Assistant Professor of Biology and Herbarium Curator

We invite applications for a tenure-track position as Assistant Professor of Biology and Curator of the Herbarium at the Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB), a natural history collections facility within the Department of Biology of the University of New Mexico (UNM).

We seek colleagues with demonstrated commitments to (1) collecting and curating natural history specimens; (2) using specimens to address questions in evolution, systematics, and ecology; (3) pursuing a vigorous, externally funded research program; (4) advancing the integration of specimens into the field of botany; (5) achieving excellence in teaching and mentoring; and (6) supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, and student access within a diverse community.

UNM is a research-intensive (Carnegie R1), minority-majority institution located in Albuquerque, a city with a rich cultural heritage in a biodiverse, scenic landscape. The Department of Biology is a family-friendly academic community of 35 tenure-track faculty members (https://biology.unm.edu/people/faculty/faculty.html), ~1500 undergraduate majors, 100+ graduate students, and a vibrant portfolio of extramurally funded research.

The MSB (https://msb.unm.edu/) includes eight collections (more than 5 million specimens), each with a faculty-curator, full-time collection manager, and shared mission: to collect and curate biodiversity specimens and information that advances scientific understanding of Earth’s biota over time and space. MSB contributes to more than 400 scientific publications annually and leads globally in the development and dissemination of informatics resources (https://arctosdb.org/). MSB’s cryo-collections comprise more than 700,000 samples that document global change, emerging diseases, and evolutionary processes.

The UNM Herbarium (http://www.msb.unm.edu/divisions/herbarium/index.html) in the Museum of Southwestern Biology is the largest collection of preserved plants in New Mexico. It is a well-established resource for ecological, genetic, and floristic studies as well as teaching and outreach. The collection comprises ~140,000 plant specimens, more than 10,700 taxa, and a growing fungarium; it is fully digitized, imaged, and online accessible. Facilities include a state-of-the-art imaging system, a leaf-tissue silica library, and a collections space with room for growth.