Position Function:
The Department of Geosciences at Mississippi State University invites applications for a nine-month tenure-track position in geology at the rank of assistant professor with an anticipated start date of August 16th, 2025. We seek an energetic and enthusiastic scholar who conducts innovative teaching and research in Earth science, broadly defined. We welcome applicants who use field, computational, and/ or laboratory techniques to investigate geological systems. We invite applicants with specialization in any sub-discipline of geology; however, priority will be given to those prepared to teach structural geology at the undergraduate level and those who conduct research complementary to existing departmental faculty expertise.
Salary Grade: UC
For salary grade UC, these positions are "Unclassified" and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.
Department Profile:
The Department of Geosciences currently has 17 tenured and tenure-track faculty, five teaching professors, and seven full-time instructors. Within the department, there are four areas of disciplinary emphasis: Geology, Geography, Geospatial Science, and Atmospheric Science which offer numerous opportunities for transdisciplinary collaboration. The department is closely aligned with a number of MSU research centers including the Geosystems Research Institute (www.gri.msstate.edu), the High Performance Computing Collaboratory (www.hpc.msstate.edu) which houses Orion (https://www.hpc.msstate.edu/computing/hpc.php), a Tier 1 shared resource with NOAA that offers state of the art modeling capabilities, and the Northern Gulf Institute (www.ngi.msstate.edu). Mississippi State University holds the “Very High Research Activity” (R1) designation from the Carnegie Foundation, and is ranked in the top 100, for research and development expenditures, among all institutions in the National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development Survey. More information about the Mississippi State University Department of Geosciences is available on our website: www.geosciences.msstate.edu.
Area of Specialization:
Geology
Anticipated Appointment Date:
August 16, 2025
Tenure Track Status:
Tenure-Track
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
We are seeking a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Geology with a strong commitment to teaching, research, and student mentorship. The successful candidate will be expected to develop and teach two courses per semester at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. These courses will include those aligned with the candidate's area of expertise as well as existing offerings within the department. The position also involves advising undergraduate students and supervising master’s and doctoral students. While there is flexibility to teach some courses online, residency in the Starkville area is required. Successful applicants will hold a Ph.D. in geology or a closely related field at the time of appointment and demonstrate (1) evidence of (or the potential for) excellence in teaching; (2) a record of peer-reviewed publications; (3) the capacity to develop an externally-funded research program; and (4) a commitment to professional service.
Minimum Qualifications:
Successful applicants will hold a Ph.D. in geology or a closely related field at the time of appointment and demonstrate (1) evidence of (or the potential for) excellence in teaching; (2) a record of peer-reviewed publications; (3) the capacity to develop an externally-funded research program; and (4) a commitment to professional service.
Instructions for Applying:
Candidates may apply on-line by submitting a cover letter; curriculum vitae; teaching statement; research statement; and a list of three references with contact information through the Mississippi State University HRM website: www.jobs.msstate.edu. The position will remain open until filled; however, applications must be received by December 31, 2024, for full consideration. For questions about the position or the application process, please contact Varun Paul (Search Committee Chair) at vgp25@msstate.edu.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
MSU is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy, gender identity, status as a U.S. veteran, and/or any other status protected by applicable law. We always welcome nominations and applications from women, members of any minority group, and others who share our passion for building a diverse community that reflects the diversity in our student population.
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If you have any questions regarding this policy, contact the Department of Human Resources Management at (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu. Upon request, sections of this job listing are available in large print, and readers are available to assist the visually impaired.
