Open Rank Faculty - Manufacturing, Systems and Automation in Precision Agriculture

University of Georgia

University of Georgia

People & HR
Athens, GA, USA
Posted on Apr 11, 2025

Posting Details

Posting Details
Posting Number F2179P
Working Title Open Rank Faculty - Manufacturing, Systems and Automation in Precision Agriculture
Department ENGR-Env Civil Agr & Mech
About the University of Georgia
Since our founding in 1785, the University of Georgia has operated as Georgia’s oldest, most comprehensive, and most diversified institution of higher education (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 235 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly formed School of Medicine.
About the College/Unit/Department
Faculty hired as part of this initiative will join a rapidly-growing College of Engineering that combines interdisciplinary research and scholarship with excellent instruction and service. The UGA College of Engineering currently enrolls over 3,000 engineering majors and has 104 full-time engineering faculty across 15 degrees programs. The college also jointly administers the School of Computing in collaboration with the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, an academic unit that comprises over 1800 computer science majors and 45 full-time faculty. The College of Engineering is comprised for four interdisciplinary schools: the School of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering; School of Electrical and Computer Engineering; School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural, and Mechanical Engineering; and School of Computing.

Significant investments in infrastructure have resulted in an expansion of laboratory facilities for research and scholarship and new classrooms and instructional labs. College of Engineering faculty have space in two major capital projects on campus to create interdisciplinary research facilities. Our main instructional facility, Driftmier Engineering Center, has also undergone a complete renovation to create flexible classrooms that enable a range of teaching modalities and the incorporation of interdisciplinary instructional labs. The common instructional facilities also foster collaboration by allowing faculty, staff, and students to interact and collaborate in a single facility.
College/Unit/Department website engr.uga.edu/schools/ecam
Posting Type External
Retirement Plan TRS or ORP
Employment Type Employee
Benefits Eligibility Benefits Eligible
Underutilization
Advertised Salary
Anticipated Start Date 08/01/2025
Effective End Date (for Limited-Term postings)
Job Posting Date 10/30/2024
Job Closing Date
Open until filled Yes
Special Instructions to Applicants
Applicants are asked to submit the following information along with their application:
  • A detailed curriculum vita.
  • A cover letter (not to exceed one page) addressing the candidate’s experience relative to the responsibilities of the position.
  • A teaching statement not to exceed 2 pages.
  • A research statement not to exceed 2 pages.
  • The names, titles, and contact information for three professional references.
Inquiries about the positions should be directed to the chair of the search committee, Dr. Beshoy Morkos (bmorkos@uga.edu) in the College of Engineering.
Review of applications will begin on January 15, 2025; however, applications will be accepted until the positions are filled.

Selected applicants will be required to submit transcripts and a background investigation demonstrating eligibility for employment with the University of Georgia.
Location of Vacancy Athens Area
EEO Statement
The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).
USG Core Values Statement
The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning, as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

Position Details

Position Information
Classification Title Open Rank
FLSA
Faculty Rank Open Rank
Contract Type Academic (9 mo.)
Tenure Status Tenure Track or Tenured
Minimum Qualifications
All candidates must have a Ph.D. in engineering, computer science or related discipline.
Position Summary
The College of Engineering at the University of Georgia invites applications for one position with expertise supporting manufacturing, systems, and automation in precision agriculture.

This position seeks to identify highly qualified candidates with expertise at the intersection of data science, agriculture, and advanced manufacturing and engineering, with applications to integrative precision agriculture. This position will be centered in the College of Engineering’s School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural, and Mechanical Engineering (ECAM) and will be supervised by the School Chair of ECAM.

Building on one of its key research strengths, the College invites applications for one open rank, 9-month tenured or tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant or Associate Professor level to support activities in Integrative Precision Agriculture and Advanced Manufacturing. This position will start on August 1, 2025, and will be an academic-year appointment (9 months) with an opportunity to supplement salary during the summer.

Candidates considered for the associate professor rank must have qualifications and academic credentials that are commensurate with the promotion and tenure guidelines at the University of Georgia.

This is part of a major hiring initiative focused on applications related to manufacturing, systems and automation with applications to Integrative Precision Agriculture. Outstanding candidates who can contribute significantly to innovative solutions with applications in agriculture and manufacturing technologies are especially encouraged to apply.

The focus of this hiring initiative will be in the field of AI for Manufacturing, Design Automation, and Systems with applications in Integrative Precision Agriculture and Advanced Manufacturing. The incumbents are expected to work collaboratively with each other and with existing faculty at the University of Georgia, including faculty in cross-cutting units such as the new Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture, the Phenomics and Plant Robotics Center, the Precision Agriculture team, and the Institute for Artificial Intelligence, among others. Applicants with strong background developing industry collaborations are encouraged to apply. Plans are underway for a new Institute of Integrative Precision Agriculture facility to support industry-academic partnerships in the university’s Innovation District.

The new faculty member will be expected to develop a vigorous, high-impact, externally funded research program; work closely with other members of the cluster hire and existing faculty; effectively mentor graduate students and postdoctoral scientists; effectively support our teaching mission at the undergraduate and graduate levels; and contribute to an inclusive learning environment within the university.
Additional Requirements
Candidates must also have a documented research background appropriate for the appointment rank, as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications, in the application of technologies, data analytics, or models to problems in agriculture or biology. For information about the requirements for each faculty rank, please see the UGA Guidelines for Appointment, Promotion and Tenure.

To be eligible for tenure upon appointment, candidates must be appointed as an associate professor, have been tenured at a prior institution, and bring a demonstrably national reputation to the institution. Candidates must be approved for tenure upon appointment before hire.
Relevant/Preferred Education, Experience, Licensure, and/or Certification
Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies
Physical Demands
Is this a Position of Trust? No
Does this position have operation, access, or control of financial resources? No
Does this position require a P-Card? No
Is having a P-Card an essential function of this position? No
Is driving a responsibility of this position? No
Does this position have direct interaction or care of children under the age of 18 or direct patient care? No
Does this position have Security Access (e.g., public safety, IT security, personnel records, patient records, or access to chemicals and medications) No
Credit and P-Card policy
Be advised a credit check will be required for all positions with financial responsibilities. For additional information about the credit check criteria, visit the UGA Credit Background Check website.
Background Investigation Policy
Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a background investigation including, a criminal background check demonstrating your eligibility for employment with the University of Georgia; confirmation of the credentials and employment history reflected in your application materials (including reference checks) as they relate to the job-based requirements of the position applied for; and, if applicable, a satisfactory credit check. You may also be subject to a pre-employment drug test for positions with high-risk responsibilities, if applicable. Please visit the UGA Background Check website.
Duties/Responsibilities

Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents

Required Documents
  1. Resume/CV
  2. Cover Letter
  3. List of References with Contact Information
  4. Teaching Portfolio/Philosophy
  5. Research Portfolio/Philosophy
Optional Documents