Assistant Professor, Hydrologic Sciences
The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.
If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at (775) 784-1495 or [email protected].
Job Description
The Department of Geological Sciences and Engineering (DGSE) at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) invites applications for a full-time, 9-month contract tenure-track faculty position in the hydrologic sciences, broadly defined, which could include a combination of groundwater hydrology (hydrogeology), hydrogeophysics, aqueous geochemistry, geothermal applications, mining hydrology, surface water hydrology, hydraulic engineering and civil engineering that focus on interactions with the natural environment, or other related fields. The position is at the rank of Assistant Professor, with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2027.
Applicants must have a PhD at the time of appointment and demonstrate commitment to both undergraduate and graduate instruction as well as development and vision of an externally-funded program of research in their specialty. Given the pressing needs related to water that our society and Nevada currently face, we expect the hired faculty member will perform both basic and applied research. Building on strengths in field and lab-based teaching and research, the undergraduate and graduate programs offered by DGSE aim to train students to solve societally relevant problems from multi-disciplinary perspectives and to be technically proficient geoscientists for diverse industries. The applicant’s resume should reflect the ability to strengthen our department, which combines the geosciences and engineering and actively participates in the interdisciplinary Graduate Program of Hydrological Sciences.
Required Qualifications
Ph.D. in Geological Sciences, Geological Engineering or a closely related field by May 30, 2027.
Compensation Grade
Assistant Professor
To view the salary schedule for this position, please visit: Salary Schedules and select (9-month contract) Academic Faculty. Salary is competitive and commensurate with related education and experience.
Perks of working at UNR
- Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance
- Generous sick leave, life insurance, and long-term disability - Faculty Benefits
- E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers an annual or semester membership and family membership options. E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center
- Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.
- Faculty Senate is the principal representing body for faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. Faculty Senate
- No state income tax!
Grants-in-aid for Faculty Employees
The University is proud to provide a reduced-rate tuition benefit to faculty and qualified dependents. Faculty can take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate. Dependents of faculty have unlimited credits, but in order to be eligible children must be unmarried and under the age of 24 and must receive at least 50% of their financial support from the employee and/or employee’s spouse or domestic partner. Faculty Grants-in-Aid
Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program
The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a dual career assistance program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them to identify career opportunities in Northern Nevada. Dual Career Assistance Program
Department Information
The Department of Geological Sciences and Engineering. is part of the dynamic Nevada Geosciences community housed within the Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering (MSESE) within the College of Science. Nevada Geosciences also includes two state-funded Earth Science units, the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology and the Nevada Seismological Laboratory that participate in the Department’s teaching mission and graduate programs. Many faculty participate in the interdisciplinary Graduate Program of Hydrologic Sciences. We offer BS degrees in Geology, Geophysics, Hydrogeology and Geological Engineering. We offer MS degrees in Geology, Geophysics, and Geological Engineering, and PhDs in Geology, Geophysics and Mineral Resource Engineering (joint with Mining). More information about the Department can be found at http://www.unr.edu/geology and the broader Nevada Geosciences program at https://www.unr.edu/nevada-geosciences.
Contact Information
Search Committee Chair: Scott McCoy at [email protected]
Administrative Contact: Beth Jacobsen at (775) 682-8787, [email protected]
Exempt
YesFull-Time Equivalent
100.0%Required Attachment(s)
Please note, once you submit your application the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments, prior to the committee review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at [email protected]
Attach the following attachments to your application
1) Resume/CV
2) Cover Letter - Please include in your application letter a description of what you need to be successful in terms of research infrastructure and support and highlight why you want to join University of Nevada.
3) Statement of Research Interests (3 pages maximum)
4) Teaching Philosophy - Make sure to describe which classes in the current catalog would be of interest, as well as new classes you would hope to develop and your plans for reaching the diverse student audience at the University of Nevada (2 pages maximum)
5) Contact Information for three professional references
Full Consideration
For full consideration, applications must be received by November 1, 2026.
This posting is open until filled
Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply immediately. This search will close without notice when a sufficient number of applications are received or a hiring decision has been made.
Posting Close Date
Note to Applicant
A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.
HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.
References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.
Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.
As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.
For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.
Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.
The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes).
About Us
The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.
Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”
Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school - the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.
The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.
Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.
In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada - led by the University of Nevada, Reno - was named one of the inaugural 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (TechHubs). Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories. Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.
Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.
The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.
Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement - all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.
For more information, please visit the University’s website.