About the role
The Department of Geosciences at Virginia Tech invites applications for an open-rank faculty position in any area of geoscience that deepens our knowledge of critical, strategic, and economically important elements and mineral resources in the lithosphere. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, geochemistry and mineralogy, ore-forming processes, fluid-rock interactions, occurrences and concentrations of critical elements and minerals, and structural controls on mineralization. Potential applications include mineral exploration and targeting, resource characterization and assessment, critical-element recovery, unconventional and secondary resources and mine wastes, and environmentally responsible resource development.
We welcome applicants who seek discovery through creative combinations of laboratory, experimental, field, computational, and/or data-intensive approaches, and who pursue opportunities across geoscience, engineering, materials science, environmental science, and related fields. Candidates may employ methods ranging from mineralogical and geochemical characterization to experimental petrology, numerical modeling, geospatial analysis, automated mineralogy, machine learning, or other emerging approaches.
The Virginia Tech Department of Geosciences has long-established excellence in mineralogy, geochemistry, fluids, and petrology, including multiple National Academy of Sciences members, recipients of major international medals, and numerous AGU and GSA Fellows. With substantial university investments in critical mineral science, engineering, and workforce development, together with close collaboration between Geosciences and the Department of Mining & Minerals Engineering, the successful candidate will join Virginia Tech during a period of significant growth in the critical mineral and subsurface sciences. We seek an outstanding and ambitious scientist who will help shape this growing initiative, develop an innovative, externally funded research program that spans fundamental and/or applied research, and who will contribute creatively to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education. The successful candidate may be appointed at the assistant, associate, or full professor level, commensurate with experience and qualifications.
Virginia Tech is a comprehensive land-grant university located in Blacksburg, Virginia, a location which offers an exceptional quality of life, a welcoming community, and access to the natural beauty of the Appalachian Mountains. Virginia Tech is united around the motto, Ut Prosim (“That I May Serve”), with a strong commitment to making real-world impact and a collaborative and inclusive academic culture. The university community is dedicated to the transdisciplinary pursuit of discovery and experiential education that prepares tomorrow’s leaders and difference-makers. The Department of Geosciences has nearly forty faculty, many of whom are globally recognized leaders in their field, and shares a positive and friendly culture in which everyone matters and is welcome.
Required Qualifications
A Ph.D. in geoscience or a closely related field is required at the time of appointment.
Preferred Qualifications
- A strong record of publications in peer-reviewed scientific literature.
- A clear research vision that complements areas of ongoing interest in the Department of Geosciences.
- A compelling vision for student-focused teaching.
Overtime Status
Exempt: Not eligible for overtime
Appointment Type
Regular
Salary Information
Assistant $90,000 - $100,000;
Associate $115,000 - $130,000
Full $145,000 - $200,000
Hours per week
40 hours; FLSA Status is Exempt
Review Date
December 14, 2026
Additional Information
Applicants must submit their application materials online at http://www.jobs.vt.edu in response to posting 537652. Application materials include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, detailed research plan, statement of teaching philosophy, and names and contact information of at least three references. Review of applications will begin on December 14, 2026, and continue until the position is filled. For questions about the position, please contact Mark Caddick, Search Committee Chair, at caddick@vt.edu. For further information about the Department of Geosciences, please visit www.geos.vt.edu. The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
A background check is required.
This position may require some travel to meetings and conferences.
About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.
Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Sharon Collins at sharon72@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.