Assistant/Associate Professor- Forest Genetics

North Carolina State University

North Carolina State University

Posted on May 8, 2026

Assistant/Associate Professor- Forest Genetics

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Please include a cover letter, CV and contact information for at least three professional references.

Posting Details

Posting Information
Posting Number PG194642EP
Internal Recruitment No
Working Title Assistant/Associate Professor- Forest Genetics
Anticipated Hiring Range Rank and salary will be commensurate upon experience
Work Schedule 8:00AM- 5:00PM Monday- Friday
Job Location Raleigh, North Carolina
Department Forestry & Environmental Resources Academic Research
About the Department
The Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources has a wide variety of strengths in forestry and natural resources management, policy and economics, environmental science and technology, renewable energy assessment, wildlife and conservation biology, tree improvement, silviculture, forest biotechnology, and international forestry. The Department has over 90 full time faculty and staff, and more than 750 undergraduate and 150 graduate students. Faculty, staff, and students work together with business, industry, government, community groups, and non government organizations to address a wide range of challenges facing our state and the world. These partnerships facilitate research and discovery, teaching and learning, and outreach and service. Additional information about the department can be found at http://cnr.ncsu.edu/fer.
The College of Natural Resources (CNR) at North Carolina State University is a world leader in the sustainable use of natural resources. The college’s comprehensive approach to teaching, research, and service encompass the many and varied ways in which people’s physical, economic, and social needs are met through the wise use of natural resources.
Wolfpack Perks and Benefits
As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.
What we offer:
Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership, and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.

Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.
Essential Job Duties
The Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University invites applicants for a 9-month, tenure track faculty position as an Assistant or Associate Professor of Forest Genetics. This position is 45% teaching and mentoring, 45% research, and 10% service.

Key Responsibilities fall within three primary functions:

Teaching and Mentoring Responsibilities
  • Teach an average of 8–10 credit hours per year at the undergraduate and graduate levels in areas aligned with faculty expertise and departmental curricular needs.
  • Recruit, mentor, and advise graduate students.
  • Engage undergraduate students in research and other high-impact learning experiences.
  • Provide academic advising to undergraduate students as assigned.
Research Responsibilities
  • Develop an internationally recognized, collaborative, and externally funded research program.
  • Secure external research funding to support ongoing scholarship and innovation.
  • Publish research findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
  • Present research at regional, national, and international scientific conferences.
  • Collaborate with industry-supported research programs within the department as appropriate.
Service Responsibilities
  • Serve on department, college, and university committees.
  • Support student engagement through clubs, undergraduate research, and other extracurricular activities.
  • Participate in professional society activities and related service initiatives.
We welcome collaborative, innovative candidates eager to contribute to impactful research, teaching, and engagement in a dynamic academic environment. If you are passionate about advancing the future of tree and forest genetics and bring expertise in areas such as bioinformatics, high-throughput phenotyping, or complementary disciplines that strengthen forest genetics/genomics, biotechnology, and tree improvement efforts, we encourage you to apply.
Other Responsibilities
Qualifications
Minimum Education and Experience
Ph.D. in Genetics, Forestry, Bioinformatics or a closely related field.
All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.
Other Required Qualifications
  • Deep understanding of forest genetics, genomics, tree breeding, quantitative genetics, and gene editing technologies.
  • Computation and data skills, including proficiency in R or Python for statistical modeling and data visualization, and familiarity with generative AI.
  • Ability to secure external funding.
  • Strong communication and interdisciplinary collaboration skills.
  • Proven background in quantitative methods applied to biological systems.
  • Experience working with forests or other perennial/woody plant systems.
  • Evidence of research impact through peer-reviewed publications and a clear potential for securing external research funding.
  • Commitment to excellence in teaching and mentoring students.
Preferred Qualifications
● At least two years of experience post-doctorate Expertise in Bioinformatics (e.g., genomic selection, large-scale ‘omics’ data integration) OR High-Throughput Phenotyping (e.g., remote sensing, image analysis).
● Demonstrated ability to collaborate with industry-supported breeding cooperatives, multidisciplinary university initiatives such as IConS, or multi-institutional research teams.

Track A Bioinformatics:
  • Demonstrated expertise in genomic and transcriptomic data analysis, including variant calling, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and gene expression profiling in forest tree species.
  • Proven experience developing and implementing bioinformatics pipelines for large-scale sequencing data (e.g., whole-genome, exome, RNA-seq), with proficiency in R, Python, and high-performance computing environments.
  • Strong background in integrating genomic, phenotypic, and environmental datasets to support breeding programs, genotype–environment interaction studies, and climate adaptation research.
  • Experience applying statistical and machine learning approaches to predict complex traits, genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs), and adaptive responses in long-lived forest species.

Track B High-Throughput Phenotyping:
  • Experience with automated, rapid, and non-destructive techniques for fast measurement and analysis of hundreds to thousands of physical and physiological plant traits (e.g., height, biomass, stress response) in greenhouse and field trials.
  • Proficiency with sensor integration, imaging technology (UAVs, LiDAR, RGB, infrared, spectral), and data analytics for better selection of traits in breeding programs.
  • Demonstrated experience with Computer Vision or Machine Learning to automate the measurement of large-scale phenotypic traits.
  • Experience or training in analysis of phenotypic data within a geospatial and temporal framework to identify genotype-by-environment interaction and enhance selection accuracy in tree breeding programs.
Required License(s) or Certification(s)
N/A.
Valid NC Driver's License required No
Commercial Driver's License required No
Recruitment Dates and Special Instructions
Job Open Date 05/08/2026
Anticipated Close Date 6/5/2026: if posting is active, we are still accepting and reviewing applications.
Special Instructions to Applicants
Please include a cover letter, CV and contact information for at least three professional references.
Position Details
Position Number 00007007
Position Type Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week) 1.00
Appointment 9 Month Recurring
Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather
Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events Mandatory - Threats of Violence/Terrorism/Interpersonal Emergencies, Non Mandatory - Emergency Event
Department ID 150401 - Forestry & Environmental Resources Academic Research
EEO
NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.

NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

  1. How did you learn of this opportunity?
    • NCSU Website
    • NCSU Executive Search Services
    • Monster.com
    • CareerBuilder.com
    • InsideHigherEd.com
    • Other Online Job Board
    • Carolina Job Finder / Employment Guide
    • Job / Career Fair
    • The Chronicle of Higher Education
    • HERC
    • Professional Journal
    • Print Advertisement (Newspaper / Periodical)
    • Professional Organization
    • Direct Contact from NCSU HR Representative / Recruiter
    • NCSU Employee Referral
    • Social Media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Other)
    • Other
  2. If you learned about this vacancy from "other source" or "other website", please provide the source.

    (Open Ended Question)

Application Materials Required

Required Documents
  1. Cover Letter
  2. Curriculum Vitae
  3. Contact Information for References
Optional Documents
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