Tenured/Tenure-Track: Open Rank - Infectious Diseases & Microbial Ecology

Description
The Department of Veterinary Large Animal Clinical Sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) at Texas A&M University hosts the Veterinary Education, Research & Outreach (VERO) Program (https://vetmed.tamu.edu/vero/) located in one of the world's most productive livestock-production regions in Canyon, Texas which offers a unique platform for impactful, collaborative research at the intersection of animal health, microbial ecology, and food-system sustainability. The VMBS, in collaboration with West Texas A&M University (WTAMU), invites applications for a full-time, 11-month tenure-track or tenured faculty position in infectious diseases and microbial ecology with application to livestock and food animal systems. Applicants will be considered for the faculty appointment of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. The position will be stationed as part of the VERO Program at the Texas A&M University (TAMU) System complex in Canyon, Texas, located on the campus of WTAMU. This position will be academically housed within the Department of Veterinary Large Animal Clinical Sciences (VLCS) at VMBS (https://vlcs.tamu.edu/).
The VERO Program is located in the heart of one of the most productive animal agricultural regions in the world that produces approximately 25% of beef cattle annually harvested in the U.S. and is home to the nation's third-largest milkshed. The VERO Research Team partners industry stakeholders and scientists across the TAMU System, as well as other national and international collaborators, to deliver highly impactful programs addressing problems of critical relevance to livestock industries. Since its inception in 2019, the highly successful VERO Research Team has generated more than $17M USD in research funding, supported by state-of-the-art molecular research facilities housed in the VERO Program headquarters. The strategic vision of the VERO Research Team is to pursue collaborative research focused on disease prevention and mitigation, microbial ecology, and the impacts of antimicrobial drug use on animal health, food systems, and public health. Our program emphasizes the integration of molecular biology, genomics, computational science, and epidemiology to conduct state-of-the-art, high-impact research that advances the sustainability of animal agriculture and supports an abundant and healthy food supply. (https://VEROresearch.org). The overarching goal of this position is to benefit food-animal industries and stakeholders by contributing to these broader program objectives, and the successful candidate is expected to complement and strengthen existing areas of programmatic strength.
This position is expected to develop and sustain an externally funded research program with national and international impact, maintain a strong record of peer-reviewed publications, and contribute effectively to interdisciplinary and collaborative research efforts consistent with VERO program values (https://VEROresearh.org/ourvalues). Successful candidates must demonstrate a clear commitment to collegial engagement, shared scientific goals, and the success of collaborative research teams.
In addition to research, the successful candidate will also participate with other faculty in mentoring undergraduate, veterinary, and graduate students through the VERO educational programs. Willingness to assist with growth and delivery of experiential training opportunities utilizing the extensive cattle-industry resources in the Texas Panhandles will be encouraged. The successful candidate will participate actively in other duties related to the program mission on a daily basis, and provide service and leadership to support VERO Program, Department, College, and University activities. The successful candidate will participate actively in programmatic, departmental, college, and university service, and provide leadership and support to affiliated external organizations as appropriate. Members of the VERO team are expected to support one another in advancing the program mission and to demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and a consistent record of collegial, collaborative engagement.
Salary and academic rank are commensurate with qualifications and experience. Tenure-track and tenured faculty members are expected to demonstrate effectiveness and excellence in Scholarship, Teaching, and Service. The distribution of effort among these areas is negotiable and may evolve over time; however, it is anticipated that this position will involve approximately 65% effort in Scholarship, 25% in Teaching, and 10% in Service (i.e. academic and professional service).

Qualifications
Required:

• The successful candidate must hold a PhD in infectious diseases, microbial ecology or a related field and/or a DVM with a demonstrated record of peer-reviewed research publications and extramural grant funding.

Preferred:

• Expertise pertinent to North American livestock and food production systems is preferred, particularly knowledge and experience in large-herd cattle systems.
• Preference will be given to candidates with experience applying molecular biology, genomics, computational science, or epidemiological approaches to study infectious disease pathogenesis, host-microbe interactions, microbial ecology, immune responses to microbial agents, or production efficiency.
• Candidates with experience securing extramural research support, conducting team-based collaborative research related to animal production, consulting with stakeholders on populations-level challenges, and teaching graduate students within their disciplinary focus are strongly encouraged to apply.

Application Instructions
Application review will begin upon receipt, and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. If you would like to join the established, progressive research team at VMBS VERO please submit; a) Cover letter, b) personal statement to include philosophy and plans for research, teaching, and service, as applicable and c) your current curriculum vitae, and d) contact information for 5 references at the following link: apply.interfolio.com/182150
For further information contact:
Dr. Paul Morley, Chair of Search Committee
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences - VERO
Texas A&M University
VERO Building, TAMU Campus
3201 Russell Long Blvd.
Canyon, TX 79015
pmorley@tamu.edu
970-219-6089