Job Description

The School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) at Arizona State University (ASU) welcomes applications for a new faculty tenure-track position with research and teaching interests in the geoscience of critical mineral resources. Specifically, we seek applicants who are broadly trained geoscientists specializing in research about the origin, formation, evolution, and distribution of mineral resources of societal value. This will be a tenured/tenure-track hire, meaning that geoscientists at any career level are welcome to apply.

We seek a creative, bold, and innovative scholar who conducts research relevant to critical minerals, is motivated broadly by basic geoscience and by sustainability, and is enthusiastic about interdisciplinary research to solve problems, in the SESE mold. The successful applicant will develop a collaborative research program that builds on strengths within SESE (e.g., geoscience, planetary science, astrophysics, and systems engineering) and ASU (e.g., sustainability, economics, and geopolitics of critical minerals). The successful applicant will also be a flexible and motivated instructor, capable of teaching SESE core geoscience courses as well as courses in their specialty, and of teaching in the field, classroom, laboratory, and online.

About the School of Earth and Space Exploration

SESE is a vibrant community that combines the strengths of science, engineering, and education to set the stage for a new era of exploration. Active research in SESE includes, but is not limited to, the geology, geophysics, and geochemistry of Earth and other planetary bodies, exploration systems design and instrumentation, exoplanets, astrobiology, astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, and Earth and space science education. A central part of SESE’s mission is to develop and deploy new technologies that enable cutting-edge scientific exploration, building on half a century of ASU faculty, staff, and student participation and leadership in exploration and study of Earth and the Solar System. SESE maintains world-class shared facilities and expertise to support the development and operation of exploratory missions around the globe and in space, including active participation in NASA missions involving the asteroid Psyche, the Moon, Mars, and Europa. See https://sese.asu.edu for more information.

About The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the academic heart of Arizona State University, committed to improving communities on a local, national, and global scale. We support the professional development and growth of our faculty and staff in their cutting-edge research to advance these aims. Within The College, our faculty engage with a large, curious student body, guiding them as they grow into socially aware, critical thinkers and writers able to succeed in a wide range of careers and to address the challenges of the twenty-first century. Advancing the success of our students remains our top priority. To learn more about The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, please visit https://thecollege.asu.edu

About Arizona State University

ASU exemplifies a new prototype for the American public research university. As articulated in the ASU Charter ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural, and overall health of the communities it serves.

Qualifications

Essential Functions:

• Fund, conduct, and disseminate scholarly research in the geoscience of critical mineral resources.
• Teach SESE undergraduate and graduate geoscience courses, including core and branch courses and courses in their specialty.
• Support and mentor Masters and Doctoral level graduate students in SESE.
• Serve SESE, the College, and the University through committee service.
• Actively collaborate in and serve the geoscience professional community through participation in conferences , organizational service, journal and proposal reviewing, and similar functions.

Required Qualifications:

• An earned doctorate in a geoscience field with direct relevance to critical minerals, by the time of appointment.
• A record of scholarly research, teaching and/or mentoring, and professional accomplishments commensurate with the candidate's current career stage.
• Experience conducting or supervising field-based research.
• Demonstrated capacity to teach SESE core geoscience courses as well as courses in their specialty, and capable of teaching in the field, classroom, laboratory, and online.

Desired Qualifications:

• Enthusiasm for making connections across geoscience domains to solve problems.
• Enthusiasm for collaborating broadly across SESE and across ASU.
• Capacity to maintain an interdisciplinary research portfolio.
• Capacity to effectively utilize existing research facilities in SESE and across ASU, and a commitment to making any new facilities they establish broadly accessible.
• Research activity or interests that include, but may not be limited to, the Cordillera of southwestern North America.
• Demonstrated commitment to working with faculty, staff, students, and communities to advance the principles of the ASU Charter

Application Instructions

The application deadline is February 2, 2026

Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool. Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled. Candidates will be asked to create or use an existing Interfolio Dossier to submit the following application materials:

• Cover letter summarizing applicant’s suitability for the position
• Current curriculum vitae
• Contact information for three references
• of the applicant’s plans for research in geoscience of critical mineral resources not longer than 2 pages (including figures) using 12-point font. References can extend onto additional pages.
• on the applicant’s plans for teaching and mentoring in geoscience of critical mineral resources not longer than 2 pages (including figures) using 12-point font. References can extend onto additional pages.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

A background check is required for employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.

See https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html and https://www.asu.edu/titleIX/

In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources. ASU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456.