Assistant Professor: Extension Plant Pathology

To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by November 6, 2026. Applications will continue to be accepted after the full consideration date, until a sufficient applicant pool has been achieved or the position is filled. The closing date is subject to change without notice to applicants.

When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents:

1) A resume/CV; and

2) A cover letter addressing each of the required qualifications.

3) Statement of Research

4) Statement of Teaching/Extension

Starting salary will be commensurate with skills, education, and experience.

For additional information please contact:

Joseph Spatafora

[email protected]

5417378134

This is a full-time, 1.0 FTE tenure-track position at Oregon State University in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology within the College of Agricultural Sciences. This position is funded at 0.75 FTE, and the faculty member is expected to fund the remaining 0.25 FTE through grants and contracts. For the first three years, full funding at 1.0 FTE will be provided by the college.

The duties associated with this position are to provide statewide leadership in developing an Extension research program aimed at the diagnosis and management of plant diseases of Oregon’s various fruit, nut and ornamental/nursery industries. Educational efforts are provided to individual growers, field consultants, federal and state employees, Master Gardeners, and OSU faculty. Scholarship activities directly relate to the mission and responsibilities of the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology and include the production of the Pacific Northwest Plant Disease Management Handbook. Service may include activities that contribute to the effectiveness of the department, college, university, and/or professional societies.

The Department of Botany and Plant Pathology (BPP) in the College of Agricultural Sciences maintains a cutting-edge research culture with more than 50 Faculty led research programs.  The department also delivers contemporary educational programs with more than 40 graduate students and 300 undergraduate students. Major extension and outreach activities of BPP are associated with the OSU Plant Clinic, the OSU Herbarium, and associated Extension faculty. BPP is located on the main Corvallis campus of OSU in the newly renovated Cordley Hall.  OSU is the land-grant institution for the state of Oregon with an enrollment of more than 34,000 students, and the College of Agricultural Sciences is the founding college of OSU. Corvallis is located in the heart of the Willamette Valley, approximately 50 miles from the Pacific Ocean and about 75 miles to the Cascade Mountains. It is a vibrant community with excellent K-12 education schools and medical facilities, strong public transportation and biking infrastructure, and local farmers’ markets and agriculture.

There is an expectation that, as part of your role in the college, you embody and advance the principles and practices conveyed in the CAS CARE Commitment document.

Oregon State University’s commitment to student success includes hiring, retaining, and developing diverse faculty to mentor and educate our undergraduate and graduate students from entry through graduation. The Oregon State Plan, Prosperity Widely Shared, exhibits the strategies we believe are critical to advancing and equalizing learner success. The College of Agricultural Sciences is likewise committed to the success of all learners, as evidenced by its extension and outreach programs under our Strategic Advantages.

Key Responsibilities:

• Extension Teaching and Related Assignments
• Applied Research
• Scholarship
• Service

Required Qualifications:

• PhD in Plant Pathology or related field
• Publication record in, or relevant to, applied plant pathology (field-based, greenhouse, laboratory)
• Experience in, or potential for, development and delivery of Extension educational programming in plant pathology.
• Record of, or potential for, collaborative science including outreach to stakeholders.
• Demonstrable commitment to inclusive excellence.

This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard: 05-010 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months.

This position requires driving a university vehicle or a personal vehicle on behalf of the university; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a motor vehicle history check, possess and maintain a current, valid driver's license in their state of residence, be determined to be position qualified and self-report convictions as per University Policy 05-030.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Postdoctoral experience.
• Quantitative skills, including but not limited to artificial intelligence.
• Record of, or potential for, successful extramural funding.
• Record of/commitment to work with underrepresented/underserved students or other audiences.
• Life experience, education, or training that broadens capacity to equalize student success or impact underserved audiences.

When applying, please keep in mind this posting will close at 11:59 pm the night before the posted "end date". Applications MUST be submitted prior to this deadline.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire.
OSU is a fair chance employer committed to inclusive hiring. We encourage applications from candidates who bring a wide range of lived experience including involvement with the justice system. If this position has “critical or security-sensitive” responsibilities and/or driving duties and you are selected as a finalist, your initial job offer will be contingent upon the results of a job-related pre-employment check (such as a background check, motor vehicle history check, sexual misconduct reference check, etc.). Background check results do not automatically disqualify a candidate. Take a look at our Background Checks website including the for candidates section for more details. If you have questions or concerns about the pre-employment check, please contact OSU’s Employee and Labor Relations team at [email protected].