Assistant Professor - El Paso

Job Title · Assistant ProfessorAgency · Texas A&M Agrilife ResearchDepartment · El PasoProposed Minimum Salary · CommensurateJob Location · El Paso, TexasJob Type · FacultyJob Description · Texas A&M AgriLife Research seeks an outstanding, innovative, and dynamic research faculty ...

Job description

Job Title

Assistant Professor

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Research

Department

El Paso

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

El Paso, Texas

Job Type

Faculty

Job Description

Texas A&M AgriLife Research seeks an outstanding, innovative, and dynamic research faculty member in Nutrition at the rank of Assistant Professor. This appointment will be 12 months, non-tenured, 100% Research, and administratively located at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso. In addition, this position will be affiliated with the Department of Nutrition within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. The applicant will work closely with other scientists within the department, Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M AgriLife Research to build a highly impactful, externally funded, nationally recognized, and self-sustainable research program.

We are looking for an individual who will develop and maintain a robust research program investigating 1) the influence of various regenerative agricultural/processing techniques and production/processing inputs (e.g., organic, hydroponics, algae treatment, fertilizer treatment, etc.) on the nutritional value of food; and/or 2) consumer preferences and nutrition quality perceptions of food products grown using various regenerative agricultural/processing techniques and production/processing inputs.

The successful candidate will work closely with faculty at Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso , engaging in soil quality, water conservation, and horticulture research related to local crops such as pecans, pistachios, and peppers. The successful candidate may also work with existing public health nutrition faculty and agricultural economics faculty to study consumer preferences and perceptions.

Position Responsibilities:

• Must develop a research program addressing research advances in one or more of the following focus areas:

• Economic analysis of various regenerative agricultural/processing techniques and production/processing inputs (e.g., organic, hydroponics, algae treatment, fertilizer treatment, etc.) 

• Consumer preferences for foods grown with various regenerative agricultural/processing techniques and production/processing inputs (e.g., organic, hydroponics, algae treatment, fertilizer treatment, etc.)

• Consumers' nutrition quality perceptions of food products grown using various regenerative agricultural/processing techniques and production/processing inputs.

• Must be able to conduct and report economic analyses addressing production, marketing, sustainability, and environmental impacts of research developments addressing issues in one or more of the focus areas.

• Must participate on interdisciplinary teams with faculty in the AgriLife Research and Extension Centers (see the list at ) and where appropriate the Texas A&M University main campus and other system campuses.

• Must be able to participate in efforts to compete aggressively for federal, state, commodity group, and other competitive funding in focus and related research areas.

• Must publish research results in peer-reviewed journals.

• Must present research findings at national and international conferences.

• Must train and mentor current and next-generation scientists, including students and Postdocs.

• Must support Extension Specialists in the AgriLife Research and Extension Center network in developing educational materials related to research evaluations and projected/realized outcomes.

• Must serve as an advisor to graduate students and secure external funding to support graduate assistantships.

• Expected to develop working relationships with relevant industry, and commodity groups and where appropriate participate in industry and professional meetings.

• Expected to serve on unit, department, agency, and university committees as appropriate.

• Occasional travel required to participate in meetings and conduct research programs plus support related outreach.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

 

Administrative Relationships:

• Reports directly to the Center Director, Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso, with guidance from the Department of Agricultural Economics within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.

• Directs the work of support staff, and other technical personnel and graduate students assigned to the project.

 

Qualifications:  

Required job qualifications:

• Ph.D. in agricultural economics, economics, or related fields.

• Demonstrated basic knowledge of cost benefit analysis, market analysis, and environmental economic impact analysis as they relate to a subset of the above problem areas.

• Ability and commitment to conduct production, market, and environmental economic evaluations.

• Commitment to working in an interdisciplinary team approach to cooperatively do economic evaluation of innovative research and report results in professional, industry, and extension contexts.

• Capability in designing and conducting cooperative applied production, market, and environmental economic evaluation research on research innovations in an interdisciplinary setting.

• Capable of participating in efforts to secure external funding.

• Capable of producing high quality scholarly publications.

• Interpersonal skills to establish effective communication and working relationships with AgriLife Research and Extension scientists, staff, faculty, administration, and external contacts.

• Experience developing peer-reviewed publications as first-author.

• Experience communicating research findings to a variety of audiences.

• Experience working in interdisciplinary research teams.

• Record of peer-reviewed publications of original research.

• Valid drivers' license/ability to obtain a valid driver's license.

Preferred job qualifications:

• Prior academic, post-doctoral, or professional experience.

• Experience with practical economic evaluation regarding production, market, and environmental implications of research innovations developed by interdisciplinary teams.

• Experience in reporting of such evaluations to various audiences.

• Knowledge of issues associated with more than one of the focus areas.

• Familiarity with Texas agricultural systems.

• Exposure to community impact assessment.

• Experience with grant writing to seek and/or obtain external funding. 

• Experience working with producers, processors, or consumers to understand their perspectives.

• Experience working with federal agencies or in other multi-agency collaborative settings.

• Modest teaching experience that will enhance graduate student success.

• Modest outreach experience with stakeholder interaction.

• Grant writing experience and evidence of the ability to attract external funding.

• Experience mentoring undergraduate students, graduate students, and/or post docs.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent English oral, written, and electronic communication skills.

• Ability to use personal computer to communicate effectively, prepare proposals to include cost information on spreadsheets, provide reports of activities, do market and cost evaluations, quantitatively analyze production, market, and environmental data.

• Ability to communicate effectively with the broader interdisciplinary group of AgriLife scientists, faculty, staff, and stakeholders.

• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others. 

Location and Facilities:

This position will be stationed at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso located at 1380 A&M Circle Drive, El Paso, TX. Their mission statement is to: create, learn, and share knowledge about arid ecosystems, natural resource management, and nutrition to promote economic advancement, healthy residents, and sustainable development in Far West Texas.

All proposed activities will support the missions and strategic plans of Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso and Texas A&M AgriLife Research.

Benefits Information:

• Benefits – The Texas A&M University System Network )

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums

• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays 

• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month

• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas 

• Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife 

Additional information about Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso, and Texas A&M Department of Agricultural Economics is available at:

Texas A&M AgriLife Research:

Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso:

Texas A&M Department of Agricultural Economics:  

Application Procedure: 

Applications will only be accepted online at

Applicants must upload a:

• Cover letter (two-page limit)

• Curriculum vitae including a list of three references and their contact information within the CV.

• While not required, the search committee also welcomes a document (limit two pages) that describes how you meet the "Required Job Qualifications" and "Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities" along with how you meet the "Preferred Job Qualifications." 

The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified.

Questions: 

Dr. Bart Fischer- Search Committee Chair.

Address inquiries to Jessica Stott, Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso, ,

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution's verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution's procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.