Assistant Professor, Freshwater Ecology, Iowa State University

Position Overview

Application Deadline: October 4, 2026 (full consideration)

Education Required: Ph.D. or equivalent in ecology, environmental science, limnology, aquatic biology, or related field

Description

Iowa State University is hiring an Assistant Professor in Freshwater Ecology in Ames, Iowa, with applications due October 4, 2026 for full consideration.

The Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology (EEOB) is a collaborative community of about 80 faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and staff addressing research questions across multiple levels of biological organization. EEOB is jointly administered by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, co-administering undergraduate programs in Biology, Environmental Science, and Genetics, and administering the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program.

This is a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor with a distribution of effort at 70 percent research, 25 percent teaching, and 5 percent service. The department defines freshwater ecology broadly across lake, river, stream, and wetland ecosystems, with preference for candidates whose research applies to lakes and reservoirs in Iowa and the midwestern US. Opportunities exist for collaboration with the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, Iowa Water Center, and Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture.

Responsibilities

• Develop an externally funded, research-intensive program contributing foundational knowledge in freshwater ecology.
• Pursue research across organismal, population, community, ecosystem, or biogeochemical scales, addressing processes relevant to inland waters of agricultural and human-dominated landscapes.
• Apply empirical, analytical, computational, or modeling approaches to freshwater systems.
• Contribute to undergraduate and graduate education, including teaching a course in aquatic ecology.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate researchers.
• Build partnerships with state and federal agencies and the broader ISU community of water and environmental scientists.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or equivalent in ecology, environmental science, limnology, aquatic biology, or closely related field.
• Publications in nationally or internationally recognized journals.
• Research experience in freshwater ecology.
• Legal authorization to work in the US on an ongoing basis without sponsorship; immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Research vision that includes lakes or reservoirs aligned with land-grant university mission.
• Ability to conduct impactful research with regional, state, or stakeholder relevance.
• Commitment to effective teaching and mentoring.
• Commitment to contributing to the department and university’s Principles of Community.

Additional Notes

• Tenure-track position; 9-month work period; full-time.
• Proposed start date: August 16, 2027.
• Iowa State Faculty receive comprehensive health and work-life benefits including medical, dental, retirement, generous leave, onsite childcare in Ames, life insurance, and long-term disability.
• Job Requisition Number: R19216.

How to Apply

Apply online at jobs.iastate.edu referencing Job Requisition Number R19216. For questions about the application process or position, contact Samantha Smith at samsmith@iastate.edu.

Required application materials:

• Cover letter.
• Curriculum vitae.
• Contact information for three references.
• Research statement (up to three pages) demonstrating research experience and interests in freshwater ecology, a research plan, and funding strategies.
• Statement of teaching and mentoring (up to three pages) demonstrating approach and knowledge of teaching, learning, and mentoring.

Submit research and teaching statements together as one combined PDF.