Context of Job: The Department of Animal and Food Sciences (ANFS) at the University of Delaware invites applications for a full-time 9-month tenured faculty appointment beginning August 1, 2024 to complement the department’s research areas in poultry disease prevention, gut health, environmental management, and food safety. Applicants will be considered for the title of Associate/Full Professor of Avian Biosciences with a 60% research, 25% teaching, and 15% service appointment. The selected candidate will be expected to conduct primarily applied research in the broad area of avian health and infectious diseases relevant to the commercial broiler industry, with areas of interest including but not limited to:

• Poultry disease prevention, surveillance, intervention, and emergency response;
• One Health and zoonotic disease transmission;
• Microbiology/virology and vaccine development; and
• Role of the avian microbiome in disease pathogenesis and prevention.

The individual will serve as the Director of the Avian Biosciences Center (ABC) which is a collection of laboratories and scientists focused on developing science-based solutions to contemporary problems in the avian biosciences, providing avian diagnostic services, and training U.S. and international professionals on response to emerging one health issues. The ABC serves as the University of Delaware’s clearinghouse for information on poultry research and management for the public, stakeholders, and government agencies. As ABC Director, this individual will be responsible for departmental collaborations with the poultry industry and relevant allied industries. The successful candidate will possess evidence of prior excellence in research pertinent to the area of avian health and disease, university teaching, and outreach. The individual will maintain an extramurally funded research program, mentor and instruct graduate and undergraduate students, and support the land grant mission of the University of Delaware.

Preference will be given to candidates who add new methodologies and disciplinary training to complement existing departmental expertise, whose research can effectively use the biosafety level 3 facilities housed in the Allen Laboratory on the Newark campus, and who have demonstrated success in interactions and communications with the poultry industry, regional stakeholders, and regulatory agencies. Teaching responsibilities will include 2 courses per academic year which may be in the applicant’s area of expertise or as dictated by the department’s teaching needs in the animal sciences.

A Ph.D. or DVM/Ph.D. preferred or DVM/VMD and equivalent experience at the Associate or Professor rank in an avian health-related discipline are required. Successful candidates will demonstrate novel integrative research approaches applicable to agricultural animal systems with an understanding and appreciation of the One Health initiative as applied to production animal systems. The University of Delaware is committed to the development of a diverse faculty, and the applicant should be committed to inclusive excellence in teaching, research, and stakeholder engagement.

The Department of Animal and Food Sciences, located in Newark and Georgetown, Delaware, is one of the four departments in the University of Delaware’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. This highly collegial department has 19 full-time faculty focused in the areas of infectious diseases, genomics, immunology, physiology, nutrition, gut health, microbiology including food safety, and food processing. The ANFS undergraduate program is a national leader with over 400 students enrolled and places a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary research and discovery-based learning. The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources includes a 350-acre agricultural experiment station and teaching farm, Allen Laboratory (biosafety level 3 facility), and the Lasher Diagnostic Laboratory. The primary research and teaching laboratory building (Worrilow Hall) recently underwent a $38-million renovation, providing state-of-the-art laboratories and core facilities available for use by the successful candidate. The University of Delaware offers an attractive salary and benefits package (educational, health insurance, retirement), excellent work-life policies, and a competitive start-up package.

Additional Institutional Information

The University of Delaware’s main campus in Newark, Delaware, provides the amenities of a vibrant college town with convenient access to the major cities along the East Coast, within one hour of Philadelphia and Baltimore, and two hours of New York City and Washington, D.C. An Amtrak station is a short walk from the Department of Animal and Food Sciences’ buildings. An innovative leader in research and teaching, the University of Delaware combines a rich historic legacy with a commitment to undergraduate education and the latest advances in technology. State-assisted, yet privately governed, the University has a strong tradition of distinguished scholarship, research, teaching and service for the benefit of the larger society. Tracing its origins to 1743 and chartered by the state in 1833, the University is a Land Grant, Sea Grant, Space Grant, and Carnegie Engaged University with very high research activity. The University of Delaware is a well-endowed, state-assisted institution with selective admissions and a student body of more than 20,000 undergraduate and 4,000 graduate students

Review of applications will begin April 1, 2024 and continue until the position is filled. Applicants should submit a letter of application addressing the required qualifications (up to 2 pages), a curriculum vitae, 3 representative reprints of original peer-reviewed research scholarship, and statements of research interests (up to 2 pages) and teaching philosophy (1 page) including diverse and inclusive learning and contact information for three references. Letters of recommendation will be requested from the referees at time of application submission. Application materials submitted via email will not be considered. Submitted documents will be shared with departmental faculty and staff.

The University of Delaware is an Equal Opportunity Employer which encourages applications from under-represented minorities and women. The University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination can be found at http://www.udel.edu/aboutus/legalnotices.html. Employment offers will be conditional upon successful completion of a criminal background check. A conviction will not necessarily exclude a candidate from employment. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States upon hire.

Questions may be directed to the Faculty Search Committee Chair, Dr. Mark Parcells (Parcells@udel.edu), Department of Animal and Food Sciences, 044 Townsend Hall, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716.