Assistant or Associate Professor for Wheat Breeding and Genetics BF9452

Oklahoma State University•Stillwater, OK

About The Position

Oklahoma State University’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences seeks a dynamic plant breeder and geneticist for an 11-month, tenure-track faculty position with a 100% research assignment. The successful candidate will lead the OSU wheat breeding program and play a central leadership role in the multidisciplinary OSU Wheat Improvement Team. Subject to academic rank, the candidate may be considered for the Wheat Genetics Chair in Agriculture, which carries a stable multi-million-dollar endowment. The position focuses on developing and releasing high-yielding, end-use-quality-focused hard winter wheat and specialty wheat varieties for Oklahoma and the Great Plains. The research program will integrate classical phenotypic breeding with genomic selection, marker-assisted breeding, high-throughput phenotyping, crop modeling, and emerging gene-editing and AI-enabled digital breeding technologies. Research priorities include dual-purpose production systems, changing pest and disease pressures, drought, low soil pH, and late-planted scenarios, while strengthening the marketing position of Great Plains wheat. The faculty member will manage germplasm development, field and quality testing, and variety releases; collaborate with the Wheat Improvement Team and other breeding programs; secure extramural funding; evaluate breeding material at university and affiliated research sites; publish findings; represent the program publicly; and recruit, advise, and mentor graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. The position is benefits-eligible, with salary competitive and based on qualifications and experience. The position is expected to be filled by March 2027 or as soon thereafter as an acceptable applicant is available.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Plant Breeding, Genetics, Agronomy, Crop Science, or a closely related biological field.
Documented expertise in field-based plant breeding and genetics.
Demonstrated ability or strong potential to secure extramural funding and publish peer-reviewed research.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Proven ability to lead collaborative, transdisciplinary research teams and represent Oklahoma wheat improvement to the consumer public.

Nice To Haves

Postdoctoral or industry experience in a major crop breeding program; experience with polyploid or small-grain crops such as winter wheat is highly advantageous.
Practical experience integrating genomic selection, high-throughput phenotyping, or digital agriculture tools into an active breeding pipeline.
Familiarity with dual-purpose grazing-plus-grain management systems typical of the Southern Great Plains.
Experience interacting with agricultural producers, commodity groups, and industry stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Lead the OSU wheat breeding program, managing germplasm development, field and quality testing, and variety releases.
Lead and collaborate with the multidisciplinary OSU Wheat Improvement Team, including molecular geneticists, plant pathologists, entomologists, crop physiologists, systems modelers, and Extension specialists.
Develop and execute breeding strategies in collaboration with wheat breeding programs in and outside the U.S. Great Plains.
Secure competitive extramural funding from federal agencies, state commodity groups, and industry partners.
Use statewide university research stations and affiliated private research-grade sites to evaluate and select breeding material and collect grain for end-use quality testing.
Publish research findings in high-quality, peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Represent the OSU wheat improvement program through local, regional, and national media.
Recruit, advise, and mentor M.S. and Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers.