The Department of Plant and Soil Science in the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Texas Tech University invites applications for a 9-month, tenured or tenure-track, open-rank professor position in environmental microbiomes and human health (approximately 75%/20%/5% Research/Teaching/Service) to begin Fall 2026, although a later start date may be negotiated.
The successful candidate is expected to develop and lead a high impact, extramurally funded, and internationally recognized research program that investigates the mechanistic linkages between environmental and human microbiomes. Example areas of research include but are not limited to human and environmental microbiome linkages in urban or rural communities, soil-borne pathogens and human health, and the effects of land-use change and management in the built environment, contaminants and pollution, or climate change stressors on human-environment microbiome relationships and health impacts. Candidates with interest and expertise in soil-human health linkages in the built environment are highly encouraged to apply (e.g., heat effects on human health and soil ecosystem services as driven by microbiomes). Subject areas include but are not limited to soil & environmental microbiomes in urban ecosystems and their connections with human microbiome/health, epidemiology, pathogen ecology, pathogen population biology, host-microbe interactions, immunity and disease resistance, bioenvironmental sciences, and vector-borne disease.
A Ph.D. or equivalent degree in biology, microbiology, soil science, ecology, or related area is required, including but not limited to pathology, genetics, genomics, entomology, crop science, computational biology, or quantitative ecology. Candidates with post-doctoral research experience are preferred. Evidence of the potential for developing an outstanding interdisciplinary research program and indications of strong mentorship and teaching skills are required. Applicants are expected to have a strong publication record, interpersonal and communication skills, and the desire to collaborate with others in a collegial team environment. We seek candidates who will use creative and collaborative approaches to elucidate host/microbial/environmental interactions at various geographic and trophic levels to understand their impacts on emergent ecosystem properties. Researchers with a focus on the impact of climate change are of particular interest. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to collaborate with faculty from additional departments within the Davis College such as Landscape Architecture, additional departments and centers across the TTU campus such as environmental engineering, TIEHH, and the Climate Center, and will be expected to work closely with researchers within TTU-HSC and the Institute for One Health Innovation.
All prospective employees are encouraged to visit
Work at Texas Tech to learn more about becoming a part of our campus community.In line with TTU’s strategic priorities to engage and empower its student body, enable innovative research and creative activities, and transform lives and communities through outreach and engaged scholarship, applicants should have experience working with various student populations at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels across one or more areas of research, teaching, or service.
As a faculty member in the Department of Plant and Soil Science and part of the One Microbiome initiative in the Institute for One Health Innovation, you will be expected to:
- Engage in the advancement of scientific knowledge through research and/or scholarship
- Publish in high-quality, peer-reviewed journals
- Work collaboratively across One Health areas, integrating with TTU’s One Microbiome initiative
- Present research at scientific meetings
- Submit grant proposals to external competitive funding agencies
- Develop and deliver an up-to-date curriculum related to the research specialty and rotate into teaching undergraduate and/or graduate classes within the department.
- Provide individual support, feedback, and advice to undergraduate and graduate students
- Perform service activities from local to professional levels, consistent with expectations at rank
