Assistant / Associate Professor in Plant Pathology

Job Description:

The United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) invites applications for a full-time faculty position in Plant Pathology at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor. The appointment will be within the College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, is expected to begin in the upcoming academic year. The successful candidate is expected to establish a competitive, externally funded research program in plant pathology. Research areas may include pathogen detection and characterization, host–pathogen–microbiome interactions, disease ecology, and microbiome-based disease suppression strategies. The successful candidate will contribute to teaching, research, and service activities in the field of plant pathology, with emphasis on diseases of horticultural and field crops relevant to arid and semi-arid environments. Key Responsibilities • Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in plant pathology and related disciplines. • Supervise MSc and PhD students. • Establish and maintain an internationally recognized research program. • Secure competitive external research funding. • Publish in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals. • Engage in community service and professional activities at departmental, college, and university levels. • Contribute to industry collaboration and outreach activities, particularly in areas relevant to national agricultural priorities.

Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD in Plant Pathology or a closely related discipline from an accredited institution. • Demonstrated research productivity in plant disease diagnosis, epidemiology, molecular plant–pathogen interactions, integrated disease management, or related areas. • Evidence of effective teaching at the university level (for Associate Professor rank, a strong record of teaching, research, and service is required). • Strong communication skills in English.

Experience/Skills:

Areas of Specialization (One or More of the Following) • Fungal Pathology: Soil-borne and foliar fungal diseases, mycotoxins, molecular identification, and host resistance. • Bacterial Pathology: Plant-associated bacteria, bacterial wilt and blight diseases, molecular characterization, and plant–bacteria interactions. • Viral Pathology: Plant virus diagnostics, virus–vector relationships, molecular virology, and epidemiology. • Nematology: Plant-parasitic nematodes, nematode–microbiome interactions, and integrated nematode management. • Plant Microbiome Research: Rhizosphere, phyllosphere, and endosphere microbiomes; metagenomics; microbiome engineering; biological control; microbial consortia for plant health and disease suppression. Expertise in advanced methodologies such as high-throughput sequencing, metagenomics, transcriptomics, bioinformatics, CRISPR-based diagnostics, and microbial community analysis is highly desirable.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in arid or semi-arid agricultural systems. • Expertise in advanced molecular diagnostics, disease resistance breeding support, or sustainable disease management strategies. • Record of successful research grant acquisition.