Tenured: Professor and Department Head of Food Science & Technology College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Location College Station, TX

Open Date 10/16/2024

Position ID 150388

Description

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University invites applications for the full-time, tenured position of Professor and Head of the Department of Food Science & Technology (FSTC). The anticipated start date is August 1, 2025. This is a 9-month tenured position, with a research appointment (negotiable from 25%-50%), and an administrative stipend equivalent to two months of summer salary. Competitive university benefits accompany the position. Additional support in the form of a post-doctoral scientist is available upon the establishment of a Hatch project. The administrative stipend and post-doctoral support will be in effect while the individual holds the position of Department Head. This position will also provide oversight for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension programming within the department.

The Professor and Head will serve as the Department's chief administrative officer and as an advocate for Food Science and the allied disciplines it represents. The Head reports to the Vice Chancellor and Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University, College Station. The position provides leadership and support for numerous faculty initiatives that include enhancing and expanding undergraduate and graduate education, increasing contributions to knowledge and science through extramurally funded research, fostering collegiality and interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty, conducting extension and outreach programs, securing additional resources, strengthening relationships with stakeholder groups, and promoting communication of science-based findings to inform public policy and private decision-makers.

The Department of Food Science & Technology (https://foodscience.tamu.edu/) is a nationally approved program by the Institute of Food Technologists’ Higher Education Review Board, with an ambitious vision for continued excellence. With integrated teaching, research, and extension programs, the Department has four areas of excellence: Global Food Safety & Quality, Functional Food Systems for Healthy Texas and Beyond, Innovative Technologies, and Global Sensory & Consumer Science. External research grants and contract funding acquired by faculty annually are approximately $3-7 million. The department has 11 core faculty members and an additional 12 affiliate graduate faculty in four academic departments throughout the College. There are 86 undergraduate and 30 graduate majors. The Department offers a BS in Food Sciences & Technology with two options, the Food Industry option and the Food Science option, and two undergraduate certificates. The department also offers MS and PhD degrees in Food Science & Technology. The department houses the eBeam center, a national and international leader in eBeam and X-ray technologies. The NASA Space Food Research Facility provides an unparalleled opportunity for food science and technology undergraduate and graduate students to obtain hands-on experiential learning on food processing technologies. The department’s strategic plan can be accessed at foodscience.tamu.edu/food-science-and-technology-strategic-plan/, which is aligned with the strategic plan of the College and AgriLife agencies. The agency plans can be accessed at the following links:

• agriliferesearch.tamu.edu/about/strategic-plan/

• agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/about-2/strategic-plan/

  The ideal candidate is expected to have led and to continue to lead a dynamic and productive, nationally and internationally recognized research program. The successful candidate is to provide evidence of visionary leadership emphasizing transparency, strategic and innovative thinking, and demonstrate a commitment to student education. The incumbent faculty member must be able to work and communicate effectively with faculty, staff, and students and strongly and effectively represent them and their best interests to university administrators, state and federal agencies, industry, stakeholders, and the public. The ideal candidate will also provide a commitment to promoting a multidisciplinary, multicultural community of scholars and educators.

  Texas A&M University (https://www.tamu.edu/index.html) , a land, sea, and space grant institution, was designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) in 2022. With over 77,000 students and a multibillion-dollar endowment, it ranks second in the U.S. for agricultural R&D expenditures. The College Station/Bryan area, home to 281,445 residents, is frequently ranked among the best places to live. Texas A&M is part of The Texas A&M University System, which includes 11 universities, a health science center, and eight state agencies – including the AgriLife Research and AgriLife Extension agencies, educating over 157,000 students and conducting $1 billion in annual R&D, significantly contributing to the economy of Texas.

  Texas A&M University is aware that attracting and retaining exceptional faculty often depends on meeting the needs of two careers and having policies that contribute to work-life balance. For more information, visit https://www.tamu.edu/faculty/index.html .

  Qualifications

  Candidates for the Professor and Department Head position must have an earned doctorate in Food Science & Technology or a closely related field, with a record of distinction in research, teaching, and service that would qualify them for tenure at a tier 1 research institution. Demonstrated experience in academic administration is preferred, as is experience in a land grant institution.

  Application Instructions

  Applicants should submit the following documents: 1) a cover letter; 2) a detailed Curriculum Vita; 3) a personal statement of vision for the Department, specifically addressing administrative philosophy, personal research, undergraduate and graduate education, faculty mentoring, the fostering of academic research programs across multiple disciplines, extension outreach, and a strategy for development (fundraising); and 4) contact information for five references. Review of the applicant pool will begin November 2024 and will continue until the position is filled. For questions, email inquiries to Advisory Search Committee Chair Professor Amit Dhingra at amit.dhingra@ag.tamu.edu.