Assistant Professor - Greenhouse Production Specialist

Virginia Tech’s Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center is seeking qualified applicants for a full-time tenure-track faculty position (9-month) with research and extension responsibilities. The tenure home for this position is in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences (SPES) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS).

The emphasis for this position will be the commercial greenhouse industry in Virginia, conducting research benefiting producers and disseminating those results through a state-wide extension program. Potential research areas include new technologies, plant propagation, fertilization, substrates, irrigation, growth regulator use, plug and liner production, or other practices involved in producing floral crops, native plants, and emerging crops grown in greenhouses. This position integrates well with the nursery production and landscape maintenance programs currently at the center. The individual would have opportunities to collaborate with Virginia Tech faculty addressing small fruit, hemp, and vegetable production in hydroponic systems and enclosed environments such as high tunnels and vertical farming. Engagement in Virginia Tech’s Smart Farm Innovation Network and the Center for Advanced Innovation in Agriculture is expected.

Responsibilities: The individual will develop a nationally and internationally recognized research and extension program in greenhouse production. The successful candidate is expected to obtain extramural funding and publish research in peer-reviewed journals appropriate to the discipline. The individual will work cooperatively with other faculty at Virginia Tech and at other universities and with the Virginia Greenhouse Growers Association. The individual will support Virginia Cooperative Extension through in-service training and by disseminating information via social media, extension publications, presentations, newsletters and other means to producers, extension agents and others affiliated with the greenhouse industry. The successful candidate will be expected to recruit and mentor graduate students. The individual shall create an environment that fosters collegiality, inclusion, and diversity with stakeholders and the university. International engagement and recognition are encouraged and expected as your career advances.

Ph.D. in horticulture, plant science, agricultural/controlled environment engineering or other closely aligned fields. The candidate must have demonstrated skills in oral and written communication, a demonstrated publication record, and demonstrated ability to develop and conduct scholarly research, both independently and collaboratively

Record of successful grantsmanship. Knowledge of crop production in greenhouses or other types of controlled environments.

Regular

Commensurate with experience

12/1/2022

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.