Research Assistant Professor of Food & Meat Science

Texas A&M University System•College Station, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Texas A&M AgriLife Research seeks an outstanding, innovative, and dynamic research faculty member in the Department of Animal Science at the rank of Research Assistant Professor. This appointment will be 12 months, non-tenured, 100% Research. The applicant will collaborate with scientists across the department, the Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, and Texas A&M University. The candidate will build a highly impactful, externally funded, nationally recognized, and self-sustaining research program addressing key production and processing challenges in Texas’s food and meat science industry. The successful candidate will develop and maintain a nationally recognized, externally funded research program focused on meat microbiology, food safety, and microbial ecology within animal and food systems. This work will integrate applied and fundamental approaches, including microbial ecology, data analytics, and systems-level modeling to address critical challenges facing the meat and food industries.

Requirements

Ph.D. in an area of Animal or Food Science, emphasizing meat science or a closely related field.
Experience with Food and Meat Science and management practices and related activities.
Strong quantitative skills related to Food and Meat Science research, including expertise in issues related to pathogen persistence, spoilage, and shelf-life in meat production and processing environments.
Record of peer-reviewed publications of original research.
Experience working with federal agencies or in other multi-agency collaborative settings.
Grant writing experience and evidence of the ability to attract external funding.
Excellence in verbal and written communication, including relevant publication records.
Team-building skills, collaboration capacity, and project management abilities.
Ability to multi-task and establish effective working relationships.
Knowledge and understanding of the mission and role of the Land Grant University System.

Responsibilities

Establish a robust, externally funded research program addressing meat safety, microbiome ecology, pathogen control, and/or product shelf-life. This includes research aligning agricultural production with human nutritional needs, environmental conditions, and economic prosperity for farmers and ranchers.
Utilize advanced analytical, microbiological, and data science approaches to generate impactful, translational outcomes for the livestock and meat industries which contribute to human health.
Publish results in peer-reviewed journals and present findings at national and international scientific meetings.
Recruit, mentor, and train M.S. and Ph.D. students in animal science-related research.
Serve on graduate committees and contribute to the development of future scientists and industry professionals.
Collaboration with industry partners, producers, processors, and regulatory agencies to address food safety challenges and improve product quality as well as human nutritional needs.
Participate in outreach and engagement activities as appropriate to translate research findings into practical applications for stakeholders.
Secure extramural funding from federal agencies, industry groups, and other sources to sustain and grow the research program.
Build strategic partnerships that enhance research capacity, collaboration, and stakeholder impact.
Participate in departmental, college, and agency service activities.
Contribute to professional societies and scientific communities relevant to animal science, food safety, and microbiology.