Assistant Professor Jobs at University of Kentucky with Visa Sponsorship
Assistant Professor jobs at University of Kentucky span a wide range of academic departments, and the university has a well-established process for supporting international faculty through visa sponsorship. If you're targeting a tenure-track or visiting position, UK actively works with candidates who need H-1B visa or permanent residency pathways.
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Get Access To All JobsJob Title: Assistant or Associate Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences, Regular Title Series
Requisition Number: FE05006
Working Title: Assistant or Associate Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences Organic Biogeochemist
Department Name: 81060:PLANT AND SOIL SCIENCES
Work Location: Lexington, KY
Type of Position: Faculty
Position Time Status: Full-Time
Tenure Track Status: Tenure Track
Required Education
Applicants must have an earned doctorate in soil science, earth sciences, environmental sciences, aquatic sciences, environmental chemistry, or related areas.
Required Related Experience
Post-doctoral experience in biogeochemistry and analytical chemistry, especially high-resolution mass spectrometry, is desirable.
Required License/Registration/Certification
N/A
Job Summary
Assistant or Associate Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences, Regular Title Series
Responsibilities: This is a tenure eligible position with a 12-month appointment and approximately 80% research, 15% teaching, 5% service responsibilities. The annual DOE will be aligned with this colleague’s strengths and college/department needs. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2027.
Research: The selected individual will develop a nationally and internationally recognized program in organic biogeochemistry with an emphasis on agroecosystems, aquatic ecosystems, and the critical zone. The candidate will apply advanced analytical, mass spectrometry, and/or other spectroscopic techniques to improve our understanding of the molecular-level processes involved in the fate and cycling of natural organic matter and its interactions with anthropogenic organic contaminants and nutrients, as well as the implications for larger scale outcomes related to climate change, agricultural productivity, soil and water quality, and human health.
It is strongly emphasized that the candidate is expected to collaborate with researchers in department’s well-established programs in soil science, agroecosystem ecology, environmental sciences, plant biology, and crop science, researchers from other Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment departments, and with researchers across campus focused on carbon cycling and environmental fate and transport of organic contaminants.
Teaching: The incumbent will be expected to develop a graduate level course in environmental and agricultural organic analytical chemistry/applied mass spectrometry to be taught every other year. The course will serve the Integrated Plant and Soil Sciences graduate program and graduate programs across campus focused on environmental sciences. During alternate years, the incumbent will teach an undergraduate course focused on biogeochemistry and/or climate change.
Service: As a land-grant university, service to department, college, university, professional society, and/or society at large is expected.
QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants must have an earned doctorate in soil science, earth sciences, environmental sciences, aquatic sciences, environmental chemistry, or related areas. Post-doctoral experience in biogeochemistry and analytical chemistry, especially high-resolution mass spectrometry, is desirable. Evidence of strong written and oral communication skills is required. It is expected that the incumbent will obtain extramural funding to support a vigorous research program.
RANK AND SALARY: The rank of this position is at the Assistant or Associate Professor level depending on review of qualifications. Salary is negotiable and is commensurate with training and experience.
Employment at UK is subject to fund availability and comes with many rewards, focusing on your total well-being and career development, with leadership striving to provide a strong work-life integration. The university generously contributes to employees’ retirement plans, medical coverage, and life insurance. In addition, UK offers optional benefits such as dental and vision insurance, additional retirement plans and much more. To learn more about these benefits, please visit: https://hr.uky.edu/employment/our-benefits.
THE ENVIRONMENT: The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (MGCAFE) is fulfilling the land-grant promise of educational excellence, civic leadership, transformational research, and shared knowledge serving the common good. We serve the people of the Commonwealth and across the world through education, outreach, service, and research by finding solutions to improve lives today and create a sustainable future. We integrate teaching, research, and extension in our work. We recruit, retain, and graduate students who are competent, responsible, and workforce ready. For more than 130 years, MGCAFE has provided research results to the community. From traditional labs and research farms to high-tech diagnostic and research centers, we offer science-based, practical solutions that affect the everyday lives of Kentuckians and people around the world. Our Cooperative Extension programs are engaged in Kentucky’s 120 counties, identifying and addressing needs not only in agriculture and natural resources, but also 4-H and youth development, family and consumer sciences, as well as community & economic development.
