Position Summary
The Colleges of Engineering and Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University (MSU) invite applications for a tenure-system faculty position in hydrologic systems engineering and data science. Securing water has become a defining challenge of the century, and Michigan is where that challenge is most sharply concentrated. The state holds the world's largest freshwater system, anchors a diverse agricultural economy dependent on water, and is now attracting a wave of water-intensive industry — data centers, EV battery production, and advanced manufacturing — that is creating unprecedented and unevenly distributed demand. Floods, droughts, and weather extremes across the Great Lakes region are growing more frequent and severe, straining aging infrastructure and agricultural systems.
MSU is uniquely positioned at this precise intersection of freshwater abundance, agricultural mission, and industrial water demand — and meeting these challenges is fundamentally an engineering problem. We welcome candidates whose research and teaching address these critical societal challenges, particularly in areas such as flood and drought forecasting, controllable urban water systems, resilient infrastructure, and data-driven management of rivers, lakes, and groundwater. This includes the coupling of process-based hydrologic and hydrodynamic modeling with AI, machine learning, remote sensing, high-performance computing, and real-time data infrastructure. Distinct opportunities also exist in physics-informed AI, digital twins of watersheds and water infrastructure, and smart-sensored water systems grounded in a real freshwater-agriculture-industry setting. We welcome applications at the rank of Assistant Professor, though outstanding candidates at Associate or Full Professor level are also encouraged to apply.
Candidates must have earned a PhD in Engineering or a closely related discipline at the time of appointment, with an anticipated start date of August 16, 2027. Appointments will be made in the Departments of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering and Civil and Environmental Engineering, based on existing strengths and capabilities and the candidate’s preferences. This will be a full-time, academic-year appointment in the tenure system, with tenure, if appropriate, at a salary commensurate with the candidate’s background and experience. Those who conduct research that broadens access to education and innovation, addresses barriers to participation, or enhances the university’s ability to serve communities are of high interest.
The candidate is expected to establish a sustainable, externally funded, and internationally visible research program; make significant scholarly contributions to their discipline; conduct community-engaged research; be an effective teacher and mentor of undergraduate and graduate students; engage in institutional and professional service; and contribute to the university’s land-grant mission of access, service, and advancing knowledge for the common good. Candidates are encouraged to describe the potential impacts of their scholarship and how their work might complement existing strengths within the College and across the university. Additional qualifications include strong leadership and interpersonal skills, excellent written and oral communication abilities, a demonstrated capacity to thrive in a collaborative research environment, and a commitment to advancing MSU’s land-grant mission of expanding access, opportunity, and excellence.
Successful candidates are expected to collaborate with and build on existing MSU activities focused on hydrologic systems engineering and data science, advancing collaborations between the College of Engineering and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources on agricultural water management, the MSU One Health Initiative, the MSU Water Alliance, and with campus units focused on sustainability and climate.
Additionally, the successful candidate is expected to support MSU’s strategic priorities. This position is supported by the MSU Provost’s 1855 Professorships initiative, which seeks to elevate academic quality and reputation at MSU. For more information about the 1855 Professorships, visit: 1855 Professorships | Office of the Provost | Michigan State University. For more information about MSU’s strategic plan, visit: Strategic Plan | Michigan State University.
This is a union position represented by the Union of Tenure System Faculty (UTSF). The university is working with the union to establish a collective bargaining agreement.
Community of Respect and Innovation
At Michigan State University’s College of Engineering, we believe that education and innovation are strongest when built on mutual respect. Guided by MSU’s land-grant mission, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge, expanding access to education, and creating solutions that serve the common good. We are committed to a community where each person is respected, supported, and empowered to thrive—engineering with respect, innovating with purpose, building with trust, and growing through resilience. Learn more about our Community of Respect and Innovation.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Degree
Doctorate -PhD – Engineering or a closely related discipline
Minimum Requirements
- Have an earned PhD in Engineering or a closely related discipline at the time of appointment
- Potential for high-quality instruction and mentoring at the undergraduate and graduate levels
- Demonstrated ability and/or potential to provide service to the Departments, the University, and the profession, and to work with students and faculty from a variety of backgrounds
- For Assistant Professor candidates: strong potential for high-quality research likely to result in top-level publications and national recognition
- For Associate/Full Professor candidates: an established national reputation for original and influential research, with demonstrable evidence of continued growth in national status
Desired Qualifications
- Demonstrated leadership ability, with strong interpersonal skills and the capacity to build effective working relationships across diverse teams
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly to varied audiences
- Proven ability to thrive in a collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment
Required Application Materials
- A detailed CV
- A cover letter summarizing your qualifications (one page)
- A teaching vision statement (one page)
- A research vision statement (one page)
- A land-grant mission statement (one page), which should include:
- Your understanding of MSU’s land-grant mission and its emphasis on expanding access, opportunity, and excellence in higher education and research
- Examples of how your teaching, research, or outreach has advanced broad access to knowledge or created opportunities for individuals or communities
- Evidence of o
