Integrative Precision Agriculture

Position Summary

The College of Engineering at the University of Georgia is seeking to grow and diversify its programs through investments in faculty with expertise in data science and artificial intelligence as it applies to the research and scholarship in Integrative Precision Agriculture.   

The College invites applications for multiple open rank, 9-month tenured or tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor level. This position will start on August 1, 2022, and is an academic year appointment (9 months) with an opportunity to supplement salary during the summer.

The hiring is part of a campus-wide Presidential Interdisciplinary Faculty Hiring Initiative in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence that aims to recruit 50 faculty members who will educate students and advance research in data science and AI. Rather than being housed exclusively in a single department, however, the majority of UGA’s newly recruited faculty will focus on the fusion of data science and AI in cross-cutting areas such as infectious diseases, integrative precision agriculture, ethics, cybersecurity, resilient communities and the environment.

The UGA College of Engineering will utilize this initiative to demonstrate our commitment to diversifying our faculty and ensure that we maintain and grow the culture of equity and inclusivity in our college. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values of the University and College, and this hiring initiative will make use of the best practices to ensure an inclusive search process. The Diversity and Inclusion Plan for the college identifies priority areas for our investments and through the 2021-2022 academic year we will develop a Diversity Strategic Plan as part of a campus-wide effort. The college offers structured mentoring programs for all faculty that support professional development. Several programs exist to enhance the inclusiveness of our college, including a student-led Engineering Equity Council and facilitated dialogue that promotes discourse on topics in diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

This position is one of nine positions in the Integrative Precision Agriculture cluster hiring initiative at the university. This position will focus specifically on Co-Robotics and Human-Robotic Interactions. Research may include human-in-the-loop systems and the safe coexistence of workers and robots in close proximity while leveraging the relative strengths of robots and humans in planning and performance of agricultural tasks: pre- and post-harvesting. 

The College of Engineering already has significant expertise in automation, robotics, image processing, and post-harvesting technologies and its applications in precision agriculture. Applications are sought in areas that interface data science and artificial intelligence with Integrative Precision Agriculture, in particular Co-Robotics and Human-Robotic Interactions.

Faculty hired as part of this initiative will join a rapidly growing engineering college that combines interdisciplinary research and scholarship with excellent instruction and service. The UGA College of Engineering currently enrolls over 2,500 engineering majors and has over 80 full-time faculty across fifteen-degree programs.  Significant investments in infrastructure have resulted in an expansion of laboratory facilities for research and scholarship and new classrooms and instructional labs. College of Engineering faculty will have space in two major capital projects on campus to create interdisciplinary research facilities. Our main instructional facility has also undergone complete renovation to create flexible classrooms that enable a range of teaching modalities and the incorporation of interdisciplinary instructional labs. The common instructional facilities also foster diversity since they allow faculty, staff, and students to interact and collaborate in a single facility.  

Minimum Qualifications

A Ph.D. in any engineering discipline relevant to the field of integrative precision agriculture.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

A strong record of research, scholarship, and instruction that is commensurate with the stage in their professional career and aligned with the areas of research and scholarship associated with this position; a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; a focus on interdisciplinary scholarship that addresses critical societal challenges.  
Evidence of a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through scholarship, teaching, and/or service endeavors.

Application Procedure 

To apply, please submit applications here.

Applicants are asked to submit the following information along with their application:

  • A detailed curriculum vita.
  • A cover letter (not to exceed one page) addressing the candidate’s experience relative to the responsibilities of the position.
  • A statement describing the candidate’s commitment to diversity and the creation of an equitable and inclusive professional environment.
  • A teaching statement not to exceed 2 pages.
  • A research statement not to exceed 2 pages.
  • The names, titles, and contact information for three professional references.  

Questions related to the position may be directed to Dr. Jaime Camelio at jcamelio@uga.edu

All applications received by November 22, 2021 will receive full consideration.  

About the University of Georgia

The University of Georgia (UGA), a land-grant and sea-grant university with statewide commitments and responsibilities, is the state’s oldest, most comprehensive, and most diversified institution of higher education (https://www.uga.edu/). UGA is currently ranked among the top 16 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA was founded in 1785 by the Georgia General Assembly as the first state-chartered University in the country. UGA employs approximately 1,800 full-time instructional faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 39,000 students including over 30,000 undergraduates and over 9,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 18 schools and colleges, as well as a medical partnership with Augusta University housed on the UGA Health Sciences Campus in Athens.

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, genetic information, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).

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