Assistant/Associate Professor in the Biology/Biochemistry/Biophysics of Photosynthetic Organisms
The Michigan State University-Department of Energy Plant Research Laboratory (PRL) has one tenure-track, twelve-month faculty position available at the Assistant or Associate Professor level. Preference will be given to applicants investigating fundamental questions in photosynthetic organisms in natural or engineered systems, including plants, algae, or photosynthetic bacteria interpreted broadly. Relevant research areas include, but are not limited to, mechanisms and regulation of photosynthetic light reactions, light capture and energy dissipation, electron transport reactions, primary metabolism and carbon allocation, development, organelle biogenesis/biology, biotic and abiotic stress, or integration of growth and environment. Individuals are expected to employ state-of-the art approaches, which may include but are not limited to advanced spectroscopic tools, molecular and structural biology, cell biology, genetics and genomics, metabolomics, synthetic biology, phenomics, or predictive modeling.
The PRL provides a highly collaborative environment for conducting creative, fundamental research on photosynthetic organisms broadly. The PRL also has a research core focused on energy-related science aimed at improving photosynthetic robustness and productivity given long-standing funding from U.S. DOE Basic Energy Sciences (BES) program to support high risk-high reward basic science. This DOE support coexists with interdisciplinary research aimed broadly at studying photosynthetic organisms. More information on the breadth of PRL research is available at https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/research/. The PRL exists within the broader MSU ecosystem which offers a vibrant and collaborative environment with strengths in plant science, including the Colleges of Natural Science and Agriculture & Natural Resources, the DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and the Plant Resilience Institute.
PRL faculty are integral members of the MSU tenure-stream faculty, and the candidate will be jointly appointed in the academic department with the best fit (e.g., Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Plant Biology, Chemistry). Applicants must have a PhD and postdoctoral research experience. Applicants for the Assistant Professor level must show evidence of productivity and potential for independent research while Associate Professor applicants should also demonstrate leading a successful research program with independent funding. Applicants should demonstrate how they can clearly and collaboratively contribute to the DOE-BES priorities at the PRL but also expand the breadth of the PRL research portfolio.
Applications must include a cover letter (1 page), curriculum vitae, research statement which integrates past and future research directions (3-5 pages), a statement of teaching and mentoring experience and philosophy (1 page), a statement on the applicant’s efforts and plans for increasing the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) of MSU (1 page), and contact information for three references. Applications should emphasize specifically how the research will complement the PRL core research foci around light capture, energy conversion, and storage as well as establish independent research directions. Given our commitment to the diversity and excellence of the academic community, the DEI statement should illustrate how the applicant will incorporate these principles in all aspects of their proposed research, teaching and service. Application materials should be submitted as a single PDF file through the MSU applicant page at https://careers.msu.edu/en-us/job/516222/assistantassociate-professor-tenure-system (position # 897161). Questions regarding this position can be directed to the search chair, Berkley Walker at berkley@msu.edu. Consideration of applicants will begin on October 30th, 2023.
MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer and is committed to achieving excellence through diversity. The University actively encourages applications of women, persons of color, veterans, and persons with disabilities, and we endeavor to facilitate employment assistance to spouses or partners of candidates for faculty and academic staff positions.