Job Description

General Information of Campus and Unit
PES consists of approximately 35 faculty and research scientists, 140 undergraduate and 40 graduate students (MS and PhD). Areas of research emphasis within the Department include soil, environmental and water sciences, agronomy, horticulture, plant genetic improvement, molecular biology, plant physiology and ecology. Research opportunities exist at NMSU’s network of 12 Agriculture Science Centers located around the state, as well as several facilities near campus. Access to core facilities for microscopy, tissue culture, and next-generation sequencing are available. Opportunities exist to participate in NIH-, NSF- and HHMl-sponsored training programs. Additionally, NMSU actively participates with Los Alamos National Laboratories, Sandia National Laboratories, the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range and the NSF-funded Jornada Basin LTER program, in addition to numerous other state, tribal and federal agencies. For more information on PES, see https://pes.nmsu.edu.

New Mexico State University invites you to apply to be a part of a diverse, dynamic and welcoming learning and working environment in Las Cruces, NM. NMSU seeks employees who are creative and flexible in developing and evaluating new ideas and ways to evolve NMSU into the future. Located in the borderlands and adjacent to the mighty Rio Grande, NMSU is a proud Hispanic-serving institution in the minority-majority state of New Mexico. Southern New Mexico features an average of 294 days of sunshine annually, making NMSU ideal for job-seekers who enjoy hiking, mountain biking, canoeing and bird-watching. NMSU is committed to sustainability through improving and maintaining the quality of human life while preserving the integrity, stability, and beauty of ecological systems for the future. We are looking for student-centered employees with a passion for success. NMSU invites you to take the first step to your successful and rewarding career by applying today.


NMSU is New Mexico’s land-grant and space-grant institution, a comprehensive research institution dedicated to teaching, research, public service and outreach. In addition, the NMSU system includes a satellite learning center in Albuquerque, Cooperative Extension Service offices located in each of New Mexico’s 33 counties, and 12 agriculture research and science centers. New Mexico State University is the institution of choice for more than 15,000 students from 49 states and 89 foreign countries.


The City of Las Cruces is the second largest city in New Mexico and is located in Doña Ana County, approximately 45 miles north of El Paso, Texas, and 225 miles south of Albuquerque. Las Cruces is the economic and geographic center of the Mesilla Valley, the agricultural region on the floodplain of the Rio Grande which extends from Hatch to the west side of El Paso, Texas. The Organ Mountains, 10 miles to the east, are dominant in the city’s landscape, along with the Doña Ana Mountains, Robledo Mountains, and Picacho Peak. Las Cruces lies within a short driving distance of the Mexican border at Santa Teresa, as well as many other locations in the broader borderland region.


Geography, climate, demographics, and ambiance of Las Cruces and NMSU combine to offer a truly excellent place to thrive. Family members will discover a warm, open community that offers an attractive array of activities and outdoor recreation, amenities, services and opportunities, whether they are looking for top-notch education, meaningful employment, or simply a safe and comfortable place to live.
Position Number 199351
Position Job Title Assistant Professor/Soil Microbiology & Soil Health
Rank Assistant Professor
Tenure Status Tenure Track
Position Summary
The Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (PES) at New Mexico State University (NMSU) invites applications for a Soil Microbiology and Soil Health Assistant Professor position (12 month, tenure track, 60% research; 40% teaching). The successful candidate will develop research related to microbial ecology, soil fertility and/or soil health, and contribute to undergraduate teaching in soil microbiology, soil science and soil fertility/health, and graduate courses in their area of expertise. The successful candidate must be positioned to develop an externally funded research program integrating diverse undergraduate and graduate students and leveraging NMSU’s position as a leading Hispanic­ Serving Institution (HSI) serving the majority-minority population of New Mexico. They must demonstrate potential as an effective and inclusive teacher and mentor, and ability to communicate research findings through publications in top peer-reviewed journals.
The Soil Microbiology and Soil Health faculty member will join a faculty of plant, soil and environmental scientists in a multidisciplinary team that teaches and conducts research in support of BS, MS, and PhD degrees. Research interests should be clearly focused on the broad field of soil microbiology and soil health, ideally linking to other teaching and research interests in the Department, including horticulture, agronomy, crop production, crop and rangeland resilience to drought and disturbance, contaminant remediation, land and water resource management and plant breeding and genetics. The successful candidate will have opportunities to collaborate with researchers within and beyond the Department and College to achieve their teaching and research goals. Participating in professional and campus wide service is expected.

NMSU is a public, land grant, Hispanic and minority-serving institution located in the northern Chihuahuan Desert in an ecologically-rich region with abundant opportunities for local fieldwork and recreation. In alignment with NMSU’s LEADS 2025 goals, we seek faculty who will not only demonstrate excellence in teaching and research, but who will also work to increase diversity among our students, ensure equity, and foster inclusion in their teaching, mentoring/ advising, and/or service. This position will also focus efforts to enhance the newly formed interdisciplinary Center of Excellence in Sustainable Food and Agricultural Systems.
Required Qualifications
Applicants for this position must have a PhD in soil science, microbial ecology, agronomy, plant-soil interactions, or related disciplines, a strong track-record of research productivity commensurate with experience, and a demonstrated commitment to undergraduate and graduate education.
Preferred Qualifications (optional)
Special Requirements of the Position
Special Instructions to Applicants
Please include:
Statement of teaching philosophy and experience (2 pages maximum)
Statement of research interests (2 pages maximum)
Under “Other Dept. Specified Documents” provide: Statement of accomplishments promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (2 pages maximum); statement should address (i) your understanding of DEI in the context of groups traditionally under-represented in STEM, (ii) your past contributions to enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion, and/or (iii) your vision for future contributions in these areas.