The University of Kentucky is an institution with over 27,500 undergraduate and 9,500 graduate students. UK is Kentucky’s flagship university and a land grant institution. We have a university commitment to improve the lives of Kentuckians and beyond and that is why environmental stewardship and sustainability are core parts of our institution’s legacy. We are recognized as a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, a Gold level Bicycle Friendly University by The League of American Bicyclists, and are recognized as a STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) Silver Rating by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
The university is geographically near downtown Lexington, which offers the vibrancy of an urban location while being in close proximity to working landscapes and recognized wilderness areas. It is a thriving community of 320,000+ with a strong commitment to quality of life, education, and the arts. Lexington is in the Bluegrass Region, an internationally acclaimed cultural landscape and agricultural region.
QUESTIONS AND/OR NOMINATIONS TO:
Dr. Jason Unrine
Chair, Search Committee
N-122T Agriculture Science Center North
1100 S. Limestone
University of Kentucky
Lexington KY 40546-0091
Phone: 859-257-1657
Email: jason.unrine@uky.edu
APPLICATION: Completed applications should include the following: a cover letter, CV (including full legal name as it appears on passport and ORCID, if available), and statements of research and teaching interests and experiences (upload as Specific Request 1). In addition, names and contact information of three individuals from whom letters may be requested should be included in the application packet.
Applications should be submitted by November 1, 2026, for full consideration, while the position will remain open until filled. Please use the University of Kentucky’s electronic application process to apply. In your uploaded document, please begin with a cover letter that outlines your approach to the position’s responsibilities, your qualifications, and your vision for innovative and impactful research programs that address existing and emerging issues, followed by the name, address, email, and phone number for three references, and conclude with career curriculum vita and relevant statements.
If you need assistance with the electronic application process, contact HR/ Employment, phone (859) 257-9555, press 2, or email ukjobs@email.uky.edu.
Skills / Knowledge / Abilities
Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? Yes
Preferred Education/Experience
Evidence of strong written and oral communication skills is required. It is expected that the incumbent will obtain extramural funding to support a vigorous research program.
Deadline to Apply
Open Until Filled Yes
Our University Community
We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.
The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status or whether the person is a smoker or nonsmoker, as long as the person complies with University regulation concerning smoking.
Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.
Job Title: Assistant or Associate Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences, Regular Title Series
Requisition Number: FE05006
Working Title: Assistant or Associate Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences Organic Biogeochemist
Department Name: 81060:PLANT AND SOIL SCIENCES
Work Location: Lexington, KY
Type of Position: Faculty
Position Time Status: Full-Time
Tenure Track Status: Tenure Track
Required Education
Applicants must have an earned doctorate in soil science, earth sciences, environmental sciences, aquatic sciences, environmental chemistry, or related areas.
Required Related Experience
Post-doctoral experience in biogeochemistry and analytical chemistry, especially high-resolution mass spectrometry, is desirable.
Required License/Registration/Certification
N/A
Job Summary
Assistant or Associate Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences, Regular Title Series
Responsibilities: This is a tenure eligible position with a 12-month appointment and approximately 80% research, 15% teaching, 5% service responsibilities. The annual DOE will be aligned with this colleague’s strengths and college/department needs. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2027.
Research: The selected individual will develop a nationally and internationally recognized program in organic biogeochemistry with an emphasis on agroecosystems, aquatic ecosystems, and the critical zone. The candidate will apply advanced analytical, mass spectrometry, and/or other spectroscopic techniques to improve our understanding of the molecular-level processes involved in the fate and cycling of natural organic matter and its interactions with anthropogenic organic contaminants and nutrients, as well as the implications for larger scale outcomes related to climate change, agricultural productivity, soil and water quality, and human health.
It is strongly emphasized that the candidate is expected to collaborate with researchers in department’s well-established programs in soil science, agroecosystem ecology, environmental sciences, plant biology, and crop science, researchers from other Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment departments, and with researchers across campus focused on carbon cycling and environmental fate and transport of organic contaminants.
