Associate Director for Precision Nutrition and AgriLife Research Professor

Texas A&M Agrilife Research • College Station, TX

27d • Onsite

About The Position

The Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture (IHA) is a research institute focused on precision nutrition, responsive agriculture, and behavioral research to reduce diet-related chronic diseases. It aims to optimize health through innovative research connecting agriculture, food systems, and nutrition. The IHA's vision integrates Precision Nutrition, Responsive Agriculture, and Healthy Living. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Responsive Agricultural Food Systems Research Unit (RAFSRU) is co-located with IHA and collaborates on research related to human health and nutrition. Texas A&M AgriLife is a large agriculture and life sciences program comprising several entities, including Texas A&M AgriLife Research. The Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture (IHA) is seeking an Associate Director for Precision Nutrition. This leadership role will drive innovation in Precision Nutrition, Healthy Living, and Responsive Agriculture, advancing the IHA's mission to integrate biological discovery, translational science, and real-world impact. The Associate Director will provide strategic, scientific, and programmatic leadership for Precision Nutrition initiatives, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations in areas such as dietary exposures, metabolism, exercise, genomics, epigenetics, microbiome, and immune function to optimize health outcomes across diverse populations and life stages.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Nutrition, Nutritional Sciences, or a related field.
• Established record of high-impact publications in leading journals (e.g., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Journal of Nutrition).
• Established record of sustained extramural funding (NIH, USDA, or equivalent).
• Demonstrated leadership in interdisciplinary research and program development.
• Strong commitment to collaboration and team science.

Nice To Haves

• Expertise in human clinical nutrition or other modern precision nutrition approaches.
• Professional credentials such as Registered Dietitian (RD) or equivalent clinical experience.
• Proven ability to lead large-scale collaborative initiatives.
• Experience translating research into practice, policy, or food/agricultural systems.
• Track record of leadership in national or international scientific organizations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and expand IHA’s Precision Nutrition (PN) research portfolio.
• Develop and execute a bold vision building synergy and aligning PN with other IHA focus areas (Responsive Agriculture and Healthy Living).
• Shape institutional priorities and national visibility in PN.
• Advance discoveries across broad areas of nutrition, including the effects of food, nutrients, non-nutrient bioactives, and dietary patterns on health and disease risk; diet interactions with gut microbiota, contaminants, and other environmental exposures on health outcomes; interindividual/subpopulation variability in dietary responses; and nutritional modulation of metabolism, transcriptional regulation, epigenetics, immunity, and other physiological responses and resulting health-span.
• Link pre-clinical discoveries to human biomarkers to advance the prevention/treatment of chronic diseases.
• Translate mechanistic insights into actionable dietary strategies and agricultural innovations.
• Maintain a nationally recognized, externally funded research program.
• Build cross-disciplinary teams across nutrition, agriculture, engineering, public health, and clinical sciences.
• Foster partnerships with federal agencies (e.g., NIH, USDA), industry, and academic institutions.
• Lead large-scale, multi-investigator grants and initiatives.
• Mentor graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty.
• Contribute to education in nutrition and related disciplines.
• Promote workforce development in Precision Nutrition.
• Represent IHA in national organizations (e.g., American Society for Nutrition).
• Contribute to scientific advisory panels, editorial boards, and policy discussions.
• Enhance IHA’s reputation as a global leader in Precision Nutrition.

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree