Scientist I

Universities of Wisconsin•River Falls, WI

About The Position

A trainer, researcher, and teaching position in the Humane Handling Institute and Department of Animal and Food Science. This is a full-time, 9-month contract position. The successful candidate will contribute to Humane Handling Institute training activities, conduct and disseminate research, collaborate with the Institute and Animal Welfare Lab to pursue extramural funding, and teach an average of 9 credits per academic year in the Animal and Food Science Department. The role includes developing, refining, and delivering educational content about safe and humane animal handling in livestock production facilities and slaughter establishments, as well as contributing to the direction and supervision of program technicians. The candidate will develop practical animal-welfare research relevant to production and slaughter settings, lead or collaborate on research protocols, data collection, statistical analysis, presentation of results, technician supervision, and publication. Teaching will focus on courses suited to the candidate’s expertise and interests, with emphasis on animal welfare and behavior. The position also involves conducting literature reviews, preparing reports and materials, supporting grant proposals, collecting and analyzing research data, assisting with research methods development, facilitating scholarly events, and serving as a liaison with internal and external stakeholders. The requested 9-month salary is $65,000. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is not available.

Requirements

PhD in animal science or a related field prior to the start date.
Ability and willingness to conduct field research.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Strong statistical analysis skills.
Ability to travel for data collection.
Ability to possess and maintain a valid U.S. driver’s license.
Familiarity with navigating meat processing and slaughter establishments.
Interest in teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students.
Experience teaching animal welfare and behavior courses at the collegiate level.
Experience coaching competitive judging teams.
Certification(s) in agricultural animal welfare assessment and/or auditing.

Responsibilities

Develop, refine, and deliver educational content on safe and humane animal handling in livestock production facilities and slaughter establishments.
Contribute to the direction and supervision of program technicians.
Develop a research program focused on practical improvements to animal welfare in production and slaughter settings.
Lead and collaborate on research protocols, data collection, statistical analysis, presentation of results, supervision of research technicians, and publication of research articles.
Teach an average of 9 credits per academic year in the Animal and Food Science Department, emphasizing animal welfare and behavior courses.
Conduct literature reviews, prepare reports and materials, and disseminate information to appropriate entities.
Write or assist in developing grant applications and proposals to secure research funding.
Collect and analyze research data, conduct experiments and interviews, and document results according to established policies and procedures.
Attend and assist with scholarly events and presentations that support professional development and dissemination of research information.
Assist with identifying research problems and developing research methodologies and procedures.
Serve as a main point of contact and liaison with internal and external stakeholders in the specialized research area.
Travel for data collection.