The Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance (IGCAST, https://www.depts.ttu.edu/igcast/) was established in 2020 at Texas Tech University (TTU) with the mission to conduct top-ranked research and graduate education on the use of functional and population genomics to understand the molecular mechanisms that determine resilience of crops and related wild species to adverse environmental stresses in the era of climate change. IGCAST aims at integrating an interdisciplinary team of scientists to conduct internationally competitive, multidisciplinary research to study physiological, biochemical and molecular mechanisms and plant architecture underlying resistance to environmental stresses, contributing to the development of sustainable agriculture. Faculty members within the IGCAST will have an academic appointment in the Department of Plant and Soil Science, Davis College.
IGCAST is seeking to recruit a 9-month tenure-track faculty member in Plant Phenomics and Image Analysis at the level of Assistant or Associate Professor, depending on the candidate’s qualification and experience. Qualified candidates should have a strong background on plant physiology, plant development and photosynthesis, large-scale phenotyping, and analysis of images generated with different systems and wavelengths. Appointees are expected to develop an internationally recognized program in plant phenotyping research linked to the use of genomic diversity, combining fundamental research and education with applications to improvement of environmental stress tolerance of crops, especially but not limited to, cotton, sorghum, or other crops relevant to West Texas agriculture. Applicants with experience in operation of the use of high-throughput greenhouse field-phenotyping imaging systems using PhenoAIxpert, Field Scanalyzer and/or satellite-based drone systems are encouraged to apply. Successful candidate should employ systems biology-based approaches to study environmental stress responses from genome to phenome.
Faculty at IGCAST will have access to the state-of-the-art plant growth facilities that integrates 3 fully automatized greenhouses and walk-in growth chambers, as well as access to the state-of-the-art genomic, imaging and metabolomic services available at the TTU. Position responsibility will focus on research with an anticipated teaching responsibility of one graduate course per year plus the training of graduate students and post-doctoral associates. Service duties include program-building, as well as a commitment to extra-curricular activities. Service to the department, college, and university is expected.
