Assistant Insect Jobs in Montana (NOW HIRING)

Position Details
Position Information
Announcement Number
FAC - VA - 26124
For questions regarding this position, please contact:
Ricardo Pinto
ricardo.pinto@montana.eduJessica Torrionjessica.torrion@montana.edu
Classification Title
Working Title
Assistant Professor of Entomology/Insect Ecology
Brief Position Overview
The Department of Research Centers encompasses faculty and staff that conduct agricultural research and outreach programs at seven off-campus research centers placed strategically throughout Montana. This tenure track position is located at Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center (WTARC) 10 miles north of Conrad (pop. 2,800) and 70 miles north of Great Falls in the agricultural production area known as the "Golden Triangle". WTARC has 75 acres of rainfed and irrigated land utilized for research trials in rotation with production crops. Infrastructure includes an office building, a complete line of research equipment for conducting applied research, an equipment storage/shop facility, a seed processing lab, and a greenhouse/headhouse facility built in 2021. A lateral move irrigation system with precision control will be installed for the 2026 crop year. When fully staffed, WTARC houses two tenure-track scientists, a variety testing lead, a farm operation manager, along with administrative and research support personnel. Field and greenhouse research is conducted at the center and at on-farm locations primarily within the seven surrounding counties. Important dryland crops include winter and spring wheat, durum, malt barley, oilseeds, legumes, and forages. Wheat, malt barley, canola, and alfalfa are the primary irrigated crops produced on nearly 100,000 acres in a regional irrigation project. A local advisory board, comprised of area farmers and industry representatives, provides input on establishing WTARC research priorities.
Faculty Tenure Track
Yes
Faculty Rank
TT
Position Number
4B3748
Department
AES WTARC
Division
College of Agriculture/MAES
Appointment Type
Faculty
Contract Term
Fiscal Year
Semester
If other, specify From date
If other, specify End date
Union Affiliation
Exempt from Collective Bargaining
FTE
1.0
Benefits Eligible
Eligible
Salary
Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications.
Contract Type
MUS
If other, please specify
Recruitment Type
Open
Position Details
General Statement
Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center seeks a talented and self-motivated scientist who will lead the development of effective and economical strategies for controlling insect pests of dryland and irrigated field crops in the region. The successful candidate will use a team approach that includes other research staff at WTARC and across the department with expertise in agronomy, animal and crop science, horticulture, microbiology, pathology, plant ecology, precision agriculture, soil and weed sciences. Similar collaboration with other researchers located on the main campus in Bozeman and at other institutions is encouraged. This person is expected to contribute positively to the mission of the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES). This is a 12-month tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level with research (80%), teaching/outreach (10%) and service (10%) responsibilities funded by the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, Bozeman, MT.
Duties and Responsibilities
Research duties include the development of a nationally competitive, field-oriented program focused on understanding the biological and ecological processes affecting insect pests and sharing this knowledge to inform management that mitigates crop losses. The primary focus will be on arthropod pests of small-grain, pulse, and oilseed crops in the Golden Triangle and similar agro-ecoregions. Current insect pests of concern include the wheat stem sawfly and wireworms in wheat, pea leaf weevils in pulses, and flea beetles in canola, among others. We anticipate that integrated approaches will be developed which are economical and can be adopted by dryland and irrigated farmers for managing arthropod pests in field crops.
Teaching/outreach duties include the timely transfer of knowledge regarding insect pest management to farmers and other stakeholders in the region served by WTARC, as well as other farmers across Montana. Participation at field days, Extension meetings, and other farmer-directed events is expected as part of the teaching/outreach effort. Scholarly presentations of research results at professional scientific meetings are an additional expectation. The successful candidate will participate in training graduate and undergraduate students as well as technical staff.
The successful candidate is expected to collaborate with other scientists, educators, farmers and related industry, advisory and commodity groups to develop research priorities and actively participate in developing recommendations for management of crop insect pests that are important economically in the region. Securing extramural funds from state, regional and national grant programs as well as the agricultural industry is required to develop a successful research program. The position is expected to communicate research findings in oral and written formats, including referred and extension or outreach publications. Participation in professional service activities is expected
Required Qualifications - Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

1. A completed Ph.D. in Entomology, Insect Ecology or a related discipline at time of hire.
2. Personal experience planning, designing, and implementing field research, and interpreting research results using accepted, innovative, and strategic scientific methodology.
3. Personal experience with agricultural insect pests and agricultural crop production in the United States.
4. Knowledge of insect ecology, risk assessment, bio-control strategies, host-plant resistance and/or integrated crop production practices that are required to manage insect pests in crop production systems.
5. Demonstrated record of publishing research findings through refereed journals.
6. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with scientists, farmers, and other clientele associated with agriculture

Preferred Qualifications - Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

1. Documented grant writing success.
2. Post-doctoral experience in agricultural insect pest management.
3. Experience with insect pest management in small grain production under semi-arid dryland and irrigated conditions.
4. Experience in overall management of a research team and interdisciplinary teams for problem solving.

The Successful Candidate Will
The successful candidate will be an engaging scientist who will:

• Effectively collaborate with other scientists, educators, farmers and related industry, advisory and commodity groups.
• Develop research priorities and actively participate in developing recommendations for management of economically important crop insect pests in the region.
• Successfully secure extramural funds from state, regional and national grant programs as well as the agricultural industry.
• Have strong oral and written communication skills for refereed, extension and producer outreach presentations and publications.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

• Currently possess a valid US driver's license or equivalent and obtain a valid Montana driver's license within six months of hire
• Possesses or will obtain a Montana Government Pesticide Applicator License within six months of hire
• In accordance with MSU policy, hiring will be conditional upon successful completion of a pre-employment background check

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements, but a general description of the position. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University's rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Applicants with questions or concerns about their relevance to the position description and qualification are encouraged to contact the search chair.
Physical Demands
This position will involve extensive work in the field. The successful candidate must have the ability to navigate uneven terrain on foot, work around dust, seeds, and pollen, work in inclement weather, and move up to 60 pounds on occasion.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodation. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
The Program
The Department
The College
Posting Detail Information
Number of Vacancies
1
Desired Start Date
Position End Date (if temporary)
Open Date
Close Date
Applications will be:
Screening of applications will begin on April 15, 2026; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.
Special Instructions
This position is not eligible for new sponsorship.
To be considered, please submit:

• A signed cover letter addressing EACH of the required and preferred qualifications (two-page limit).
• A current curriculum vitae.
• A statement describing the applicant's vision of future field applied research (two-page limit).

EEO Statement
Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.
In compliance with the Montana Veteran's Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran's preference, please complete the veteran's preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.