Assistant Professor in Computational Engineering for Biological Systems | Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering

College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

& Grainger College of Engineering

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The University of Illinois is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer that hires qualified candidates without regard to race, color, religious affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability or veteran status. For more information, visit http://go.illinois.edu/EEO.

WE TRANSFORM LIVES. Everything we do is designed to improve the quality of life of the people of the state of Illinois, across the nation, and around the world. We discover, develop, translate, and disseminate knowledge to address societal concerns and train the next generation of experts and leaders in a way that empowers them to expand the boundaries of science to higher levels of understanding and influence. 

The Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) is part the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES), as well as the Grainger College of Engineering (GCOE).

The selected candidate will build a successful collection of teaching and research initiatives centered around computational engineering for biological systems that address important global challenges in food, energy, and water systems. The selected candidate will engage in a multidisciplinary field, with colleagues from a variety of backgrounds and expertise. The position offers latitude for area of program application, which may include improvement of plant photosynthesis, water and nutrient use, optimization of farming operations, productivity of crop species and algal systems, as well as livestock systems. Research areas may include analysis of data originating from high-throughput phenotyping systems, farm machinery (CAN bus), crop and soil sensors, satellite imagery, to food production economics. Research methodologies may comprise data-driven modeling, development of decision support systems, virtual farming systems, data mining, social network analysis, artificial intelligence- based data analytics including machine learning, cloud computing, spatial statistics and tools for generating and analyzing large datasets originating from the biosystems domain. There is ample opportunity for collaboration with the Center for Digital Agriculture, which is housed in the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), the Artificial Intelligence for Future Agricultural Resilience, Management, and Sustainability (AIFARMS) Institute, the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI), the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Ef?ciency (RIPE) project, the Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Environment (iSEE), as well as the Illinois Data Bank, a public access repository for publishing research data operated by the University of Illinois Library, one of the largest public academic libraries in the United States.

Responsibilities:

• Establish a nationally recognized research program in computational engineering for biological systems
• Develop and teach undergraduate and graduate courses in computational engineering for biological systems
• Provide service to the department, college, and the profession

APPLICATION PROCESS

We welcome applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds.

To apply, please create your candidate profile at http://jobs.illinois.edu and upload, as a single pdf file, a cover letter which explicitly states your interest in being considered for the position in Computational Engineering for Biological Systems; a curriculum vitae; a statement of research interests (including future plans); a statement of teaching philosophy; a statement demonstrating a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and the names and contact information of three references.

Closing Date: For initial consideration, the required materials should be uploaded by July 6, 2022; however, the search will continue until a suitable candidate is found.

Questions can be directed to Prof Tony Grift, Chair of the Search Committee (grift@illinois.edu),  (217) 333-2854, or to Prof Ronaldo Maghirang, Head of the Department, (ronaldom@illinois.edu), (217) 300-8418. Additional information about the department can be found at abe.illinois.edu.

University of Illinois faculty, staff and students are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are not able to receive the vaccine for medical or religious reasons, you may seek approval for an exemption in accordance with applicable University processes.

The University of Illinois conducts criminal background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer. Convictions are not a bar to employment. As a qualifying federal contractor, the University of Illinois System uses E-Verify to verify employment eligibility. The University of Illinois System requires candidates selected for hire to disclose any documented finding of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and to authorize inquiries to current and former employers regarding findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment. For more information, visit Policy on Consideration of Sexual Misconduct in Prior Employment.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in agricultural and biological engineering, computer science, or closely related field
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary environment
• Potential to attract external funding