Assistant Professor - Plant Resilience to Climate Change - Department of Plant and Microbial Biology

Employer: University of California, Berkeley

Location: Berkeley, California (US)

Salary: Commensurate with education and experience

Closing date: Nov 10, 2025

Discipline: Life Sciences, Botany/Plant Science, Microbiology

Job Type: Faculty

Organization Type: Academia

Job Details

Position overview

Salary range: The current salary range for this position is $80,800-$128,700 (9-month academic year salary), however, off-scale salary and other components of pay, which would yield compensation that is higher than this range, are offered to meet competitive conditions.

Anticipated start: July 1, 2026

Application Window

Open date: August 29, 2025

Next review date: Saturday, Nov 1, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Saturday, Nov 1, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Applications will continue to be accepted until this date.

Position description

The Department of Plant and Microbial Biology in the Rausser College of Natural Resources at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor faculty position in Plant Resilience to Climate Change: Abiotic Stress.

The department is a community of scholars whose research advances knowledge in plant and microbial systems in terms of biochemistry, cell and developmental biology, genetics and genomics, ecology, evolution, and pathogenesis, and their applications to ecosystems, agriculture, bioenergy, biomedicine, and biotechnology. Our undergraduate students have a choice of vibrant majors that span the disciplines in the department, and we administer top-ranked Ph.D. programs in plant biology and microbiology. Our researchers benefit from having access to extensive greenhouse and field space and opportunities for interactions and collaborations with other biological science departments and units on campus, including the Innovative Genomics Institute (https://innovativegenomics.org/), the Energy & Biosciences Institute (https://energybiosciencesinstitute.org/), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (https://biosciences.lbl.gov/) and the Berkeley Food Institute (https://food.berkeley.edu/), as well as additional local research centers, including the Plant Gene Expression Center (http://pgec.berkeley.edu), the Joint Genome Institute (https://jgi.doe.gov), and the Joint Bioenergy Institute (https://www.jbei.org).

The department seeks applicants conducting fundamental research to provide knowledge on how plants acclimate and adapt to climate change-related abiotic stress factors (warming temperature, drought, flooding etc.). The candidate's research will be expected to integrate a broad spectrum of classical and cutting-edge genetic, genomic, physiological, quantitative analysis and modeling, systems biology, and/or synthetic biology approaches. Applicants should also have strong interests in teaching and mentoring the next generation of scientists in plant biology. Candidates whose research programs include translational research bearing on crop improvement or on management and/or conservation of naturally occurring populations, particularly in the context of adaptation to climate change, are especially encouraged to apply.

The Department of Plant and Microbial Biology recognizes the intrinsic relationship between diversity and excellence in all our endeavors; we embrace open and equitable access to opportunities for learning and development of all members as our obligation and goal.

The Department of Plant and Microbial Biology is committed to addressing the family needs of faculty, including dual career couples and single parents. We are also interested in candidates who have had non-traditional career paths or who have taken time off for family reasons, or who have achieved excellence in careers outside academia. For information about potential relocation to Berkeley, or career needs of accompanying partners and spouses, please visit: http://ofew.berkeley.edu/new-faculty

Department: https://plantandmicrobiology.berkeley.edu/

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

PhD (or equivalent international degree) or enrolled in PhD or equivalent international degree-granting program at the time of application.

Preferred qualifications

The ideal candidate will:

• Demonstrate evidence of strong research productivity, potential for funding, and a commitment to excellence in teaching and research mentoring of undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars.
• Demonstrate evidence of expertise and scholarship within a relevant field such as, but not limited to, genetics, cell and molecular biology, genomics, quantitative analysis and modeling in researching mechanisms underlying plant responses to environmental changes.
• Demonstrate strong research skills and a potential to establish an innovative research agenda, to communicate their work effectively to a broader public, and to work with other researchers from diverse disciplines.

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter - Up to 2 pages.
• Statement of Research - Please discuss research accomplishments and proposed plans. This can include, for example, your publication record, awards, presentations, inclusive research practices that promote the excellence of your research, and areas for future research (up to 5 pages).
• Statement of Teaching and Mentoring - Please discuss prior teaching experience, teaching approach, and future teaching interests. This can include, for example, specific efforts and accomplishments, and future plans to support the success of all students through inclusive curriculum, classroom environment, and pedagogy. Please also discuss your mentoring experiences and approach. This can include, for example, past efforts and future plans to support the success of all students, and to foster an inclusive research environment that removes barriers and promotes equitable access and advancement of the research program (up to 2 pages).
• Statement of Service - Please discuss specific prior and proposed academic, professional and/or public service activities. This can include, for example, participating in professional or scientific associations, serving on committees that advance department, campus or discipline goals, and conducting outreach activities that can remove barriers and increase participation of academics in your field.
• Authorization to Release Information Form - A reference check will be completed only if you are selected as the candidate to whom the hiring unit would like to extend a formal offer. Download, complete, sign, and upload the Authorization to Release Information form
• Publication / Document #1 - Copy of a publication such as journal articles, book chapters, or other appropriate products.(Optional)
• Publication / Document #2 - Copy of a publication such as journal articles, book chapters, or other appropriate products.(Optional)
• Publication / Document #3 - Copy of a publication such as journal articles, book chapters, or other appropriate products.(Optional)
• Publication / Document #4 - Copy of a publication such as journal articles, book chapters, or other appropriate products.(Optional)
• Publication / Document #5 - Copy of a publication such as journal articles, book chapters, or other appropriate products.(Optional)

Reference requirements

3-5 letters of reference required

Apply link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05049

Help contact: jstraley@berkeley.edu