"Assistant Professors in Coastal Ocean Sciences"

Job Details

The faculty of the Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences at the University of South Carolina, Columbia campus, invites applications for two 9-month, full-time, tenure-track positions at the rank of Assistant Professor to begin August 16, 2026. These positions will be based at the Baruch Marine Field Laboratory in Georgetown, SC, with tenure appointments in appropriate academic departments on the main campus in Columbia, SC. Potential tenure homes include the School of Earth, Ocean, and Environment, the Department of Biological Sciences, and the Department of Geography, depending on the candidate’s primary area of expertise.

The Baruch Institute has been at the forefront of coastal and marine research and education in the southeastern US and beyond since it was established in 1969 through the joint efforts of the University of South Carolina and the Belle W. Baruch Foundation. The core of the Institute consists of the Baruch Marine Field Laboratory, which is located on Hobcaw Barony in Georgetown, SC, within a near-pristine stretch of protected coastline. The Institute is also the state partner for the NOAA-funded North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NI-WB NERR) and hosts the NERRS Centralized Data Management Office (CDMO). The Institute conducts and supports a broad range of research and educational programs in fulfillment of its mission to improve the management of marine and coastal resources, as well as advance basic science for the well-being of people and their environment.

The Baruch Institute is dedicated to promoting healthy coastal ecosystems through research, education, and outreach. We seek innovative scholars who will leverage the unique setting and resources of the field laboratory and contribute to convergent research addressing critical coastal issues. Notable areas for potential scholarship include but are not limited to estuarine and salt marsh ecology, marine biology, coastal geomorphology, watershed hydrology, and biogeochemistry. Coastal challenges of potential interest include flooding, coastal hazards, fisheries, habitat restoration and resilience, coastal development, water quality, ecosystem health, and conservation. We particularly encourage candidates who embrace collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches to address complex coastal problems.

Candidates will be required to travel occasionally between the field laboratory and main campus for teaching, service, and other collaborative opportunities.

Required Education and Experience:

The position requires a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in a relevant field by the time of appointment. We seek solutions-oriented researchers committed to field-based research and education, with demonstrated potential to develop a successful and productive research program utilizing the unique coastal field laboratory environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

The most competitive candidates will demonstrate the following qualifications: (1) experience with field-based methodologies, (2) record of peer-reviewed publications, (3) interest in developing field-based student experiences, and (4) commitment to collaborative or convergent research. Candidates will be required to travel occasionally between the field laboratory and main campus for teaching, service, and other collaborative opportunities.

Desired Start Date: 08/16/2026