Assistant/Associate Professor in Climate Change and Resiliency, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Fall 2026 presso University of Tennessee, Knoxville

The Department of Earth, Environmental, & Planetary Sciences (EEPS), University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position in Climate Change Resiliency Geoscience. The appointment will be at the Assistant or Associate Professor level and will begin on 1 August, 2026, as part of a College of Arts and Science constellation hire in Societal Resilience to Climate Change. The successful candidate is expected to develop a vigorous, externally funded research and instructional program in the broad field of climate change resiliency from an Earth Systems approach.

The successful candidate is expected to lead research investigating the causes and effects of climate change, preferably through a combination of proxy data from geological and environmental archives and modelling approaches. EEPS has complementary and expanding expertise in geology and environmental science research with a range of new, applicable analytical facilities using both isotopes and trace elements. A successful candidate’s research may engage with, but not be limited to, water resources, cryosphere (glaciers, polar ice sheets, permafrost, sea ice) dynamics, paleoclimate reconstruction, biogeochemistry, sedimentation and soil formation, oceanography, and coastal processes. This faculty member will develop a research program that complements both faculty in EEPS and the broader Societal Resilience to Climate Change constellation, as well as foster collaboration with researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory or in the social sciences at the intersectionality of climate change and human health. The selected candidate will effectively teach courses about climate change geoscience at all levels, mentor undergraduate and graduate students, and perform rank-appropriate departmental and university service.

Based in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, this position is part of a new constellation of interdisciplinary faculty positions in the UT College of Arts and Sciences emphasizing Societal Resilience to Climate Change (SRCC): https://artsci.utk.edu/about/faculty-initiatives. We are seeking tenure-line faculty who will have overlapping interests that foster faculty development and collaboration. The goal is to bring together and invest in faculty across departments whose research and scholarship are linked through this initiative and to attract faculty who can bring different perspectives to an important issue or area.

The University is beginning a next-level initiative aimed both at substantially elevating the University’s national reputation for impactful research, scholarship, and creative activity and at assembling a roster of faculty committed to delivering one of the nation's best educational experiences for undergraduate and graduate students.

Knoxville, set in the foothills of the Smoky and Blue Ridge mountains, is an outstanding natural teaching laboratory and recreation destination. In addition to mountains, East Tennessee has abundant inland waterways and pristine state and national parks. Knoxville is a thriving city filled with indoor and outdoor entertainment venues, restaurants, shops, and cultural offerings. The city has a blend of convenient urban and rural living settings.

Qualifications: Required: Applicants must hold a Ph.D. (or equivalent) degree in geoscience or a related discipline by the time of appointment. Candidates for Associate Professor must have a background consistent with tenure in EEPS. Preferred: Candidates should demonstrate a record of achievement or the potential for excellence commensurate for the rank to which they are applying (Assistant vs. Associate Professor). Achievement will be assessed through publications in peer-reviewed journals, presentations, and competitive support (e.g., grants, fellowships, contracts). Candidates for Assistant Professor must demonstrate potential for success in these areas, while candidates for Associate Professor must have an established record of peer-reviewed publication and competitive funding.  Excellence in teaching will be demonstrated through a record of prior formal or informal teaching and outreach. Candidates for Assistant Professor must demonstrate potential for success in these areas, while candidates for Associate Professor must have an established record of teaching excellence and a strong record of service. UTK is a land-grant university that values engaged forms of research/scholarship/creative activity, teaching, and service. Preference will be given to candidates who show potential to form collaborations within EEPS and across the greater Knoxville research community. We will examine evidence for the applicant’s commitment to all of these criteria.

To apply, please submit: (1) cover letter articulating the applicant’s interest in and qualifications for this position, (2) full curriculum vitae, (3) no more than two-page statement that describes research experience, interests, and future research directions, (4) no more than two-page statement that describes teaching experience, interests, and future directions, and (5) names and contact information for at least three professional references via apply.interfolio.com/173648. In addition to addressing qualifications for the position, candidates may describe how they would help promote student access to and engagement in their teaching and research/scholarship/creative activities. Formal review of applications will begin on 10 November 2025 and remain open until filled. Questions about the position should be directed to Dr. Colin D. Sumrall ([email protected]).