University of Maine Hiring Associate Professor of Potato Breeding and Genetics

The School of Food & Agriculture at the University of Maine seeks an innovative Assistant or Associate Professor of Potato Breeding and Genetics. This 75% research, 25% teaching, academic-year, tenure-track position will be located at the Orono campus. The potato breeder will lead the University’s potato breeding, genetics, and variety development program. The program effectively combines classical plant breeding and modern molecular genetics approaches to help meet pest management, production, and marketing needs of the Maine and North American potato industries through developing and releasing improved new potato germplasm and varieties. The successful candidate is expected to conduct multidisciplinary research with scientists, staff, and collaborators focused on potato cultivar development for improved pest, stress, and disease resistance as well as value-added traits such as nutritive value. Additional collaborations with industry leaders, growers, and organizations such as the Maine Potato Board and Maine Department of Agriculture will support the cultivation of a vigorous, extramurally funded research program that provides educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, advances the field of potato breeding and genetics, and will lead to improved new potato varieties and germplasm for the Maine and North American potato industries. Teaching responsibilities may include genetic principles for sustainable food crop production and/or adaptation to climate change; applied plant breeding; an advanced graduate-level class in quantitative genetics and/or genomic tools for plant improvement; or a graduate-level applied statistics class. The successful candidate will be expected to advise graduate students, mentor undergraduate student research projects, and contribute to appropriate graduate degree programs in the biological, agricultural, and environmental sciences. Read the full job description and apply using here: https://umaine.hiretouch.com/job-details?jobID=77318&job=assistant-or-associate-professor-of-potato-breeding-and-genetics