Job description
EMPLOYMENT TERMS: Full-time, tenure-track position
PRIMARY DUTY: Plant biologist with a background in plant diversity, taxonomy, and local flora to teach undergraduate coursework in introductory botany as well as advanced courses dealing with plant diversity. Additional teaching responsibilities may include introductory courses in biology for majors or non-majors, evolutionary biology, plant physiology, or plant anatomy. The ability to contribute to courses offered in the School of Agricultural Sciences related to horticulture is desirable but not mandatory.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Teach an introductory survey of botany for biology majors, including an associated laboratory component.
- Teach an upper-level field course focusing upon Local Flora of the region.
- Teach an introductory course in biology intended either for majors or non-majors.
- Contribute to the biology discipline curriculum in other ways by offering courses in the candidate’s area of expertise. Possibilities may include, but are not limited to, coursework in evolution, plant physiology, and plant anatomy, or horticulture in the School of Agriculture.
- Cover a typical annual teaching load of 12 load hours per term (fall and spring).
- Develop scholarly activity that involves undergraduate and/or master’s students.
- Manage the departmental greenhouse and herbarium.
- Serve the School and University on committees as assigned.
- Provide additional student support in the form of academic advisement, mentorship, or other student assistance as appropriate.
- Hold seven office hours/week.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the Chair.
REQUIREMENTS:
Education: Ph.D. in biology or related scientific discipline; ABD candidates will be considered
Skills: Good classroom management and lecture skills
WORKING CONDITIONS: Typical university classroom, office, laboratory, and field conditions
EQUIPMENT/MATERIALS USED: Common classroom teaching equipment, laboratory instrumentation, and equipment for field students
TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Ability to complete essential functions in the classroom, laboratory, and field; Ability to lift up to 20 pounds
COMMUNITY: Northwest Missouri State University is located in Maryville, Missouri, a community of 12,000 with a diverse economy and a strong industrial base. Maryville is located 45 miles north of St. Joseph, Missouri, 90 miles north of Kansas City, Missouri, and 110 miles southeast of Omaha, Nebraska. For more information visit the city’s website at www.maryville.org.
UNIVERSITY: With an enrollment of about 9,000 students, Northwest is a coeducational, primarily residential four-year university that offers a broad range of undergraduate and selected graduate programs on its Maryville campus and through Northwest Online.
Founded in 1905 and ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the top public regional universities in the Midwest, Northwest boasts a high retention rate and a graduation rate in the 95th percentile among its peers. Additionally, results of the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory show Northwest students are more satisfied than students at national peers, and 78 percent of Northwest students report they would repeat their University experience, compared to 75 percent of students surveyed nationally at their respective institutions.
Furthermore, the University is a national model for student success and career placement with 93 percent of bachelor’s degree earners and 99 percent of master’s degree earners securing employment or continuing their education within six months of completing a degree at Northwest, according to the most recent data.
Northwest places a high emphasis on profession-based learning to help graduates get a jumpstart on their careers while maintaining competitive tuition rates and generous financial assistance to help minimize the financial barriers students may face when pursuing a college degree.
Students have opportunities to build their résumés with experiences on campus in nearly every area of study, including the Horace Mann Laboratory School, National Public Radio affiliate KXCV, the R.T. Wright Farm, Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area, a partnership with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency or Knacktive, a student-driven integrated digital marketing communications agency. In conjunction with its emergency and disaster management program, Northwest organizes and hosts Missouri Hope, an annual mass casualty training exercise that attracts first responders and emergency workers from throughout the nation and provides hands-on training in preparation for a natural disaster.
The University’s vibrant and diverse learning community also offers more than 150 student organizations, and textbooks and a laptop are included in tuition, saving students an estimated $6,900 over four years. Northwest offers 1,200 student employment positions, allowing students to build professional skills through its internationally benchmarked student employment program.
For more information about Northwest and its performance, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/aboutus/facts/.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Review of candidates will begin as submitted and will be considered until the position is filled
DATE AVAILABLE: August 2026
How to apply
Follow the online application steps. Please contact the Office of Human Resources at 660-562-1121 or email [email protected] if you need more information about the process.
APPLICATION MATERALS: You will need to submit: (1) a letter of application which describes your teaching experience and suitability for the position; (2) a statement of teaching philosophy; (3) a current curriculum vitae; (4) a statement of research interests, (5) unofficial transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work and (6) contact information for three professional references along with your online application in order for your application materials to be complete
INQUIRIES FOR THE POSITION CAN BE MADE TO:
Botanist Search Committee
School of Natural Sciences
Northwest Missouri State University
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468-6001
Phone: (660) 562-1388 Email: [email protected]
