Assistant Professors in Coastal Ocean Sciences at InsideHigherEd

FAC00160PO25

Assistant Professors in Coastal Ocean Sciences

Columbia

College of Arts and Sciences

CAS Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package

Georgetown, SC

Full Time

40

Full-time Equivalent (FTE)

9 months

Georgetown

Tenure-Track/Tenured

Faculty

From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, the University of South Carolina system is transforming the lives of South Carolinians through the impact of our eight institutions and 20 locations throughout the state. More than 50,000 students are enrolled at one of eight institutions, including the research campus in Columbia and comprehensive four-year universities in Aiken, Upstate and Beaufort. In addition, our Palmetto College campuses in Salkehatchie, Union, Lancaster and Sumter enable students to earn associate or bachelor’s degrees through a combination of in-person, online or blended learning. All of our system institutions place strong emphasis on service — helping to build healthier, more educated communities in South Carolina and beyond.

The faculty of the Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences at the University of South Carolina, Columbia campus, invites applications for two 9-month, full-time, tenure-track positions at the rank of Assistant Professor to begin August 16, 2026. These positions will be based at the Baruch Marine Field Laboratory in Georgetown, SC, with tenure appointments in appropriate academic departments on the main campus in Columbia, SC. Potential tenure homes include the School of Earth, Ocean, and Environment, the Department of Biological Sciences, and the Department of Geography, depending on the candidate’s primary area of expertise.
The Baruch Institute has been at the forefront of coastal and marine research and education in the southeastern US and beyond since it was established in 1969 through the joint efforts of the University of South Carolina and the Belle W. Baruch Foundation. The core of the Institute consists of the Baruch Marine Field Laboratory, which is located on Hobcaw Barony in Georgetown, SC, within a near-pristine stretch of protected coastline. The Institute is also the state partner for the NOAA-funded North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NI-WB NERR) and hosts the NERRS Centralized Data Management Office (CDMO). The Institute conducts and supports a broad range of research and educational programs in fulfillment of its mission to improve the management of marine and coastal resources, as well as advance basic science for the well-being of people and their environment.

The Baruch Institute is dedicated to promoting healthy coastal ecosystems through research, education, and outreach. We seek innovative scholars who will leverage the unique setting and resources of the field laboratory and contribute to convergent research addressing critical coastal issues. Notable areas for potential scholarship include but are not limited to estuarine and salt marsh ecology, marine biology, coastal geomorphology, watershed hydrology, and biogeochemistry. Coastal challenges of potential interest include flooding, coastal hazards, fisheries, habitat restoration and resilience, coastal development, water quality, ecosystem health, and conservation. We particularly encourage candidates who embrace collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches to address complex coastal problems.

Candidates will be required to travel occasionally between the field laboratory and main campus for teaching, service, and other collaborative opportunities.

• The position requires a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in a relevant field by the time of appointment.
• We seek solutions-oriented researchers committed to field-based research and education, with demonstrated potential to develop a successful and productive research program utilizing the unique coastal field laboratory environment.

• The most competitive candidates will demonstrate the following qualifications:
• (1) experience with field-based methodologies,
• (2) record of peer-reviewed publications,
• (3) interest in developing field-based student experiences, and
• (4) commitment to collaborative or convergent research.
• Candidates will be required to travel occasionally between the field laboratory and main campus for teaching, service, and other collaborative opportunities.

08/16/2026

09/08/2025

Yes

All applicants must apply online at USCJobs at https://uscjobs.sc.edu. Applications must include: (1) a cover letter that describes their research and teaching interests, (2) a curriculum vitae, (3) a research statement, (4) a teaching statement, and (5) contact information for at least 3 professional references. We will solicit letters for candidates who are selected for virtual, semifinalist interviews.

Review of applications will begin October 31, 2025, and continue until the positions are filled. For questions about these positions, please contact Dr. Jill Stewart, Director of the Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences, at [email protected].

Positions are advertised for a minimum of five (5) business days on our job website. After five (5) business days, positions can be closed at the discretion of the department at any time. This position is open until filled. This employment site is updated on a regular basis. The length of the recruitment and screening process may vary from position to position, depending upon a variety of factors. Should review of your qualifications result in a decision to pursue your candidacy, you will be contacted by phone or email.

https://uscjobs.sc.edu/postings/194367

The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender (including transgender), gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDs status, military status, national origin, pregnancy (false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, childbirth, recovery therefrom or related medical conditions, breastfeeding), race, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other bases under federal, state, local law, or regulations.