Evolutionary Biologist Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Position Title: EVE Plant Evolutionary Biology Assistant Professor

Application Review Begins: Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Application Deadline: Wednesday, June 30, 2027

Institution: University of California Davis

Department/Division: Department of Evolution and Ecology

Field (e.g., systematics):

City: Davis, CA, United States

General Information: The salary range for this position is $84,100-$108,900. "Off-scale salaries" and other components of pay, i.e., a salary that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions, qualifications, and experience.

Candidates must possess a Ph.D. (or equivalent) at the time of appointment and have demonstrated outstanding potential in plant evolutionary biology, evidenced by published research in peer-reviewed journals.

• Excellence in research that complements or extends existing research strengths in the Department.
• An exciting program of future research with strong potential to attract extramural funding.
• Commitment to excellence in teaching. Must demonstrate potential or evidence of ability to perform well at both the graduate and undergraduate levels and to develop and teach undergraduate and graduate courses or seminars.
• Commitment to excellence in mentoring and training the next generation of scientists
• Commitment to the https://excellence.ucdavis.edu/principles-community

Responsibilities: The College of Biological Sciences at the University of California, Davis invites applications and nominations for a 9-month, tenure-track position in the Department of Evolution and Ecology at the ASSISTANT PROFESSOR level. The Department of Evolution and Ecology is seeking a plant evolutionary biologist with interests in the evolution of plants at any taxonomic, geographic, organizational, or evolutionary scale. Candidates must have a Ph.D. (or equivalent) in the biological sciences, evolutionary biology, ecology, genetics, or a related field, and will be expected to complement and build upon existing faculty strengths in the Department of Evolution and Ecology and across UC Davis.

We welcome applicants working on any group of plants and using empirical, computational, experimental, and/or theoretical approaches. Possible areas of study are broad, and include macroevolutionary research on plant diversification, trait evolution in a phylogenetic context, major evolutionary innovations, comparative genomics, and evolutionary developmental biology, as well as research focusing at or below the species level including population biology, quantitative genetics, adaptive evolution, speciation, biogeography, and the evolution of life histories or species interactions.

The Department of Evolution and Ecology is home to a collaborative and internationally recognized community of evolutionary biologists and ecologists, with close ties to the Center for Population Biology, the UC Davis Genome Center, and the graduate groups in Population Biology, Integrative Genetics and Genomics, and Ecology. The successful candidate will join a vibrant intellectual community with exceptional opportunities for collaboration across departments, colleges, and organized research units at UC Davis. Most notably, UC Davis is also home to a world-renowned cadre of plant biologists across campus departments and units, including the Departments of Plant Biology, Plant Sciences, Plant Pathology, Environmental Science and Policy, and Molecular and Cellular Biology, and the graduate groups in Plant Biology, Horticulture and Agronomy, Ecology, and Integrative Genetics and Genomics. These campus-level strengths in plant biology will position the new faculty member to collaborate across departments and colleges while reinforcing our department's central role in the study of evolution.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop a strong, extramurally funded, independent research program, teach effectively in undergraduate and graduate programs, and mentor a diverse community of undergraduate and graduate students. Depending on expertise, this faculty member could contribute to teaching in the introductory biology series (BIO 1, 2, or 3), upper-division courses in evolution (EVE 100) or genetics (BIS 101), and could teach existing or develop new upper-division courses in plant evolution or organismal biology. We seek a colleague committed to fostering an inclusive and collegial environment consistent with the UC Davis Principles of Community.