A new strategic university-wide emphasis on Global Systems Science, and university-wide investment into Agricultural Research, Education, Extension and Technology Transfer (AGREETT) program (http://www.cfans.umn.edu/agreett), has prompted the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) into hiring a cluster of at least six faculty members in the broad area of infectious disease across its three Departments. The Veterinary Population Medicine Department (VPM) invites applications for a tenured or tenure-track faculty position in pathogen surveillance and discovery, with emphasis on zoonotic/emerging infectious diseases. The appointment is expected to be at the rank of assistant, associate or professor positions. The final rank and terms of appointment will depend on the qualifications and experience of the selected candidate consistent with collegiate and University policies.
Production-limiting diseases, whether they occur as ongoing endemic disease conditions or as newly introduced diseases that create devastating pandemics, can lead to significant economic hardship for both producers and consumers. The world population is expected to reach 9.5 billion by 2050, with an associated dramatic increase in consumption of animal protein. Early detection and control of persistent, emerging, and re-emerging animal pathogens in aquatic and terrestrial systems is vital to address this growing demand. The CVM and Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) have been national leaders in utilizing molecular diagnostics and ultrastructural pathology to identify, characterize, survey, and control new pathogens. A pathogen discovery specialist is needed to utilize emerging technologies such as nanotechnology and the various "-omics," including genomics and metabolomics, to allow enhanced pathogen diagnostics in domesticated animals, wildlife, and food products. Incorporation of these new technologies could revolutionize diagnostic testing, disease surveillance, and control, fostering the development and use of farm-side and field testing for infectious diseases. Any adoption of field-based testing will require integration with diagnostic centers to ensure that equipment and results are validated regularly and data warehousing and interpretation is available and informative.
RESPONSIBILITIES
A primary responsibility of the position will be to establish and maintain a high-quality extramurally funded research program. There will also be opportunities to co-teach in professional (DVM) and graduate (MS, MPH, PhD) courses. It will be essential for the pathogen surveillance and discovery faculty member to interact with the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic laboratory on a day to day basis. The MNVDL is a frontline defense for the emergence and detection of pathogens.
The VPM department has an internationally recognized infectious diseases program, with active research projects involving use of animal models of infectious diseases, vaccine development, and investigation of microbial pathogenesis, host-pathogen interactions and impact of microbiome/metagenomics in diseases. We are seeking a highly motivated candidate with the potential to develop an internationally recognized research program that complements the existing expertise within infectious diseases programs and links to the VDL at the CVM. The position is expected to contribute substantively to global systems sciences, using integrated systems-level approaches to understand and manage the emergence of infectious diseases and elucidate the relevance of relationships between microbial organisms, their animal and human hosts, and the environment. For more information about the College and Department and the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic lab please visit http://www.vetmed.umn.edu/departments/veterinary-and-biomedical-sciences/cluster-faculty-hires.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Candidate requirements for this position include a PhD related to biomedical science and a strong record of research funding and publications.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Candidates with DVM and PhD are particularly encouraged to apply.
SALARY AND START-UP PACKAGE
Highly competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications. The University offers an excellent benefits package. For example, the University pays 100% of the premium for Faculty Basic Life Insurance as well as 100% of the premium for Faculty Group Income Disability Insurance. Faculty contributes 5.5% of their annual salary and the University contributes 10% toward the Faculty Retirement Plan. There are also two Optional Retirement Plans available. For more benefits information see https://humanresources.umn.edu/benefits.
START DATE
Negotiable, after a suitable candidate is identified.
APPLICATIONS
Applications will be accepted and reviewed upon receipt until the position is filled. Application and all related documents must be submitted online at http://z.umn.edu/agreeettpathogen, Job ID: 315742. Interested individuals should complete the online application and submit a curriculum vitae, a statement of research and teaching interests, a letter of intent outlining academic record and career goals, and names and contact information of three professional references. Inquiries about the application process should be directed to Ms. Anna Jones at bystr005@umn.edu. Inquiries about the position should be directed to the chair of the search committee, Dr. S. Sreevatsan, Professor, (612-625-3769, sreev001@umn.edu).
The Veterinary Population Medicine Department encourages all qualified candidates to apply, particularly women and other under-represented minorities, and candidates with research and teaching experience in multicultural, multiracial settings. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer and is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status or sexual orientation. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
ABOUT MINNESOTA
The Twin Cities metropolitan area (St Paul/Minneapolis) is the 16th-largest metropolitan area in the country and ranks among the country’s most desirable places to live, offering exceptional cultural, social, and recreational opportunities. The public school system in Minnesota is excellent and the University of Minnesota Day Care Center is among the best in the nation. Livability.com ranked Minneapolis as the healthiest city in the U.S in 2015. The Twin Cities hosts 4 major professional sports teams, are a cultural center for theater, opera, museums, great shopping and have an international airport providing a direct connection to most major cities. State parks are plentiful and hiking, skiing, swimming, boating and fishing are within minutes of most anywhere in the Twin Cities area. You can live in rural areas with only a 30 minute commute to the Veterinary College. Really, it is (mostly) not that cold and people love it here! For more information please see the following websites: https://humanresources.umn.edu/find-job/rap and http://www.exploreminnesota.com.