Teaching: The incumbent will be expected to develop a graduate level course in environmental and agricultural organic analytical chemistry/applied mass spectrometry to be taught every other year. The course will serve the Integrated Plant and Soil Sciences graduate program and graduate programs across campus focused on environmental sciences. During alternate years, the incumbent will teach an undergraduate course focused on biogeochemistry and/or climate change.
Service: As a land-grant university, service to department, college, university, professional society, and/or society at large is expected.
QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants must have an earned doctorate in soil science, earth sciences, environmental sciences, aquatic sciences, environmental chemistry, or related areas. Post-doctoral experience in biogeochemistry and analytical chemistry, especially high-resolution mass spectrometry, is desirable. Evidence of strong written and oral communication skills is required. It is expected that the incumbent will obtain extramural funding to support a vigorous research program.
RANK AND SALARY: The rank of this position is at the Assistant or Associate Professor level depending on review of qualifications. Salary is negotiable and is commensurate with training and experience.
Employment at UK is subject to fund availability and comes with many rewards, focusing on your total well-being and career development, with leadership striving to provide a strong work-life integration. The university generously contributes to employees’ retirement plans, medical coverage, and life insurance. In addition, UK offers optional benefits such as dental and vision insurance, additional retirement plans and much more. To learn more about these benefits, please visit: https://hr.uky.edu/employment/our-benefits.
THE ENVIRONMENT: The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (MGCAFE) is fulfilling the land-grant promise of educational excellence, civic leadership, transformational research, and shared knowledge serving the common good. We serve the people of the Commonwealth and across the world through education, outreach, service, and research by finding solutions to improve lives today and create a sustainable future. We integrate teaching, research, and extension in our work. We recruit, retain, and graduate students who are competent, responsible, and workforce ready. For more than 130 years, MGCAFE has provided research results to the community. From traditional labs and research farms to high-tech diagnostic and research centers, we offer science-based, practical solutions that affect the everyday lives of Kentuckians and people around the world. Our Cooperative Extension programs are engaged in Kentucky’s 120 counties, identifying and addressing needs not only in agriculture and natural resources, but also 4-H and youth development, family and consumer sciences, as well as community & economic development.
The University of Kentucky is an institution with over 27,500 undergraduate and 9,500 graduate students. UK is Kentucky’s flagship university and a land grant institution. We have a university commitment to improve the lives of Kentuckians and beyond and that is why environmental stewardship and sustainability are core parts of our institution’s legacy. We are recognized as a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, a Gold level Bicycle Friendly University by The League of American Bicyclists, and are recognized as a STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) Silver Rating by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
The university is geographically near downtown Lexington, which offers the vibrancy of an urban location while being in close proximity to working landscapes and recognized wilderness areas. It is a thriving community of 320,000+ with a strong commitment to quality of life, education, and the arts. Lexington is in the Bluegrass Region, an internationally acclaimed cultural landscape and agricultural region.
QUESTIONS AND/OR NOMINATIONS TO:
Dr. Jason Unrine
Chair, Search Committee
N-122T Agriculture Science Center North
1100 S. Limestone
University of Kentucky
Lexington KY 40546-0091
Phone: 859-257-1657
Email: jason.unrine@uky.edu
APPLICATION: Completed applications should include the following: a cover letter, CV (including full legal name as it appears on passport and ORCID, if available), and statements of research and teaching interests and experiences (upload as Specific Request 1). In addition, names and contact information of three individuals from whom letters may be requested should be included in the application packet.
Applications should be submitted by November 1, 2026, for full consideration, while the position will remain open until filled. Please use the University of Kentucky’s electronic application process to apply. In your uploaded document, please begin with a cover letter that outlines your approach to the position’s responsibilities, your qualifications, and your vision for innovative and impactful research programs that address existing and emerging issues, followed by the name, address, email, and phone number for three references, and conclude with career curriculum vita and relevant statements.
If you need assistance with the electronic application process, contact HR/ Employment, phone (859) 257-9555, press 2, or email ukjobs@email.uky.edu.
