Job Title

Assistant Professor in Sustainable Urban Water Management

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Research

Department

Dallas

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Dallas, Texas

Job Type

Faculty

Job Description

About Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.

Click here to learn more about how you can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!

Position Information

This position is expected to integrate with and complement existing programs at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Dallas, especially in turfgrass and urban landscape, ecological engineering, and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) programs. It is also expected that the successful applicant will complement water research programs at other research and extension centers and departments. Furthermore, this role at the Dallas Center has the potential to emerge as a central hub for tackling urban water challenges in five major Texas metropolitan areas – Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin. Given that two-thirds of Texas' population resides in these areas, maintaining a robust research and extension program under effective leadership while stressing the importance of active stakeholder and community engagement will be crucial for long-term sustainable urban water management in the state of Texas.

Position Responsibilities:

Research areas:

Investigate and comprehend the complex interplay of soil-plant-water within urban environments.
Develop and implement cutting-edge climate-informed irrigation technologies for sustainable urban water management and conservation.
Develop strategies to maximize efficient water usage in urban environments.
Investigate the effects of water quality in turfgrass and CEA crops.
Investigate technologies that improve water quality and reduce contaminants.
Optimize water management practices in CEA systems.
Investigate alternative water sources for potential use in turfgrass and CEA production systems.
Collaborate with faculty and staff at the Dallas Center and other AgriLife Centers to develop innovative and sustainable blue-green infrastructure solutions to enhance urban resilience, reduce flood risks, and improve environmental quality.

Extension outreach:

Support extension and outreach programs to enhance urban water security and resilience, focusing on sustainable management practices and climate adaptation.
Cultivate partnerships with stakeholders, including, but not limited to, cities, municipal water districts, and water related groups (e.g., Texas Water Development Board) to enhance collaborative efforts in urban water conservation.
Educate urban residents on critical water conservation practices and enhance water quality through landscape management and urban water use best practices.
Support County Extension Agents in training and evaluation of water programs.

Program Development:

Establish and maintain an extramurally funded research and extension program to lead in sustainable urban water management.
Mentor postdocs, graduate students and undergraduate students.
Oversee and guide a research and extension team in the urban water program.

Leadership:

Investigate alternative water sources for potential use in turfgrass and CEA production systems.
Provide leadership, management, and direction to the Dallas Water Team in research direction, grantsmanship and engagement activities.

Administrative Relationships:

Reports directly to the Center Director, Texas A&M AgriLife Research-Dallas, with guidance from the Texas Water Resources Institute.
Guides the work of two Water Team members, support staff, other technical personnel, and potential graduate students assigned to the research program.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Required Job Qualifications:

Ph.D. in an area of Environmental Science, Engineering, Water Resource Management, Horticulture, or a closely related field.
Experience conducting research on soil-plant-water interactions, urban water management, or related disciplines.
Experience in technologies related to water quality and use efficiency.
Strong quantitative skills, including expertise in water modeling, hydrological modeling, GIS, or related analytical techniques.
Record of peer-reviewed publications or scholarly achievements demonstrating research proficiency.
Experience or capacity to lead a research team to effectively pursue and secure funding support to accomplish research goals and objectives.
Valid driver's license or the ability to obtain one by the hire date.

Preferred Job Qualifications:

Prior academic, post-doctoral, or professional experience in urban water management.
Prior research experience on stormwater management, rainwater harvesting, sustainable landscaping and/or CEA practices.
Experience working with municipal entities, water districts, or in multi-agency collaborative settings
Modest teaching experience that will enhance graduate student success.
Modest outreach experience with stakeholder interaction and community engagement.
Grant writing experience (or potential) and evidence of the ability to attract external funding.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Excellence in verbal and written communication skills, including a relevant publication record.
Team-building skills, collaboration capacity, and project management abilities.
Good organization skills.
Professional demeanor.
Ability to multi-task and establish effective working relationships.
Knowledge and understanding of the mission and role of the Land Grant University System.

Additional information about Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center, Dallas, and the Texas Water Resources Institute.

Texas A&M AgriLife Research: https://agriliferesearch.tamu.edu/

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/

Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center, Dallas: https://dallas.tamu.edu/

Texas Water Resources Institute: https://twri.tamu.edu/

What You Need to Know

Salary: Compensation for this position is commensurate based on the selected candidate’s qualifications.

Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?

When you choose to work for Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.

In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:

Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums
12-15 days of annual paid holidays
Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month
Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

Applicant Instructions

Applicants must upload a

Cover letter (two-page limit)
Curriculum vitae including a list of three references and their contact information within the CV
Vision statements of research and extension (two-page limit).

To be given full consideration, please submit applications by 11/30/2025. The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified. The anticipated start date is 5/1/2026.

Questions:

Address inquiries to Search Committee Chair and co-chair: Dr. Azlan Zahid, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Dallas, azlan.zahid@ag.tamu.edu 972-231-5362 and Dr. T. Allen Berthold, Associate Director at Texas Water Research Institute, allen.berthold@ag.tamu.edu 979-314-2467.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.

Texas A&M Agrilife Research

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Assistant Professor in Sustainable Urban Water Management