About Us

Assistant/Early Associate Professor - Tenure-track

Water and Sustainability

Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University

Location: Ithaca, NY 14853-5701. The academic home for this position is the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, housed on the Ithaca campus of Cornell University.

The Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering (BEE) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University invites applications for a 9-month, full-time, tenure-track faculty position in the area of water and sustainability at the rank of assistant or early associate professor. The position will contribute broadly to the department’s long and reputable history of pioneering research in water and the environment. We prioritize the originality and promise of the candidate's work for creating solutions to national and global water crises in human-environmental systems. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, measurement and sensing, fate and transport, physical hydrology, ecohydrology, environmental remediation and restoration, climate adaptation, and agriculture.

Outstanding research scholarship is expected, as is excellence in and commitment to teaching, translation of knowledge, and advising and mentoring of students. We seek a colleague with an outstanding record demonstrating success and promise across these areas, and who will be supported by and contribute to a vibrant culture of inclusive excellence at Cornell. As such, candidates are expected to engage in service and leadership activities within the department, the college and university, and relevant professional societies.

The successful candidate will have opportunities to join multiple graduate fields across the university and engage with multidisciplinary programs such as the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, the Cornell Institute for Digital Agriculture, and the New York State Water Resources Institute.

Responsibilities:

This position has a balanced effort between research (50%) and teaching (50%) on a 9-month academic year basis.

Research (50%) - The successful candidate will be expected to conduct an internationally recognized and externally funded research program that innovates the theory and practice of sustainable water management. Application areas can vary across scales and settings (e.g., agricultural, urban, peri-urban, etc.). We seek a colleague who will contribute to fundamental advances in our understanding of water in human-environmental systems and can foster cross-disciplinary engagements that develop transformative research initiatives. Research should be oriented towards solving the critical water challenges facing society.

Teaching (50%) - The successful candidate will contribute to undergraduate and graduate teaching in the department. They will contribute to our Environmental Engineering undergraduate program and may also participate in the cross-college Environment and Sustainability program. Teaching responsibilities will include two courses, with one focused specifically at the undergraduate level. The second course will be negotiated with the candidate upon arriving at Cornell. Advising undergraduate students and mentoring graduate students and postdocs is also expected.

Department Affiliation: The successful candidate will be a tenure-line faculty member of the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and will be based in the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering. A mentoring program for new faculty will provide guidance and assistance.

Qualifications: The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. in hydrology, biological and environmental engineering, civil and environmental engineering, or related geophysical science or engineering field, with demonstrated capability and success in developing research and teaching programs at the interface of water and human-natural systems. A strong background in engineering and environmental systems is preferred.

Applications and Starting Date:  The anticipated starting date is July 1, 2024, or as negotiated. Qualified applicants should submit 1) a cover letter briefly summarizing background, qualifications, and interest in the position; 2) a Curriculum Vitae; 3) a research statement outlining experience, interests, and goals; 4) a teaching statement outlining experience, interests, and goals; 5) a statement supporting diverse communities (this can be a stand-alone document (preferred) or the information can be embedded in other parts of the application materials) outlining how, through research, teaching, service, mentoring, extension, and/or outreach, the candidate has and will contribute to support Cornell’s historical mission of “any person … any study”; 6) copies of four relevant publications; and 7) names and contact information for three references. Materials should be submitted online to: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/26284

Applications received by December 31, 2023 will be given full consideration. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Please forward questions about the position to nja35@cornell.edu.

CALS hiring range for this position is:

Assistant Professor: $79,400 - $135,000

Associate Professor:  $97,500 - $148,500

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University is engaged in pioneering pursuit of inclusive, purpose-driven science. As Cornell University’s second largest college, with discovery for impact at its core, we work across disciplines to tackle the challenges of our time through equitable, world-renowned research, education and outreach. The questions we probe and the answers we seek focus on three overlapping concerns: natural and human systems; food, energy and environmental resources; and social, physical and economic well-being. CALS is fundamentally invested in improving the lives of people, their environments, and their communities both in New York state and around the world.

Cornell University seeks to meet the needs of dual career couples, has a Dual Career program, and is a member of the Upstate New York Higher Education Recruitment Consortium to assist with dual career searches including positions available in higher education in the upstate New York area.

The new faculty member will join a collaborative, interdisciplinary community on the main campus in Ithaca, New York. Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League and Land-grant university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students, and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery, and engagement.

Cornell's regional and global presence includes state-wide Cornell Cooperative Extension programs and offices in all counties and boroughs, global partnerships with institutions and communities engaged in life-changing research and education, the medical college's campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, and the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, and we do not tolerate discrimination based on any protected characteristic, including race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex/gender, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff to all identities and backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.