Michigan State University: MSU Climate Resiliency Hiring Initiative

Michigan State University has embarked on a cluster hire process to attract talented faculty as part of a new state-funded program addressing long-term climate- and water-related challenges.

The Agricultural Climate Resiliency Program (canr.msu.edu/climate-resiliency) is a partnership among MSU, the Plant Coalition, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development aimed at solving problems around soil and plant health, carbon sequestration, efficient use of water, and protection of water resources.

The initiative is operated through MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension, including a competitive grants program that funds MSU researchers and Extension specialists for three-year grants of up to $1.25 million.

Using recurring funding from the State of Michigan and additional support from MSU, the university has launched the cluster hire to advance our expertise in critical areas of research and outreach necessary to address such grand challenges.

The faculty roles, which will have 60% research and 40% Extension appointments, will be housed in departments within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and focus on:

• Groundwater use and availability for agriculture. This job is currently open.

• Water quality with emphasis on nutrient flow and retention in surface water and soil. This job is currently open.

• Economic impact of climate change on Michigan farms and programs focused on climate change adaptation and mitigation. This job posting has closed.

• Lifecycle analysis of agricultural systems - greenhouse gas emissions, impact of management, cost of inputs - with the goal of identifying return on investment for farmers. This job will be posted soon.

• Integration of arthropod biology and ecology with new and emerging technologies to model insect population dynamics, pest risk and develop novel management strategies in the face of climate change. This job is currently open.

• Modeling climate-smart agricultural management practices using remote sensing, climate data, soil information and more. This job will be posted soon.

All applicants must have a Ph.D. in a related field and are expected to have strong communication skills to engage with a wide variety of stakeholders, demonstrating the ability to deliver on extension activities.

For more information on currently open positions and to find the postings in MSU's human resources system, please visit canr.msu.edu/climate-resiliency-jobs.