Assistant / Associate Professor in Plant Pathology Al Ain – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates Full-time

College of Agricul.&Veterinary Med. is hiring a Assistant / Associate Professor in Plant Pathology Al Ain – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates in Al Ain. This is a full-time position.

Plant disease in arid agricultural systems behaves differently — drought stress, extreme heat, and saline soils alter host susceptibility, pathogen behaviour, and microbiome dynamics in ways that temperate plant pathology research rarely addresses. This Assistant or Associate Professor position at the College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine puts you at the centre of that under-researched space, building a funded program focused on pathogen detection, host-pathogen-microbiome interactions, disease ecology, and biological suppression strategies relevant to horticultural and field crops grown under UAE conditions. The role carries genuine research independence alongside a clear teaching mandate, and it connects directly to the UAE’s national agricultural priorities in crop protection, food security, and sustainable land use. If your expertise sits anywhere along the spectrum from molecular diagnostics to integrated disease management, this position is designed around that range.

Key Responsibilities for Assistant / Associate Professor in Plant Pathology Al Ain

• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in plant pathology and related disciplines. Develop course content that reflects both foundational principles and current advances in molecular and applied plant disease science.
• Supervise MSc and PhD students from research proposal through to thesis defense. Build a funded graduate research group progressively over time.
• Establish and lead an internationally recognized research program in plant pathology. Focus on pathogen detection and characterization, host-pathogen-microbiome interactions, disease ecology, or microbiome-based disease suppression.
• Secure competitive external research funding from national bodies such as ASPIRE and ADEK, as well as international agencies aligned with agricultural sustainability and food security.
• Publish consistently in high-impact, peer-reviewed plant pathology and related journals. Contribute research that advances both scientific understanding and applied disease management practice.
• Collaborate with industry partners, government agricultural agencies, and research centers on crop protection initiatives relevant to UAE national priorities.
• Engage in departmental service, college committees, and outreach activities at university and community level.

Requirements & Qualifications

• PhD in Plant Pathology or a closely related discipline from an accredited institution.
• Demonstrated research productivity in one or more of the following: plant disease diagnosis, epidemiology, molecular plant-pathogen interactions, or integrated disease management.
• Expertise in one or more specialization areas: fungal pathology, bacterial pathology, viral pathology, nematology, or plant microbiome research including rhizosphere ecology, metagenomics, or biological control.
• Proficiency in advanced methodologies such as high-throughput sequencing, metagenomics, transcriptomics, bioinformatics, CRISPR-based diagnostics, or microbial community analysis is highly desirable.
• Evidence of effective university-level teaching. Associate Professor candidates must show a strong record across teaching, research, and service.
• Experience working in arid or semi-arid agricultural systems is a strong advantage.
• Record of successful research grant acquisition or participation in funded international projects.
• Strong written and spoken English communication skills.

What You’ll Gain

• A research environment where arid-environment plant pathology is not a peripheral interest but a core institutional priority — giving your work direct relevance to UAE crop protection policy, food security programs, and sustainable agriculture initiatives.
• Access to molecular laboratory infrastructure, field research sites, and a growing graduate cohort within a college that is actively expanding its plant science and agricultural research capacity.
• A competitive, tax-free salary benchmarked at AED 25,000–40,000/month depending on rank and experience, consistent with UAEU faculty compensation at Assistant and Associate Professor level.
• A faculty position at the UAE’s flagship university — ranked #229 globally (QS 2026) — with interdisciplinary research connections across agronomy, soil science, AgriTech, and environmental science that broaden the reach and application of your plant pathology program.