Assistant Professor OR Full-Time Lecturer Position in Agriculture and STEM outreach

The University of Minnesota Crookston, one of five campuses comprising the University of Minnesota system, invites applications for a full time, 12-month faculty member to teach undergraduate-level courses (65%) and provide outreach to regional secondary schools focused on agriculture and STEM education and career pathways (35%). Individuals with a terminal degree and demonstrated potential for research will be considered for a tenure-line appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor. Individuals with a masterâ™s degree and/or a terminal degree but without an interest in research will be considered for a full-time Lecturer appointment.

Located on the campus of the University of Minnesota Crookston (UMN-Crookston), this faculty position is split between UMN-Crookston (65%) and University of Minnesota Extension Department of Youth Development (35%). This is a full-time, twelve-month tenure line Assistant Professor position or Lecturer position housed in either the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department or the Math, Science and Technology Department on the UMN-Crookston campus, starting August 11, 2025, or as negotiated.

Responsibilities

The faculty portion of this appointment (65%) requires delivery of high-quality undergraduate instruction to students in the in the Math, Science and Technology Department or the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department on the UMN-Crookston campus, in-person or online. Undergraduate course responsibilities will be assigned based on candidate expertise but may include courses in the traditional STEM fields (biology, chemistry, nutrition, or others), in Biology/science education, or courses in the applied agricultural disciplines (agricultural education, agronomy, precision agriculture, facilities, natural resources, horticulture, or others).

The outreach and Extension portion of this appointment (35%) will include close collaboration with the University of Minnesota Extension Department of Youth Development as well as UMN Crookstonâ™s Center for Rural Education in Science and Technology(CREST) to offer regional programming to youth in grades K-12 focused on STEM and Agri-science education and associated career pathway exploration. 

This position, along with our CREST initiatives, will primarily focus on enhancing and improving STEM and agriculture content accessibility and pedagogy development in the context of rural education in K-12 and out-of-school time settings. This portion of the appointment requires significant travel throughout Minnesota. This position is expected to work closely with University of Minnesota Extension and lead efforts to expand 4-H STEM and Agri-science programming and career exploration through internal and external partnerships, including program design, delivery, reporting, and evaluation. This position will work directly with Extension Educators, K-12 teachers, youth workers and children through teaching and program design and delivery.

The candidate will also be expected to provide leadership and assistance in the development and implementation of UMN-Crookstonâ™s academic program goals and objectives; advise undergraduate students; participate in undergraduate program recruitment and retention efforts; help expand the network with industry to benefit programs and student experiences, as well as employment opportunities for our graduates; help coordinate on-campus FFA events, our Agriculture and Natural Resources Activity Day, and other community engagement activities; provide service to the department, institution, and profession; and work collaboratively with a highly interdisciplinary faculty. The position requires regular office hours, instruction, and engagement in service activities on the University of Minnesota Crookston campus. The University of Minnesota does not sponsor work visa applications. 

Candidates who wish to be considered for a tenure line appointment are expected to establish a successful research program that may include research in their academic discipline or in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Tenure-line appointments carry a 19.5-credit teaching load (typically three courses per semester).

Candidates who wish to be considered for a full-time Lecturer appointment are not expected to establish a research agenda. Lecturer appointments carry a 19.5-credit teaching load (typically three courses per semester).
 

Assistant Professor:
Minimum Qualifications

• For a tenure-line appointment, we require a Doctorate degree in a relevant field with at least 18 graduate credits in the relevant discipline. ABD will also be considered;
• At least 2 years experience designing, delivering, and assessing agriculture and/or STEM outreach and engagement programs. Appropriate middle/high school teacher licensure and teaching experience may satisfy this requirement;
• Effective communication skills;
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex scientific information in clear and concise language and demonstrations that are appropriate for middle and high school students;
• Ability to deliver effective undergraduate teaching, both on campus and online;
• Ability to draw upon cultural and community-based knowledge in teaching;
• Ability to demonstrate cultural competency within the scope of the land grant mission;
• Ability to read, write, and understand English;
• Commitment to an experiential educational philosophy within the scope of the land grant mission.

Preferred Qualifications

• University teaching experience;
• Current middle/high school teaching licensure for teaching agriculture or the STEM disciplines;
• Research experience at an academic institution;
• Experience in writing and administering grants;
• Familiarity with computer-based instructional technology;
• Proficiency in a second language, preferably Spanish.
   

Lecturer
Minimum Qualifications

• For a Lecturer appointment, we require a Masterâ™s degree in a relevant field with at least 18 graduate credits in the relevant discipline;
• At least 2 years experience designing, delivering, and assessing agriculture and/or STEM outreach and engagement programs. Appropriate middle/high school teacher licensure and teaching experience may satisfy this requirement;
• Effective communication skills;
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex scientific information in clear and concise language and demonstrations that are appropriate for middle and high school students;
• Ability to deliver effective undergraduate teaching, both on campus and online;
• Ability to draw upon cultural and community-based knowledge in teaching;
• Ability to demonstrate cultural competency within the scope of the land grant mission;
• Ability to read, write, and understand English;
• Commitment to an experiential educational philosophy within the scope of the land grant mission.

Preferred Qualifications

• University teaching experience;
• Current middle/high school teaching licensure for teaching agriculture or the STEM disciplines;
• Research experience at an academic institution;
• Experience in writing and administering grants;
• Familiarity with computer-based instructional technology;
• Proficiency in a second language, preferably Spanish.
   

About University of Minnesota Crookston

The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMN Crookston) is one of five campuses comprising the University of Minnesota system. UMN Crookston is a four-year public university with an enrollment of 1,800 students, approximately half on campus and half in online degrees.  The student body is diverse and comes from over 40 states and over 30 countries. Thirty-four baccalaureate degrees are offered, 15 of which are also offered online.  UMN Crookston proudly carries on a tradition of over a century of educational service to northwestern Minnesota, beginning in 1906 as a regional residential high school, changing to a two-year college in 1966 and to a four-year college in 1993.  UMN Crookston is a small student-centered community of learning and scholars known for providing personal attention to every student.  UMN Crookston makes a commitment to each individual student’s achievements and offers a hands-on approach and experiential learning that put students ahead of the competition. Integral to the university's statewide land-grant mission, UMN Crookston provides applied, career-oriented learning programs including internships and connects its teaching, research, and outreach to local, co...unty, and regional economic development agencies in support of the global economy. UMN Crookston delivers world?class University of Minnesota degrees in an affordable, close?knit campus setting where faculty and staff personally invest in the success of each student. UMN Crookston has been recognized for its quality programs by such organizations as U.S. News & World Report, which ranked the campus as #1 in the category Top Public Regional Colleges–Midwest for 2020.  U.S. News has ranked UMN Crookston among the top four in this category for the past 23 consecutive years.

Show more

Show less

Connections working at University of Minnesota Crookston