Career Center

Assistant Professor, Dairy Production - 9-month, tenure-track 

Position Overview

Assistant Professor, tenure-track 9-month appointment in extension (60%) and research (40%) in the Department of Animal Science (http://www.ansci.umn.edu), College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Sciences (CFANS) (http://www.cfans.umn.edu/), located on the St Paul campus of the University of Minnesota (https://twin-cities.umn.edu/about-us). The individual in this position will work closely with Minnesota dairy producers, allied industry, and UMN faculty and students to conduct research and deliver solutions to improve the economic, social, and environmental viability of dairy farms.  This is a full-time position to develop a cutting-edge extension and research program to meet the needs of our diverse and progressive dairy farm sector.  This person will also recruit and mentor undergraduate and graduate students, including those from culturally diverse backgrounds.  Our Department and CFANS expects collaboration among Extension and research faculty, farmers, industry professionals and with colleagues in other disciplines.

Responsibilities

Applicants must have the ability to develop and deliver excellence in Extension programming and education, establish and maintain an innovative, independent, and extramurally funded research program, and support the service missions of the University.

Extension – 60%

• Provide strong leadership, networking, and effective Extension programming on critical issues related to dairy production
• Collaborate with faculty, Extension staff, and stakeholders to provide disciplinary leadership, direction to programs, and priority-setting for Extension efforts
• Communicate and promote Extension outreach, including youth programming, to those that support the dairy sector 

Research – 40%:

• Develop an applied research program which provides research-based solutions to optimize dairy production systems
• Achieve national and international recognition; support graduate student research; publish in relevant refereed journals; and obtain extramural funding
• Contribute to research programs within the Department, and interdisciplinary collaboration with faculty across the UMN and beyond

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in animal or dairy science or closely related field required by date of hire
• Experience working with and delivering educational programming
• Practical dairy farm knowledge  
• Demonstrated ability to conduct research related to dairy production 
• Published in scientific journals
• Demonstrated strong commitment to the University’s goal of creating a positive and inclusive campus climate by advancing equity and diversity

Preferred Qualifications 

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Interest and experience in dairy youth programming
• Evidence of teaching skills including developing curriculum and utilizing technology
• Evidence of independent and collaborative research
• Evidence of quantitative analytic skills
• Experience working in interdisciplinary educational programs and research teams
• Evidence of success in securing extramural funding
• Experience supervising students from culturally diverse backgrounds
• Experience and ability to work with diverse teams and relate to people from different cultures

For more information and details on how to apply, please visit http://employment.umn.edu/ (search for Job Opening ID 348054).

Application deadline is July 1, 2022.  

Department Overview

The Department of Animal Science (http://ansci.umn.edu) in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Sciences (CFANS) (http://www.cfans.umn.edu/) is located on the scenic St. Paul campus. The Animal Science major, with an enrollment of 420 students, is divided into five emphasis areas: Business/Industry, Companion Animal, Equine, Production, and Pre-Veterinary Medicine/Science. Each emphasis offers a unique combination of classes to prepare students for future careers in business, production management, companion animal, equine, veterinary medicine or graduate school. Within an emphasis, students can also specialize in a species, such as beef, companion animal, dairy, equine, poultry, swine or sheep, or develop a set of elective classes unique to their animal interests. 

Research and Extension Environment

The UMN has a long history of excellence in dairy cattle research, extension, and teaching programs. Minnesota currently ranks 4th in the number of dairy herds and has a diversified, progressive, and growing dairy industry. The University of Minnesota Dairy Extension Team is comprised of state dairy specialists, regional dairy educators and county-based educators. The team is active in developing and delivering programming in dairy management areas including precision technologies, grazing/organic systems, welfare, nutrition, genetics, health, calves and youngstock. Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro area is also home to multinational companies offering products and services to the global dairy industry. The successful candidate will be a key member of the Extension Dairy Team providing leadership on designing, implementing, and evaluating programs related to dairy production and collaborate with other Extension faculty and educators in dairy education program planning and delivery.  Established breeding and genetics, genomics, physiology of reproduction, nutrition, cow comfort, animal health, quantitative data analysis, and precision dairy research programs in the Department offer a collaborative environment and competitive advantage.

The position is located on the St. Paul Campus of the larger Twin Cities Campus, at the University of Minnesota (UMN), one of the top public research universities in the nation. Research activities within the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) emphasize the application of basic science to national and global problems in food production, food safety and animal health.  Facilities available to support research include the 120-cow dairy herd on the St. Paul Campus, a 300-cow dairy herd at the West Central Research and Outreach Center (Morris, MN) and 400-head calf and heifer development facilities at the Southern Research and Outreach Center (Waseca, MN).

UMN Extension is the major outreach arm of the University, which is a land grant institution with a mission to serve the public through applied research and education. The mission of UMN Extension is to “make a difference by connecting community needs and University resources to address critical issues in Minnesota”.   

The individual in this position will be a member of the UMN Extension Dairy Team. This team facilitates dissemination of results derived through research. The team has been actively involved in delivering quality Extension programming to dairy producers for over 40 years, establishing a solid reputation for discovering stakeholder needs through a yearly planning meeting held in conjunction with neighboring states. The team has a history of establishing Extension programming based on industry needs.  Other research and education opportunities are present through collaborations with faculty in Departments of Animal Science, Agronomy and Plant Genetics, Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, Entomology, Food Science and Nutrition, and the College of Veterinary Medicine.