Research Professor in Global Landscapes

The Institute on the Environment (IonE), Knowledge Initiatives (KI) team, at the University of Minnesota, invites applications for a Research Professor in Global Landscapes to enhance the capacity of the University of Minnesota, through the IonE, to pursue interdisciplinary and collaborative research that advances the study of how global landscapes contributes to global food security while interacting with environment and society. At IonE, we frame sustainability as a social, economic, and ecological state where the needs of all people are met in a way that sustains - and even restores - the natural world: where people and planet prosper together. Within this domain, we are focused on advancing pathways to just, equitable, and sustainable outcomes.

We seek a Research Professor to develop and lead an externally funded engaged-research program that supports transitions to a just, equitable, and sustainable Global Landscapes with a focus on providing knowledge on global crop production and increasing the use of this knowledge in societal decision making processes. Applicants are expected to have an area of focus within Global Landscapes that is rooted in interdisciplinary perspectives. Applicants must also demonstrate their commitment to working with partners outside of academia and how their work contributes to the impact of these partnerships.

We are looking for colleagues at mid-career who will continue their long-term careers at the intersection of original scholarship and translational science, with an emphasis on team science and collaboration that includes other members of the IonE community. Successful candidates will be expected to establish an externally funded research program that significantly supports their salary (>50% external funding), research expenses, and supports other researchers. This position does not include any teaching responsibilities; however, candidates are welcome to seek funded teaching opportunities and may be nominated for graduate faculty status to serve on graduate student committees. We consider translation within and outside the university as part of professional activities.

This position will be based in the Knowledge Initiatives (KI) unit of the Institute, which hosts the portfolio of interdisciplinary sustainability research and scholarly activity for IonE. The position is located at IonE on the St. Paul, MN campus and the person will be expected to fully participate in IonE, including attending IonE events as well as developing working relationships with other IonE staff, university researchers and students, and external partners. This position allows for some teleworking; however, because of the collaborative nature of this work, the incumbent must be able to work on campus regularly (at least 3 days per week).

The position is set up as a 75-100% FTE position, annually variable depending on external funding. IonE will provide partial operational support to enable leadership, grantsmanship, and professional service activities.

Roles and Responsibilities (assuming 100% FTE):

Externally-funded Research Program as a Practitioner-leader (75%)
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• Maintain and grow an internationally recognized research program in Global Landscapes with clear connections to at least one impact goal domain aligned with IonE's strategic priorities (see IonE strategic plan).
• Seek collaborations with UMN researchers, scholars from diverse disciplines internationally, and the non-academic partnerships (i.e., industry, government, NGO, venture capitalists, etc.) required to co-develop research ideas and ensure that research outcomes are societally impactful
• Direct and manage a research portfolio and budgets that includes multiple externally funded grants and awards
• Supervise and conduct performance evaluations for project-supported postdocs, research staff, and/or students ensuring alignment of research project goals, individual goals, and project proposals with project and organizational priorities
• Generate scholarly and impact products including, but not limited to: academic papers, reports, non-academic publications, outreach materials, policy memos, documentation, op-eds, art, data sets, github repositories, research instruments, software, and/or datasets
• Present research findings at academic and practitioner focused conferences and events
• Interact with other components of IonE, including public interest and communications, learning and developing, and institute administration, to leverage and augment the institute's work as a whole and the integration of this research program into that whole
• Other duties as defined by externally-funded research projects

Thought Leadership and Professional Service (25%)

• Identify, pursue, and secure external funding, such as grants, external sales, philanthropic contributions, and partnerships, sufficient in scale to support your salary, salaries of other team members, and expenditures for the research program priorities.
• Collaborate on IonE KI annual planning efforts including budget planning, annual goal setting, IonE Postdoctoral Fellowship priorities and reviews, and events such as Deep Engagement Week
• Serve, as requested, in IonE, university, and external leadership and/or honorific appointments to, for example, university committees, scientific assessments, or professional societies.
• Explore novel research directions through the cultivation and maintenance of collaborative relationships, shared ideation, and pre-proposal research scoping.
• Develop and cultivate collaborative relationships with external organizations, research institutions, and funding agencies to advance your research program in alignment with IonE's research impact goal priorities.
• Lead one major KI research priority to be determined by the KI director
• Other duties as requested
  

Required Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a Doctorate degree in Atmospheric Science, Land Science, Hydrology or related doctoral degree. Must have expertise in multiple aspects of sustainability. At least 10 years of post-postdoctoral experience as a research scientist.
• Established scholarly portfolio appropriate to given career stage, demonstrated by a combination of scientific databases, reports, white papers, training materials, decision support systems, software and metadata documentation, policy memos, peer-reviewed publications, and/or patent filings
• Successful track-record of externally-funded research collaborations and existing external funding that can be deployed towards funding salary and research expenses
• Experience conducting research methods, such as large database development of crop statistics, statistical analysis using such databases, and demonstrated highly-cited publications.
• Ability to work in a team environment with other experts both within the University and outside (e.g., private companies, communities, governments, etc.)
• Willingness to work regularly in-person at IonE on the UMN St. Paul campus
• Current U.S. work eligibility

Preferred Qualifications (there is not an expectation that all of these would be met):

• Ability to advance and catalyze others towards IonE's vision as described in the Strategic Plan including the ability to engage scholars across UMN to build increasingly sustainable global landscapes, and co-produce creative, fundable, and impactful projects to advance sustainable outcomes.
• Topical expertise or experience with Global food security and related topic analysis conducted at high-resolutions. Must have developed/developing global crop statistics database to support KI's contribution to answering the question on how we can reach SDG2 goals while having a sustainable planet
• Experience in developing innovative ways of engaging historically excluded people or marginalized communities and/or new stakeholders, and/or developing externally funded projects that address or reduce inequitable sustainability pathways
• Experience supervising and mentoring postdoctoral fellows, staff, and/or undergraduate or graduate students, including encouraging a collaborative and inclusive approach to our goal-oriented work
• An established record of impact-oriented public engagement and partner relationship cultivation that is integrated into research and professional activities
• Significant fundraising experience and/or current funding from diverse sources such as government grants (e.g., Federal, state), NGOs, foundation, and donors
• Team leadership experience including motivating and coordinating multiple people towards a common project goal
• Exceptional skills in public engagement around climate and environmental issues, with an ability to translate research into actionable and equitable insights for policy and societal impact

The University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment (IonE) is a nationally recognized interdisciplinary institution that works to advance sustainability through collaborative research, leadership and education programming, and public-interest storytelling and communications.

Pay Range: $105,000-$150,000; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% Time Appointment

Position Type: Faculty and P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

The job posting will close on November 6th, 2025 and all applications submitted by this date will be considered. Candidates who do not submit all required materials by the job close date, in the requested format, will not move forward. To apply, please submit as a single PDF:
1. A detailed cover letter that describes your expertise and qualifications.
2. CV, and
3. Contact information for at least 3 recent references (i.e., name, title, organization; URL to biographical sketch or similar; address, phone number, and email address; and relationship to the candidate). References will not be contacted until final candidates have been identified.

This position requires confirmation of doctoral degree receipt, which will be formally verified. Research Professors require a UMN departmental affiliation outside of IonE; we will work with finalists to identify the appropriate department.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).