Assistant Professor in Agricultural Ecohydrology

Location: University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD Departments: Department of Natural Sciences, and Department of Agriculture, Food, and Resource Sciences, Simon A. Haley School of Agriculture and Natural Sciences Appointment Distribution: 50% Research, 35% Extension, 15% Teaching

Start Date: Spring 2027 (flexible) The School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences (SANS) at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track faculty position in Agricultural Ecohydrology. We seek a creative and collaborative scientist working at the interface of water, soil, agriculture, nutrient management, biogeochemistry, and watershed processes, with particular interest in agricultural and coastal landscapes. This is a cross-departmental appointment, with the tenure home shared between the Department of Natural Sciences (60%, tenure home) and the Department of Agriculture, Food, and Resource Sciences (40%). Consistent with the position’s integrated research and Extension responsibilities, the successful candidate will also have reporting responsibilities to the UMES Agricultural Experiment Station and UMES Extension. The successful candidate will develop an applied research and Extension program addressing water-related challenges affecting agricultural production, natural resources, and water quality. The position is particularly well suited for a scientist interested in the Delmarva Peninsula and Chesapeake Bay watershed, where intensive agricultural production occurs within a low-relief coastal landscape characterized by extensive drainage networks, shallow groundwater, nutrient-sensitive waterways, wetlands, and increasing challenges associated with extreme precipitation, drought, sea-level rise, and salinity. This strategic hire will strengthen UMES capacity in agricultural water management, soil and water quality, climate-resilient agriculture, and watershed science in support of the University’s 1890 land-grant research, Extension, and teaching missions. The successful candidate will have opportunities to collaborate broadly across agricultural, environmental, engineering, and marine sciences and to translate fundamental understanding of hydrologic and biogeochemical processes into practical approaches for producers, land managers, agencies, and communities.

Salary Range: $80,000 - $95,000 (Commensurate with qualifications and experience)

Benefits: Health insurance, including multiple medical plan options for employees and dependents offered through the State of Maryland Employee Benefits Division. Prescription drug, dental, and flexible spending accounts, and vision coverage. Retirement plans: mandatory enrollment in a state pension system or an Optional Retirement Plan with Fidelity or TIAA, Supplemental Retirement Accounts (TIAA, Fidelity, or MSRP-Nationwide) with $600 annual state match, Life Insurance (state sponsored MetLife, USM sponsored MetLife Plan, life insurance and long-term disability insurance). Tuition remission benefits for eligible employees and, subject to USM policies, spouses and dependents at University System of Maryland institutions. Leave benefits, including paid annual (22 days per year) and sick leave (15 days), personal leave (3 days per year) and paid holidays. Employee wellness and support resources and access to the State of Maryland wellness programs.

Position Details: The successful candidate will contribute to undergraduate Environmental Science education and to graduate programs in Marine, Estuarine, and Environmental Sciences (MEES), Toxicology, and Food and Agricultural Sciences (FASC) at UMES. Areas of Interest Agricultural hydrology and water management, including soil-water dynamics, crop water availability, irrigation, drainage, water-use efficiency, and interactions between agricultural management and hydrologic processes; Agricultural nutrient transport and water quality, including movement and transformation of nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment, and other constituents through soils, groundwater, drainage systems, wetlands, streams, and receiving waters; Soil health, climate resilience, and salinity in agricultural landscapes, including effects of management practices on infiltration, runoff, water storage, nutrient cycling, drought and flooding resilience, sea-level rise, and saltwater intrusion; Watershed and landscape-scale agricultural hydrology, including surface water-groundwater interactions and linkages among farms, drainage networks, wetlands, streams, estuaries, and downstream water quality, particularly within the Delmarva Peninsula and Chesapeake Bay watershed; Quantitative and predictive modeling of agricultural and ecohydrologic systems, including statistical, process-based, spatial, machine learning, and deep learning approaches to predict soil moisture, water availability, nutrient losses, water quality, crop stress, flooding, drought, salinity, and related responses; Integration and analysis of field measurements, sensor networks, remote sensing, unmanned aerial systems, GIS, and complex spatial and temporal datasets using modern statistical, computational, and data-driven approaches; Development of predictive and decision-support tools that translate agricultural, hydrologic, and environmental data into practical information for producers, Extension professionals, conservation agencies, and other stakeholders. Candidates are not expected to work across all of these areas. We are particularly interested in applicants who combine strong understanding of agricultural and hydrologic processes with rigorous quantitative analysis and modern modeling or data-driven approaches to address challenges relevant to the Delmarva Peninsula, Chesapeake Bay watershed, and agricultural systems more broadly.

Responsibilities: Develop nationally recognized, integrated research and Extension programs in agricultural ecohydrology addressing important agricultural, water-resource, and environmental challenges, including a strong externally funded research portfolio; Conduct applied and translational research that advances agricultural productivity, water and nutrient-use efficiency, soil and water conservation, environmental stewardship, and resilience of agricultural systems; Establish field-based research relevant to agricultural landscapes of Maryland, the Delmarva Peninsula, and the Chesapeake Bay watershed, while developing a program with regional and national significance; Develop and deliver an Extension program in agricultural ecohydrology and collaborate with UMES Extension professionals to translate research findings into practical information, demonstrations, decision-support resources, and educational programs for farmers, agricultural professionals, conservation practitioners, agencies, and other stakeholders; Engage in interdisciplinary teams across SANS and beyond, integrating hydrology with soil science, agronomy, crop science, environmental science, engineering, geospatial science, climate science, and related disciplines; Mentor undergraduate and graduate students and provide research experiences that prepare students for careers in agriculture, environmental science, natural-resource management, and related fields; Teach undergraduate and graduate courses consistent with departmental and programmatic needs. Potential courses may include hydrology, water chemistry, biogeochemistry, watershed science, agricultural water management, or specialized courses in the candidate’s area of expertise; and contribute to the academic, research, Extension, and service missions of the Department of Natural Sciences, the Department of Agriculture, Food, and Resource Sciences, the Simon A. Haley School of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, and UMES.

Required Qualifications: Ph.D. from an accredited institution in Hydrology, Ecohydrology, Agricultural or Biological Engineering, Soil Science, Environmental Science, Geology, Natural Resources, Watershed Science, or a closely related discipline by the time of appointment; Demonstrated expertise or strong potential for developing expertise in hydrologic, ecological, soil, or biogeochemical processes relevant to agricultural, coastal, estuarine, or watershed systems; Evidence of research productivity and strong potential for scholarly achievement and development of an externally funded research program; Evidence of potential for effective undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentoring; Effective communication and collaboration skills and an interest in interdisciplinary research. Physical Demands May require extended periods of standing, bending, stooping, sitting at desk. May require lifting. Requires communication with a variety of constituents externally and internally. Requires operation of a variety of office equipment. Preferences Research experience addressing water, soil, nutrient, or biogeochemical processes in agricultural or working landscapes; Experience with agricultural water-quality issues, nutrient management, drainage, irrigation, soil-water relations, salinity, or watershed processes; Experience working in coastal plain, estuarine, or other hydrologically sensitive agricultural environments; Experience using field-based, laboratory, sensor-based, geospatial, remote-sensing, modeling, or contemporary data-driven approaches relevant to ecohydrology; Experience working with farmers, Extension personnel, conservation professionals, natural-resource managers, agencies, or other stakeholders; Experience teaching at the college or university level; Demonstrated success in, or strong potential for, obtaining competitive external funding; Interest in collaborative and multidisciplinary approaches connecting agriculture, water resources, environmental quality, and climate resilience. The successful candidate must be able to accept employment in the United States without employer immigration sponsorship. Department UMES-AGNS-Agriculture/Operations Worker Sub-Type Faculty Regular Salary Range $80,000 - $95,000 (Commensurate with qualifications and experience)

EEO Statement: UMES is an EEO/AA employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or political affiliation. Minorities, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate must be able to show acceptable documentation establishing the right to accept employment in the United States of America without employer sponsorship.

Diversity Statement: The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) is an equal access, equal opportunityinstitution fully committed to diversity in education and employment. All students, employees, and the campus community at UMES are valued, respected, and have the opportunity to receive an equitable experience in an inclusive, welcoming environment of openness and appreciation. Title IX Statement It is the policy of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) to comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination (including sexual harassment and sexual violence) based on sex in the University's educational programs and activities. Title IX also prohibits retaliation for asserting or otherwise participating in claims of sex discriminations or harassment.