The Department of Horticulture at Auburn University is seeking applications for the position of Assistant Professor – Ornamental Crop Innovation Technologist. This position will be a nine-month, tenure-track faculty position with a 75% research and 25% teaching appointment. The projected start date is August 16, 2021.
Responsibilities: Research priorities for this position will focus on adapting and/or developing technologies to reduce labor costs and improve production efficiency of the Alabama ornamental nursery industry. Example technologies include, but are not limited to, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), crop sensing, internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and cloud computing. Specific applications important to the ornamental nursery industry include labor management and reduction, inventory management, reduction of non-target pesticide applications, and automation. The selected individual will be expected to work with industry and Extension personnel to develop and implement labor-saving, and other programs that seek to improve production efficiency of the ornamental nursery industry in Alabama. The selected individual will be expected to publish regularly in peer-reviewed journals appropriate to the discipline of their research and to compete successfully for external funding to support their research program. The selected individual will be expected to mentor undergraduates in short-term research projects and to train future innovation specialists and scientists by directly advising M.S. and Ph.D. students. The selected individual will have responsibility in both undergraduate and graduate instruction. Exact course offerings will be negotiable and based on the selected individual’s expertise. Departmental, college, and university service is expected.
