Job Title

Assistant Professor and Extension Food Specialist

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service

Department

Food Science & Technology

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Faculty

Job Description

The Texas A&M Department of Food Science and Technology at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX seeks outstanding applicants for a non-tenure track Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist position with an emphasis in food processing and safety. This is a 12-month faculty appointment (100% Extension) based at the flagship main campus in College Station, TX. Texas has a vibrant and growing food industry and ranks #2 nationally regarding industrial food manufacturing and the number of commercial food companies. The position is responsible for the development of educational, outreach, and training programs in the areas of food processing with an emphasis on food safety, regulations, and quality. The successful candidate will interact with campus faculty, statewide country extension agents, industrial stakeholders, students, and professional organizations that emphasize food processing such as Texas Food Processors Association, Dairy Products Institute of Texas, Institute of Food Technologists, and Texas Association of Food Protection among others.

Key position responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provide guidance and support to food companies, both new and existing, on food safety regulations and processing and handling practices, including serving as the process authority to food manufacturing enterprises in the state.

• Develop and deliver continuing education modules to the food industry to meet both FDA certification requirements, and ensure relevant and timely manpower professional development.

• Work collaboratively with faculty and external stakeholders to develop and deliver timely solutions to food industry needs.

• Assist county Extension Agents in working with constituents who want to produce food products for retail sale.

• Participate in professional society conferences and other activities as appropriate.

• Other job-related duties as required.

Required Education and Experience:

• Ph.D. in Food Science, Food Engineering, or a closely related field. The candidate should be proficient in modern food processing techniques, applied food safety, food plant sanitation, and current processing regulations.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience in a Land Grant University and/or prior work in the food industry.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Ability to travel connected with official duties. This may include attendance at night and/or weekend meetings, and participation in out-of-county events.

• Ability to work necessary hours to fulfill job responsibilities, including some evenings and weekends.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Good leadership skills

• Proficiency in use of electronic platforms and appropriate software to design and deliver training, communications, and other outreach messaging that effectively impacts stakeholders.

• Proficiency with data collection and analysis.

• Strong service ethic and desire to work with all audiences in the state

• Ability to multi task and work cooperatively with others

About the Department:

The Department of Food Science and Technology’s (https://foodscience.tamu.edu/) strengths include specialized expertise in food science technologies encompassing food chemistry, engineering, microbiology, molecular biology, microbiome interactions, and processing with access to a wide array of laboratories and pilot facilities. There will be ample opportunities to develop training, educational, and outreach materials for the many stakeholders in the state. These could include but are not limited to site visits to food manufacturers, online training programs, hands-on workshops, better process control schools, and training on Good Manufacturing Practices. The Department of Food Science & Technology is an administrative unit in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, http://agrilife.org/, within the Texas A&M University System. The department has a vibrant faculty, staff, and students that all contribute to the missions of teaching, research, extension, and service. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has a variety of programs and networks to support both the professional and personal success of its faculty. The Department is committed to knowledge discovery and delivery of high-quality education to position the science of food within a sustainable framework, with emphasis on improving the safety, quality, and nutritional value of foods.

Academic Programs:

The Department offers undergraduate and graduate degrees within the disciplines of Food Science & Technology. Our programs prepare future leaders for academic, food industry, or government positions through internships, undergraduate research opportunities, and experiential learning activities.

Research: The department has expertise in food safety, food chemistry and functional foods, food processing, and food analysis. The department has a core analytical laboratory with modern mass spectrometers, chromatography equipment, and biochemical analyses. A new pilot food processing line allows for commercial and experimental food production under high-acid, hot-fill conditions. The Department also houses advanced electron beam food processing equipment.

About the University:

Texas A&M University, the only institution in the state to hold Land, Sea, and Space Grant status, is a Tier I research university committed to strengthening its core Land-Grant mission. The University enrollment exceeds 80,000 students, of which over 15,000 are graduate and professional students; the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences includes 15 departments and over 300 faculty.

About the Community:

The University is in College Station, which combined with the twin city of Bryan, forms a metropolitan community of approximately 275,000 people. In addition to excellent health, education, and recreational services, the community affords a rich variety of cultural activities typical of a major university environment, including sports, museums, music, art, and theater. The College Station-Bryan area is also centrally located between Texas’ major metro areas including Houston, Dallas-Ft Worth, Austin, and San Antonio.

Professional Environment:

The Department of Food Science & Technology was established in 2020 as part of a strategic restructuring of expertise to facilitate programmatic growth in key areas within Texas A&M University. Information on the Department and its programs can be found at https://foodscience.tamu.edu. The College Station campus serves as the flagship for ten universities in the university system. Several centers, institutes, and large interdisciplinary programs provide specialized core facilities and access to clinical populations. These resources include the National Center for Electron Beam Research, Rosenthal Meat Processing Center, NIEHS Center for Environmental Health Research, Texas A&M Institute for Genome Sciences and Society, Texas A&M Institute for Genomic Medicine, Center for Biological Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Mass Spectrometry Collaborative Core, Texas A&M Institute for Data Sciences, Texas A&M High Performance Research Computing Center, among others.

Additional information about Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Texas A&M University Department of Food Science and Technology is available at:

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/about/who-we-are/ Texas A&M University Department of Food Science and Technology: https://foodscience.tamu.edu/

Application Instructions:

Applicants for full consideration should submit the following documents by June 20, 2024 with: 1) cover letter, 2) a detailed curriculum vitae, 3) a vision statement for food processing and safety extension, and 4) contact information for three (3) references.

Please direct any questions regarding this position to Dr. Suresh Pillai (suresh.pillai@ag.tamu.edu) or Dr. Steve Talcott (stalcott@ag.tamu.edu).

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/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer.

As the largest comprehensive agriculture and life sciences program nationally, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies within the Texas A&M University System With over 5,000 employees, and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, the environment, and the economy of Texas and the nation through education, research, extension and service.If your goal is the pursuit of excellence and your vision is to make a difference in this world, we invite you to explore our opportunities to discover what a career at Texas A&M AgriLife has to offer you.

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service (https://agrilife.tamu.edu/agency/extension-home/)

• Texas A&M AgriLife Research

• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University (https://agrilife.tamu.edu/agency/college-home/)

• Texas A&M Forest Service

• Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (https://agrilife.tamu.edu/agency/tvmdl-home/)

  Texas A&M AgriLife collaborates with Prairie View A&M University, Tarleton State University, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas A&M University-Kingsville and West Texas A&M University as well as with other public and private partners.

• Prospective employee benefits

• Retirement programs

• Commitment to inclusive excellence (https://agrilife.tamu.edu/about/diversity-inclusion/)

• Strategic plan