Assistant Professor, Renewable Energy Systems and Sustainability

Position Overview: 

The Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering (BBE) and the West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) is seeking a joint tenure-track faculty position at the level of Assistant Professor with research (65%), teaching (35%), and outreach responsibilities to be housed at the WCROC.

The Department of BBE is an internationally renowned academic unit with the core mission of sustainable use of renewable resources and enhancement of the environment. The WCROC, located in Morris, Minnesota (http://wcroc.cfans.umn.edu/Research/RenewableEnergy/index.htm) is nationally recognized for its renewable energy research and demonstration center which is currently engaged in wind, solar, biomass, and renewable hydrogen and ammonia projects.   

Responsibilities:

The candidate will be expected to establish an externally funded research program of excellence in renewable energy systems and sustainability. In addition, the candidate is expected to contribute to the teaching and outreach mission of the University of Minnesota.

Research 

• Emphasis areas in research include: renewable energy systems, sustainable processes, and products development with practical applications.
• The development of products and their uses could include: thermochemical conversion of biomass (such as gasification, pyrolysis) and the use of products and co-products (such as bioash, biochar), renewable chemicals and agronomic nutrients, renewable fertilizer and their applications, recovery and reuse of nutrients (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) from agricultural waste streams.
• The successful candidate is expected to collaborate on issues such as sustainability analysis of renewable systems, environmental life cycle assessment, and economic and social impacts in the research.
• This position offers tremendous opportunities for developing collaborations with world-class faculty across the University of Minnesota system in CFANS departments such as Agronomy, Soil, Water, and Climate, and Animal Science, in College of Science and Engineering (CSE) and at the U of M Morris campus.
• By partnering with existing programs and activities, this faculty member will provide an additional link between the University's renewable energy systems research and the public, students, and policy makers to educate the next generation of renewable energy researchers and leaders. 

Teaching 

• The teaching component of this position will focus on both web-based and experiential learning.
• Responsibilities will include co-teaching a highly successful on-line only course on Renewable Energy and the Environment (http://bbe2201.cfans.umn.edu/), and developing experiential learning opportunities to integrate with related courses at the undergraduate and graduate level.
• The successful candidate will have access to University resources to develop and enhance his/her abilities for web-based teaching. 

Outreach 

• The successful candidate is expected to contribute to strengthening relationships with the agricultural and renewable energy industry in Minnesota and beyond.
• Through these relationships, the successful candidate is expected to target his/her research efforts and to effectively communicate research findings and broader concepts, with the goal of assisting agricultural entities and other businesses to develop and implement renewable energy systems and sustainable practices. Program/Unit Description Sustainable development of renewable energy, bio-based chemicals and co-products and their effective applications is one of the key challenges for the 21st century.
• In addition to developing alternatives to fossil fuels, it is highly imperative to address serious environmental challenges including greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, water quality, and air quality.  

Qualifications:

Applicants must have an excellent academic record, exceptional potential for world-class research, and a commitment to both undergraduate and graduate education.

Required 

• PhD degree in an Engineering discipline from an accredited institution with a chemical and/or biological processing background.
• Research experience with renewable energy technologies and systems and their application is essential.
• Strong written communication skills. 

Preferred  

• Preference will be given to candidates with a strong publication record and proven ability to work on multidisciplinary projects;
• Evidence of potential to develop interdisciplinary research programs at the forefront of the discipline;
• Evidence of strong teaching ability and verbal communication skills;
• Evidence of experience in obtaining external funding;
• Interest in, experience with, and commitment to diversity and inclusiveness;
• Post-doctoral experience in topics related to renewable energy systems and sustainability;
• A broad understanding of industry strategies and management of environmental and sustainability issues; and
• Demonstrated teaching ability will also be a strong consideration.  

To Apply:

Please click below: "Apply Here!" and then follow application instructions.  

Note: In support of the College's strong commitment to and respect for diversity and cultural competence, finalists invited for interviews will be asked to provide a statement describing interest, experience with, and commitment to diversity and inclusiveness.

~ As an institution committed to demonstrating excellence through diversity, the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences and the University are committed to hiring a diverse faculty and staff, and actively encourages candidates from historically underrepresented groups to apply. ~