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Assistant Professor of Food Engineering

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Position description

The Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at the University of California, Davis is recruiting an Assistant Professor of Food Engineering. This is an academic year (9-month), tenure track position in the College of Engineering at University of California, Davis

This position will address the department's mission in research and instruction for food engineering, processing technologies and bio-manufacturing to address key societal challenges related to food, health, economy and environment and to promote much-needed innovation in food processing and manufacturing systems.

The appointee is expected to establish an internationally-recognized, externally-funded fundamental and applied research program in food engineering and processing. Possible research areas include, but are not limited to: innovative engineering, processing, and packaging approaches for addressing challenges of food safety, sustainability and food waste; enhancing food functionality and advancing foods for health; additive and bio-manufacturing approaches for food production; and systems-based approaches for food manufacturing and distribution such as cyber-physical methods and process controls. The engineering and processing approaches may include experimental and/or computational methods.

The appointee will be responsible for teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in food engineering and technology, in addition to other courses in the Biological Systems Engineering (EBS) program. The appointee will be expected to develop new courses in food engineering-related subjects at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Other specific teaching assignments will depend on the academic background of the appointee, and would typically include courses among: EBS 1 (Foundations of Biological Systems Engineering), EBS 125 (Heat Transfer in Biological Systems), EBS 127 (Mass Transfer and Kinetics in Biological Systems), EBS 130 (Modeling of Dynamic Processes in Biological Systems), EBS 170 (Biological Systems Engineering Design), EBS 265 (Design and Analysis of Engineering Experiments) and EBS 270 (Modeling and Analysis of Biological Systems). Undergraduate and graduate student mentoring will be expected. Participation in and development of public outreach and/or community engagement programs, and performance of departmental and university service are expected. Collaboration is also expected with other faculty and researchers across the University, and partners in allied industries or other appropriate public stakeholders. Safety and safe practice are of primary importance to the University of California and this position involves teaching courses in which safety is a major consideration. The successful candidate will ensure departmental and University safety policies are met and instill safety and help build a culture of safety throughout the academic program.

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment, UC Davis conducts a reference check on all first choice candidates for Academic Senate positions eligible for tenure or security of employment. The reference check involves contacting the administration of the applicant’s previous institution(s) to ask whether there have been substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the University’s Faculty Code of Conduct. To implement this process, UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search for assistant/associate/full professor to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” into RECRUIT as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, only finalists considered for positions with tenure or security of employment will be subject to reference checks.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

• B.S. in Engineering.
• Ph.D. in Engineering or Ph.D. in a related non-engineering field with extensive engineering research during a Ph.D. training, is required
• Ph.D. degree must be completed by appointment start date.

Preferred qualifications (other preferred, but not required, qualifications for the position)

• Postdoctoral or equivalent experience preferred.
• Evidence of scholarship during graduate and post-graduate activities.
• Demonstrated ability or potential to obtain extramural support for research activities.
• Evidence of leadership and organizational skills relevant to the development of successful research, teaching and outreach programs in the field of food engineering.
• Interest, understanding, and commitment to building an equitable and diverse scholarly community. Demonstrated ability to contribute to diversity and inclusion of groups that are underrepresented in the academy through education, research, and/or service.
• Demonstrated ability or potential to develop and instruct undergraduate and graduate courses and to effectively present information to scientific audiences.
• Experience and/or interest in advising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students and fostering an inclusive and stimulating learning environment.
• Evidence of communication skills and collegiality consistent with effective departmental, campus, and professional citizenship.
• Interest, understanding, and commitment to the objectives of a land-grant university.
• Demonstrated ability or potential to develop and instruct undergraduate and graduate courses and to effectively present information to scientific audiences.
• Experience and/or interest in advising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students and fostering an inclusive and stimulating learning environment.
• Evidence of communication skills and collegiality consistent with effective departmental, campus, and professional citizenship.
• Interest, understanding, and commitment to the objectives of a land-grant university.

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Cover Letter

  • Statement of Research

  • Statement of Teaching

  • Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion documented in the application file will be used to evaluate applicants. Visit https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/faculty-equity-and-inclusion for guidelines about writing a statement and why one is requested.

  • Authorization to Release Information Form - All applicants for these searches are asked to sign and upload an “Authorization to Release Information” form into RECRUIT. If the candidate does not include the signed authorization with the application materials in RECRUIT, the application will be incomplete and, as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration.

    https://aadocs.ucdavis.edu/your-resources/forms-and-checklists/forms/ARF.pdf

  • Abstract of dissertation

  • Transcripts if applicant is within five years of Ph.D. degree

  • Publication #1

  • Publication #2 (Optional)

  • Publication #3 (Optional)

Reference requirements
  • 3-5 required (contact information only)

Extramural letters (letters of recommendation) will be solicited by the department from listed references for the applicants identified as Serious Consideration

Apply link: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF04547

Help contact: mferrigno@ucdavis.edu

About UC Davis

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus (http://breathefree.ucdavis.edu/).

We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals’ with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UC Davis positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. More information is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is committed to inclusive excellence by advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all that we do. UC Davis celebrates the multi-cultural diversity of its community by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment demonstrated through a variety of resources and programs available to academics, staff, and students. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are core values of UC Davis that are embedded within our Principles of Community and are tied with how to best serve our student population. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can best be fully realized by members of our academic community who share our commitment to these values, which are included in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Vision, our strategic plan: “To Boldly Go,” our Principles of Community, the Office of Academic Affairs’ Mission Statement, and the UC Board of Regents Policy 4400: Policy on University of California Diversity Statement. UC Davis is making important progress towards our goal of achieving federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offers a plethora of resources on their website, and the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (HEDI) has outlined similar goals in their Anti-Racism and DEI Action Plan.” There are a plethora of links available on the About Us webpage where you can learn more about our Administration, Diversity and Inclusion, Rankings, Locations, Native American Land Acknowledgement, Sustainability, Visiting UC Davis, UC Davis Health, and Campus Safety.

The university is consistently ranked among the top institutions in the world for campus sustainability practices by the UI Green Metric World University Rankings. UC Davis is focused on achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and repeatedly shown its commitment to preserving a healthy and sustainable environment for generations to come.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

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Job location

Davis, CA