Assistant Professor-One Welfare Companion Animal Specialist

The School of Animal Sciences at Virginia Tech is accepting applications for a tenure-track assistant professor in the field of Companion Animal Applied Ethology. The School has an active companion animal behavior program to which the candidate will contribute. The successful candidate will bring an applied ethology perspective to our companion animal contingent, especially focusing on shelter animals and associated issues. Given the strengths of the School and the potential to partner with the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, a One Welfare approach to the candidate’s program is highly desirable. The position will be located at the Virginia Tech main campus in Blacksburg. This is an academic year, tenure-track position with a teaching and extension appointment. The candidate will join other companion animal behavior and welfare faculty to serve our growing undergraduate program, in which over 70% of students focus on companion animals, as well as to teach and advise in our growing Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare concentration in the college’s Online Master’s in Agriculture and Life Sciences program, and mentor graduate and undergraduate students.

The Extension component is envisioned broadly, including both applied research and its dissemination, and working with Virginia Cooperative Extension agents and stakeholders such as shelter staff, community veterinarians, owners, and 4-H’ers. We expect the successful candidate to serve Commonwealth shelters and rescues by engaging in applied research with the shelter, helping shelters implement data-driven policies and programs, and disseminating their research to Commonwealth and US stakeholders. Furthermore, the extension activities we expect from this position include inservice training for Extension agents and would provide a wealth of experiential learning and applied research opportunities for our students. Significant scholarly outputs are expected, such as peer-reviewed research publications, review articles, etc. The successful candidate will also collaborate on research and extension efforts with other companion animal faculty, other faculty in the School of Animal Sciences that focus on One Health and One Welfare approaches. The incumbent will be expected to secure resources from a wide-range of sources to support their programmatic efforts. There are also potential teaching and extension collaborations with the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, the Department of Biology, and the Department of Psychology. Global engagement is important as the incumbent’s career advances, and will contribute to the expansion of Virginia Tech’s reputation in this domain.

Ph.D. in Animal Sciences, Biological Sciences, Veterinary Medicine or related fields. Excellent oral and written communication skills.

The incumbent should also demonstrate capacity to obtain extramural funding in support of their program, mentor graduate and undergraduate students, demonstrated Extension or outreach experience and have significant scholarly activities appropriate to the discipline.

Regular

Commensurate with Experience

12/01/2022

Application Process: For full consideration, candidates should apply and submit application materials by December 1, 2022. The position will remain open until a viable applicant pool is determined. Applications should be submitted online at https://www.jobs.vt.edu. Applicants are required to upload the following: a cover letter, curricula vitae, statements of research and teaching interests, and the contact information for at least three professional references.

Correspondence should be addressed to:
Erica Feuerbacher, Search Committee Chair
175 West Campus Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0306
Email: enf007@vt.edu

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.