Furthering the Bioeconomy - Assistant/Associate/Full Professor

The Wisconsin Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence https://rise.wisc.edu/ Initiative at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) is designed to help address significant, complex challenges of particular importance to Wisconsin and the world, through accelerated and strategic faculty hiring, research infrastructure enhancement, interdisciplinary collaboration and increased student and educational opportunities. RISE-EARTH, which stands for Environment: Adaptation, Resilience, Technology, and Humanity, will strengthen the university's ability to address challenges and opportunities related to the environment, translating discoveries into tangible benefits in Wisconsin and beyond. In total, the RISE-EARTH hiring initiative will add 16 new faculty members to this vibrant community in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

As part of this initiative, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences seeks applicants with a distinguished academic record and exceptional potential focused on advancing the bioeconomy through development of sustainable biofuels or biomaterials or by addressing barriers to their adoption including public opinion, policy and economics. We are recruiting for multiple faculty positions and ranks. Successful candidates can select their tenure-home in a department whose priorities align with the position. The successful candidate will contribute to the research and teaching missions of the department and the college. See https://cals.wisc.edu/ for more information about the college and its departments.

UW-Madison is a top-ranked research institution that provides a world-class environment to develop an outstanding research program by affording excellent facilities and a vibrant place to learn and teach. Extensive collaborative opportunities are available within a diverse and supportive research community using cutting-edge multidisciplinary approaches, including the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center https://www.glbrc.org/, to examine all aspects of science connected to this and other RISE programs. The City of Madison and its surrounding communities are ranked among the best places to live in the country, with a wide range of social, cultural, and outdoor activities, and career opportunities for family members. Our departments promote diversity by engaging people with widely differing backgrounds, talents, perspectives, and lifestyles.

Ideal candidates will have a strong background in synthetic biology, biotechnology, science communication, or related fields, with expertise related to developing biological systems for producing renewable materials, chemicals, and fuels or conducting social science to understand barriers and drivers for growing the bioeconomy. The successful candidates will lead innovative research programs aimed at creating bio-based alternatives to conventional materials or understanding the social impacts of these changes, thereby contributing to a more sustainable and circular economy. Teaching loads and responsibilities will include graduate and undergraduate courses aligned with home department and college expectations, pertaining to the candidate's area of research expertise and/or the broader fields of bioprocess engineering, biotechnology, sustainability science, applied economics, or science communication.

Teaching undergraduate and graduate courses and contributing to curriculum updates and innovations to educate a diverse student body; mentoring graduate students and supervising their research; developing and directing a well-recognized and extramurally funded research program; participating in departmental and university faculty governance; contributing to professional and public service, and participating in interdisciplinary and collaborative efforts with other departments, schools, and colleges.

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Required
PhD
in synthetic biology, biotechnology, agricultural/biological engineering, applied economics, science communication, or related fields, with expertise in developing biological systems for producing renewable materials, chemicals, and fuels or social science related to their adoption by the position start date.

The successful candidate will have an excellent academic record, a vision for an innovative and impactful research program, the skills to implement it, and a commitment to high quality and inclusive undergraduate and graduate instruction and mentoring. The candidate's years of experience and professional accomplishments will be commensurate with the rank sought. Associate and Full professor candidates must possess experience and scholarly credentials that meet the tenure standards of the UW-Madison Divisional Committee, their home department, and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. All requirements must be met by the position start date.

Full Time: 100%

It is anticipated this position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location.

Ongoing/Renewable

AUGUST 18, 2025

Negotiable
ACADEMIC (9 months)

This position is part of the Wisconsin Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) Initiative. Through accelerated and strategic faculty hiring, research infrastructure enhancement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and increased student and educational opportunities, RISE addresses complex societal challenges of importance to the state, nation and world. Building on UW-Madison's strengths, RISE expands the University's successful track record of connecting with communities and industry on collaborative solutions.

Over the next three academic years, UW-Madison will substantially increase current hiring levels, bringing 150 new RISE faculty to campus. Candidates hired through RISE will join a community of scholars working across disciplines, schools and colleges on research, teaching and outreach endeavors. The community will engage regularly in venues such as seminar series and colloquia to share ongoing projects and identify opportunities to work together. The University will support the community, facilitating access to research infrastructure, and funding to support broad and rich collaboration. Further information regarding RISE can be found at: https://rise.wisc.edu/

Applicants will be asked to upload a single .pdf file comprising of a cover letter, a 2-page statement of research, a 1-page teaching interests, and a curriculum vitae. Applicants must also provide the contact information for three references within the application.

The deadline for assuring full consideration is November 1, 2024, however positions will remain open and applications may be considered until all positions are filled.

Employment will require an institutional reference check regarding any misconduct. To be considered, applicants must upload a signed 'Authorization to Release Information' form as part of the application. The authorization form and a definition of 'misconduct' can be found here: https://hr.wisc.edu/institutional-reference-check/

Troy Runge
trunge@wisc.edu
608-890-3143
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Professor(FA020) or Associate Professor(FA030) or Assistant Professor(FA040)

A07-COL OF AG & LIFE SCIENCES/ADMIN/DEAN & DIR

Faculty

306277-FA