Job Description

Working/Functional Title

Assistant/Associate/Full Professor Tenure System

The Department of Plant Biology (PLB) at Michigan State University (MSU) seeks applications for a director of the MSU Herbarium at the Assistant, Associate or Full professor level. This is a 12-month tenure-stream faculty position that combines independent research, undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentoring, service to the university and the profession, and administrative responsibilities as the Herbarium Director. The successful applicant will maintain and grow the MSU Herbarium as a national leader in supporting plant and fungal collections-based research, teaching, and outreach. The successful applicant will also establish a research program in plant or fungal systematics, ecology, and/or evolution that contributes to the department’s goal of addressing fundamental biological questions about photosynthetic organisms at all scales. All applicants are expected to demonstrate a commitment to graduate and undergraduate teaching as well as research mentoring. Specific teaching responsibilities include a required upper-division undergraduate course in Plant Systematics, taught once per academic year.

The Department of Plant Biology is in the College of Natural Science and is one of the top plant sciences programs in the country with a core mission to advance the understanding of plant biology from molecules to ecosystems. Our strength lies in encouraging a variety of perspectives and approaches to science and in supporting a collaborative, inclusive community of scientists.

The MSU Herbarium is a leading center for research, teaching, outreach, and engagement within and beyond the MSU community. The herbarium hosts over 520,000 specimens, including one of the largest collections of lichenized fungi in North America. It is a key teaching resource, providing hands-on experience to hundreds of MSU students across campus every year and hosting undergrad honors and research projects. The MSU Herbarium is also a hub for community connections, engaging with hundreds of visitors every year through a range of on-campus and off-campus events. The PLB department and MSU administration strongly support the mission of the herbarium and see biological collections as crucial pieces to responding to challenges that will change the natural world. More information is available on the MSU Herbarium website: https://herbarium.natsci.msu.edu/.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate -Systematics, Ecology, and/or Evolution

Minimum Requirements

• PhD in systematics, evolutionary biology, ecology, or other relevant field,
• Record of research productivity including publishing in peer reviewed journals.
• Expertise in plant systematics at a level needed to teach an undergraduate course.

Desired Qualifications

• Postdoctoral research experience, or equivalent post-PhD research experience broadly defined, i.e. not necessarily at an academic institution.
• Applicants at the Assistant Professor level should demonstrate expertise in the requested research area through their record of research productivity (including publishing in peer-reviewed journals) and by proposing an independent, innovative research program that addresses fundamental questions in plant biology and has the potential to be externally funded. Applicants who meet the criteria for hiring at the Associate Professor or Professor level are expected to demonstrate a record of substantive and independent research in targeted areas, along with a plan to continue a productive research program at MSU.
• Experience with research training and mentorship.
• Experience using biological collections and herbaria in research and teaching.
• Experience in leadership of a museum or herbarium.
• Applicants at the Assistant Professor level should have evidence of instructional experience and commitment (including teaching assistant experience). Applicants who meet the criteria for hiring at the Associate Professor or Professor level should have evidence of successful teaching experience.

Required Application Materials

Complete applications must include 1) a cover letter (1-2 pages) summarizing research experience, interest in the requested field, and qualifications for the position, 2) a curriculum vitae that includes education, academic appointments, professional experience, funded grants & fellowships, publications, evidence of peer recognition (e.g., awards, honors, invited talks), service, and leadership roles, 3) a research statement (up to 3 pages) integrating past research experience and accomplishments with future research directions, 4) a statement detailing the applicant’s past leadership experience and experience working with herbaria, and vision for the MSU herbarium with ideas for how it can be leveraged to support research, teaching, and service/outreach (2-3 pages), 5) a teaching statement (1-2 pages) describing past teaching and/or mentoring experience with a focus on currently used or planned strategies for effective teaching and mentoring , and 6) contact information for 3–5 referees.

Special Instructions

Application materials can be submitted as a single PDF file through the MSU applicant page at https://careers.msu.edu (1070987). Questions about this position can be directed to the search chair, Dr. Emily Josephs at plantbiologysearch@msu.edu Complete applications should be preferably received by October 3, 2025, to receive full consideration. Late submissions will be considered if suitable candidates are not identified by the deadline.

Review of Applications Begins On

10/03/2025

Website

https://plantbiology.natsci.msu.edu

Department Statement

The Department of Plant Biology strives to provide the world with a program of excellence in the fundamental plant sciences by fostering innovative research and teaching that encompasses and integrates all levels of biological organization, from molecules to ecosystems. Our success lies in encouraging diverse perspectives and approaches to science and in our commitment to the core values of our institution: collaboration, equity, excellence, integrity, and respect.

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.