Responsibilities: This is a 12-month, non-tenure eligible Lecturer position with approximately 70% instruction, 25% administration, and 5% service responsibilities. The successful candidate will employ high-quality and high-impact pedagogical approaches that lead to demonstrated outcomes in teaching, professional mentoring, and retention of undergraduate students. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2026.

 

Instruction: The person in this position will have primary responsibility for teaching courses associated with the new Agricultural Ecosystem Sciences (AES) undergraduate BS degree program. The AES program was created in 2019 and is housed within the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences in the Martin-Gatton College of Food, Agriculture, and Environment at the University of Kentucky. The goal of the AES program is to equip students with the knowledge and skills required for the responsible stewardship of our agricultural production systems. The successful candidate will teach all the AES-specific courses, including the Introduction, the Field Experience, the Research Experience and Experiential Learning , and the Capstone class. Additional instructional duties include a section of Issues in Agriculture, Food, and Environment (a college-wide introductory course), the creation of two online, asynchronous courses, and teaching two Plant and Soil Science courses in the candidate’s area of expertise. Scholarly activities will include course development, deployment of innovative teaching techniques, and publication of refereed articles related to pedagogy.

 

Administration: This position will assist the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the first year and then serve in this role thereafter. Responsibilities include: leading the annual program assessment, maintaining the AES curriculum, identifying and helping correct curriculur and course scheduling issues, and assisting with developing student learning outcomes for courses serving the AES program. The position will also support other administrative needs of the AES program by serving as the primary career and professional development mentor for students in the program, developing and maintaining recruiting and outreach materials (including newsletters, webpage, and social media), assisting with prospective student visits, advising and growing participation in the Agronomy Club, and tracking enrollment, alumni contacts and professional outcomes. Effective collaboration with various College and University groups also involved in these activities will be expected.

 

Service: As a land-grant university, service to department, college, university, professional society, and/or society at large is expected.

QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants must have earned a doctorate in agronomy or related fields. Preference will be given to candidates with college or university teaching experience and who value systems-thinking, a priority area in the department and program. Evidence of strong written and oral communication skills is required. Additional qualifications include: strong organizational skills; evidence of developing and delivering high-quality, innovative and creative undergraduate instruction; experience mentoring undergraduates; and a strong commitment to student recruitment and retention. The ability to work in collaborative, interdisciplinary environments, that include other faculty, external stakeholders, as well as public, private, and government agencies is essential.

Rank and Salary: The rank of this position is at the Lecturer or Senior Lecturer level. Salary is negotiable and is commensurate with training and experience. Employment at UK is subject to fund availability and comes with comprehensive rewards, focusing on total well-being and career development, with leadership striving to provide a strong work-life integration. The university generously contributes to employees’ retirement plans, medical coverage, and life insurance. In addition, UK offers optional benefits such as dental and vision insurance, additional retirement plans and much more. Further information about benefits provided to faculty by the University of Kentucky is posted on the following website www.uky.edu/HR/benefits/.

 

THE ENVIRONMENT: The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (M-G CAFE) is fulfilling the land-grant promise of educational excellence, civic leadership, transformational research, and shared knowledge serving the common good. We serve the people of the Commonwealth and across the world through education, outreach, service, and research by finding solutions to improve lives today and create a sustainable future. We integrate teaching, research, and extension in our work. We recruit, retain, and graduate students who are competent, responsible, and workforce ready. For more than 130 years, M-G CAFE has provided research results to the community. From traditional labs and research farms to high-tech diagnostic and research centers, we offer science-based, practical solutions that affect the everyday lives of Kentuckians and people around the world. Our Cooperative Extension programs are engaged in Kentucky’s 120 counties, identifying and addressing needs not only in agriculture and natural resources, but also 4-H and youth development, family and consumer sciences, as well as community & economic development.

The University of Kentucky is a university with approximately 23,000 undergraduate and 7,000 graduate students. UK is Kentucky’s flagship university and a land grant institution. We have a university commitment to improve the lives of Kentuckians and beyond and that is why environmental stewardship and sustainability are core parts of our institution’s legacy. We are recognized as a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, a Gold level Bicycle Friendly University by The League of American Bicyclists, and are recognized as a STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) Silver Rating by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. The university is geographically near downtown Lexington, which offers the vibrancy of an urban location while being in close proximity to working landscapes and recognized wilderness areas. It is a thriving community of 300,000+ with a strong commitment to quality of life, education, and the arts. Lexington is in the Bluegrass Region, an internationally acclaimed cultural landscape and agricultural region.

QUESTIONS AND/OR NOMINATIONS TO:

Dr. Dave McNear

Chair, Search Committee

N-122S Ag. Science North

1100 Nicholasville Road

Lexington, KY 40546-0091

Phone: 859-257-8627

Email: dave.mcnear@uky.edu

Web: https://pss.ca.uky.edu/person/dave-mcnear

APPLICATION: Completed applications should include the following: a cover letter, CV, and a statement of teaching interests and experience (upload as Specific Request 1). In addition, names and contact information of three individuals from whom letters may be requested should be included in the application packet. Applications should be submitted by January 5, 2026, for full consideration, while the position will remain open until filled. Please use the University of Kentucky’s electronic application process to apply. In your uploaded document please begin with a cover letter that outlines your approach to the position’s responsibilities, your qualifications, and your vision for innovative and impactful undergraduate educational experiences, followed by the name, address, email, and phone number for three references, and conclude with career curriculum vita and teaching statement.

If you need assistance with the electronic application process, contact HR/ Employment, phone (859) 257-9555, press 2, or email ukjobs@email.uky.edu.