Position: Assistant/Associate Professor, Viticulture (9-month, tenure-track)

Location: Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN

Effective Date: Screening of applicants will begin on February 20, 2023 and continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start date is August 1, 2023, or as negotiated.

Job Responsibilities: This position is an 75% research and 25% teaching appointment in the Department of Plant Sciences. The successful applicant will:

• Establish a nationally-recognized research program in viticulture that serves the needs of the grape and wine industry of Tennessee and the surrounding region
• Teach courses to meet departmental needs (i.e., introductory and advanced courses related to viticulture) and advise undergraduate students
• Actively participate in graduate student training and mentoring
• Provide leadership and scholarship in their research area
• Interact and work cooperatively with scientists at the University of Tennessee, other universities, government agencies, industry, and grower organizations (e.g., Tennessee Farm Winegrowers Alliance)
• Collaborate with viticulture and enology faculty and Extension specialists in the Departments of Food Science and Plant Science at the University of Tennessee
• Seek extramural funding to support research, teaching, and mentoring programs
• Publish in refereed journals, present research findings, and participate in relevant scientific societies
• Foster an inclusive environment and contribute to enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University of Tennessee and within the Department

Potential research focus areas may include, but are not limited to: impact of viticultural practices on vine physiology and wine grape yield and quality attributes, environmental regulation of phenological development, interaction of grape genetics and environment, development of low-tech protected culture systems for grape production, plant growth regulation to lessen impact of abiotic stresses, development of approaches to precisely match site attributes and management to grape cultivar genetics, and optimization of vineyard management practices (e.g., pest management, canopy management, vineyard floor vegetation management, soil and nutrient management).

The primary teaching expectations are an introductory course on viticulture and enology (in collaboration with Food Science Department faculty) and an advanced undergraduate course in viticulture, and to mentor graduate students and advise undergraduate students in the Plant Sciences major who have a primary interest in viticulture.

Support: The successful applicant's lab will reside in a multi-disciplinary plant biotechnology research building. Three large, state-of-the-art greenhouse facilities that support faculty research and teaching are located on the University of Tennessee campus, totaling 22,000 square feet. Additional greenhouse, high tunnel, and field research facilities appropriate for viticulture research are located on University of Tennessee Research and Education Centers in Knoxville, Crossville, Greeneville, Spring Hill and other locations throughout the state. Growth chamber facilities to support faculty research are located in the Phytotron on the ground floor of the Plant Biotechnology Building.

The University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) is the state's flagship research institution, a campus of choice for outstanding undergraduate and graduate students. As a land-grant university, it is committed to excellence in scholarship, learning and service and aims to enrich and elevate society. Knoxville is situated in a valley between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cumberland Plateau, areas of great beauty and among the most bio-diverse in the USA. Knoxville is a city of 200,000 offering many amenities of urban life. Knoxville has a beautiful and walkable downtown, active neighborhoods, and eclectic cultural activities, restaurants, and shopping. Trip Advisor recently named Knoxville a Top Ten Destination on the Rise. Knoxville is located within easy driving distance to Asheville, Atlanta, and Nashville. The Knoxville campus of the University of Tennessee is seeking candidates who have the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the diversity and intercultural goals of the University.

Salary and rank (Assistant/Associate) will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Benefits available include group medical insurance, dental insurance, group and individual life insurance, long-term disability insurance, workers' compensation, retirement plan with UT contribution, sick leave, annual leave, paid holidays and administrative leave days, unemployment compensation, educational discounts, and use of University Services.

 Required Qualifications:

• Applicants must have an earned doctorate by date of hire in Viticulture, Horticulture, Crop Science, Plant Science/Biology, Plant Genetics, Plant Pathology or a closely related discipline, with coursework and research experience in viticulture or fruit production
• Demonstrated ability to conduct and publish research related to viticulture or other fruit production systems
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with diverse faculty, students, and clientele

Desired Qualifications:

• Teaching experience at the collegiate level
• Experience with grant writing
• Wine industry experience or the desire to cultivate links with the wine industry
• Experience with plant physiology and genetics, and analytical techniques for plant physiology
• Postdoctoral research experience

Apply through: http://apply.interfolio.com/119634 by including 1) Statement of research accomplishments and interests that includes a description of a proposed research program in viticulture (2 page maximum), 2) statement of teaching philosophy or approach (1 page), 3) statement of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that includes how the applicant's research, teaching, service, and community engagement could contribute to enhancing DEI (1 page) 4) a C.V., 5) unofficial copies of all college transcripts, and 6) the names, e-mail addresses and phone numbers of three to five professional references. Both domestic and international candidates are encouraged to apply. Inquiries regarding the position should be directed by e-mail to the chair of the search committee: Dr. David Butler, dbutler@utk.edu.

All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Equity and Diversity, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, telephone 865-974-2498. Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at the Office of Equity and Diversity.

About University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Our primary mission is to move forward the frontiers of human knowledge and enrich and elevate the citizens of the state of Tennessee, the nation, and the world. As the preeminent research-based, land-grant university in the state, UT embodies the spirit of excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, creative activity, outreach, and engagement attained by the nation’s finest public research institutions.

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