph.D. is not in plant breeding, demonstrated experience in breeding wheat or other small grains is preferred.  Experience in breeding for disease resistance is highly desirable.  Post-doctoral experience as well as demonstrated experience in attracting extramural funding is desirable.

Agency Description: This is a joint position between the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, TAMU.

Headquarters: College Station

Area Served: East, Central, and South Texas/National/International

Facilities: Office, greenhouse, equipment, and field laboratory facilities are available to support this position.

Closing Date for Applications:           15 July 2006 or until a suitable candidate is identified.

Date Position is Available: 1 September 2006

Application Process: Interested persons should submit (i) a letter of application, (ii) resume, (iii) one page statement of research and teaching interests, and (iv) transcripts.  Applicants should submit their application documents and arrange for three letters of reference to be sent to Dr. Wayne Smith, Interim Department Head, Department of Soil & Crop Sciences, Rm. 434 Heep Center, 370 Olsen Blvd., Texas A&M University, 2474 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2474; phone (979)-845-3041; fax (979)-845-0456.

The Agriculture Program is an equal opportunity employer.