Skills / Knowledge / Abilities
Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? Yes
Preferred Education/Experience
Evidence of strong written and oral communication skills is required. It is expected that the incumbent will obtain extramural funding to support a vigorous research program.
Deadline to Apply
Open Until Filled Yes
Our University Community
We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.
The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status or whether the person is a smoker or nonsmoker, as long as the person complies with University regulation concerning smoking.
Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.
See all 145+ Assistant Professor Jobs at University of Kentucky
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Assistant Professor Jobs at University of Kentucky.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Assistant Professor Jobs at University of Kentucky
Tailor your CV for U.S. academic standards
U.S. academic CVs differ from international formats. Include your teaching philosophy, publications list, grants, and course names explicitly. Hiring committees at research universities like UK evaluate these sections closely before extending interview invitations.
Target departments with active faculty searches
University of Kentucky posts Assistant Professor openings through its central HR portal and discipline-specific job boards. Search by department early in the fall cycle, when most tenure-track searches open, to avoid applying after shortlists have already formed.
Confirm sponsorship eligibility before your campus visit
During the offer stage, ask the hiring department directly whether the position qualifies for H-1B sponsorship and whether UK's legal team handles PERM filings for tenure-track roles. Getting clarity early prevents complications after you've accepted verbally.
Understand how J-1 and H-1B timelines differ
If UK initially places you on a J-1 scholar visa, be aware that a two-year home residency requirement may apply, affecting your ability to change to H-1B status later. Confirm with UK's international office whether your J-1 program carries this restriction.
Build your credential portfolio around specialty occupation criteria
USCIS requires H-1B petitions to demonstrate the role qualifies as a specialty occupation. For Assistant Professor positions, compile syllabi, research proposals, and your institutional appointment letter to support the employer's filing with clear evidence of degree-specific requirements.
Browse open Assistant Professor roles using Migrate Mate
Assistant Professor openings at UK span colleges from engineering to public health. Use Migrate Mate to filter roles by visa sponsorship type and department so you're applying to positions where sponsorship is already confirmed rather than guessing from job postings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does University of Kentucky sponsor H-1B visas for Assistant Professors?
Yes, University of Kentucky sponsors H-1B visas for Assistant Professor positions, particularly for tenure-track and research-focused roles that qualify as specialty occupations under USCIS guidelines. UK's international faculty support office coordinates the petition process with the hiring department. You'll typically need a confirmed offer letter before the H-1B filing begins, and the department initiates sponsorship on your behalf.
How do I apply for Assistant Professor jobs at University of Kentucky?
Applications for Assistant Professor positions at University of Kentucky are submitted through UK's official HR portal, where each listing specifies required materials such as a cover letter, CV, research statement, and teaching philosophy. Some departments also request sample publications or diversity statements. You can also browse open roles filtered by visa sponsorship eligibility using Migrate Mate before applying directly through UK's system.
Which visa types does University of Kentucky use for Assistant Professor roles?
University of Kentucky sponsors several visa categories for Assistant Professor hires, including H-1B for specialty occupation roles, J-1 visa for visiting scholars and exchange faculty, TN visa for Canadian and Mexican nationals in qualifying academic fields, and F-1 OPT or CPT for recent graduates in postdoctoral or short-term appointments. For permanent residency, UK supports EB-2 and EB-3 filings for eligible tenure-track faculty.
What qualifications does University of Kentucky expect for Assistant Professor positions?
Most Assistant Professor roles at University of Kentucky require a completed doctoral degree in a relevant discipline, with the Ph.D. typically expected in hand before the start date. Research-focused departments also expect a demonstrated publication record, evidence of external funding potential, and a clear research agenda. Teaching experience and a teaching philosophy statement are standard requirements across colleges.
How do I plan my timeline if I need visa sponsorship for a faculty role at UK?
Faculty hiring cycles at University of Kentucky typically run from fall through late winter, with offers extended by February or March for positions starting the following August. If you need H-1B sponsorship, UK must file the petition before the USCIS April 1 cap-subject filing window or request a cap-exempt filing if you already hold H-1B status. Build at least three to four months of administrative lead time between your offer acceptance and your anticipated start date.