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Assistant Professor of Precision Livestock Management

Position overview

Salary range: The salary range for this position is $106,800 - $130,700 (annual). “Off-scale salaries” and other components of pay, i.e., a salary that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions, qualifications, and experience.

Application Window

Open date: October 22, 2026

Next review date: Tuesday, Jan 5, 2027 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Friday, Jun 4, 2027 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

The Department of Animal Science in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis is recruiting an Assistant Professor of Precision Livestock Management with a preferred emphasis in precision sensing, automated animal monitoring, artificial intelligence, and data-driven decision-support systems. This is an academic year (9-month), tenure track Assistant Professor position that includes an appointment in the California Agricultural Experiment Station (AES). Faculty members who hold an Agricultural Experiment Station appointment have a responsibility to conduct research and outreach relevant to the mission of the California Agricultural Experiment Station. Participation in outreach programs and performance of university service are also expected.

The appointee is expected to establish a competitively funded research program in precision livestock management, with a preferred emphasis on precision sensing, automated animal monitoring and phenotyping, and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled decision-support systems, to address critical or emerging -issues in livestock health, welfare, productivity, production efficiency, and environmental sustainability. The appointee will be responsible for teaching undergraduate courses supporting the Animal Science and Animal Science and Management majors, such as ANS 128, ANS 143, ANS 148, ANS 160AB, AVS 123, and AVS 160. The typical teaching load is approximately 2.5 courses per year, on average, as determined in consultation with the Department Chair. The appointee will also contribute to graduate instruction through the Animal Biology Graduate Group (e.g., ABG 200A, ABG 200B, ABG 202, and ABG 290), advise graduate students, and mentor undergraduate students in research and professional development. The appointee is encouraged to incorporate emerging technologies, data analytics, and experiential learning into existing courses and to contribute to curricular development in precision livestock management. Participation in and development of public outreach and/or community engagement programs, and performance of departmental and university service is expected. This position is expected to collaborate with Cooperative Extension specialists and advisors, partners in allied industries or other appropriate public stakeholders.

This recruitment is conducted at the assistant rank. The resulting hire will be at the assistant rank, regardless of the proposed appointee's qualifications.

Initial review of applications will be conducted using anonymized versions of the Statement of Research Accomplishments and Interests. Applications demonstrating sufficient potential based on this review will be advanced to full review.

Full-time Equivalent (FTE)
This position will be recruited at the Assistant Professor rank. This is a tenure-track academic year (9-month) position.

Availability of Space and Resources
Office and laboratory space will be provided by the Department of Animal Science on the UC Davis central campus. Faculty share administrative, accounting, and clerical staff. In addition to laboratory and animal resources on central campus, our faculty have access to UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) research and extension centers (REC), the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory, and UC Davis core facilities.

Start-up funding will be provided based on the programmatic needs of the successful candidate.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.
“Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer.

UC Davis supports Family-friendly recruitments. UC Davis covers travel expenses for a second person to accompany an invited faculty recruitment candidate who is a mother (or single parent of either gender) of a breast or bottle-feeding child less than two years of age. academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/programs/work-life-index.html

UC Davis recognizes the necessity of supporting faculty with efforts to integrate work, family and other work-life considerations. To recruit and retain the best faculty, the campus sponsors a Work Life Program that provides programs and services that support faculty as they strive to honor their commitments to work, home and community. academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/academic-worklife-program-requests

The UC Davis Partner Opportunities Program (POP) and Capital Resource Network (CRN) are services designed to support departments and Deans’ offices in the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty. For information about POP, please visit academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/partner-opportunities-program-pop For information about the CRN, please visit academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/capital-resource-network. Please note eligibility for these programs may be based on policy and funding availability.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state for federal law.
The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all employees and students. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service are embodied by members of our academic community who share our commitment to these values. A variety of resources and programs are available to academics, staff, and students that reflect the core values reflected in 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.

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.

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 www.ucdavis.edu/climate

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

Ph.D. or equivalent in a field of Animal Science, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Precision Livestock Farming, Computer Science, Data Science, or a closely related field, with demonstrated research expertise relevant to precision livestock management, at the time of appointment.

Preferred qualifications (other preferred, but not required, qualifications for the position)
  • Post doctoral experience preferred.
  • Evidence of leadership and organizational skills relevant to the development of a successful research, teaching and outreach program in the discipline of precision livestock management.
  • Evidence of scholarship during graduate and post-graduate activities.
  • Demonstrated ability or potential to obtain extramural support for research activities.
  • Demonstrated ability or potential to develop and instruct undergraduate and graduate courses and to present information to scientific audiences.
  • Willingness and interest to advise undergraduate students.
  • Demonstrated ability or potential and interest to mentor M.S. and Ph.D. students.
  • 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 and the Agricultural Experiment Station including mission-oriented research and a substantive outreach engagement programming.

Application Requirements

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

  • Up to three publications

  • Transcripts if the applicant is within five years of Ph.D. degree (Optional)

  • Statement of research accomplishments and future research plans - relevant to precision livestock management, particularly the application of precision sensing, automated animal monitoring and phenotyping, artificial intelligence, and data-driven decision-support systems to improve livestock health, welfare, productivity, and environmental sustainability

  • Statement of teaching accomplishments and philosophy

  • Authorization to Release Information Form - This form is required for all applicants applying to academic recruitments. Please see the Employment Disclosure Requirements webpage for more information. Download, complete, sign, and upload the form.

Reference requirements
  • 4-6 required (contact information only)

The names, addresses, including e-mail, of four professional references

Apply link: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF07963

Help contact: mmakagon@ucdavis.edu

About UC Davis

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

To implement this process, UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled, "Authorization to Release Information" into UC 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.

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

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.

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all employees and students. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service are embodied by members of our academic community who share our commitment to these values. A variety of resources and programs are available to academics, staff, and students that reflect the core values reflected in 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.

UC Davis is also a national leader in inclusive practice. There are numerous links available on the About Us webpage where you can learn more about our administration, campus rankings, locations, campus safety, sustainability, visiting UC Davis and UC Davis Health.

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.

The University of California and UC Davis are committed to offering a wide variety of benefits for employees. The University of California Employee benefits and UC Davis New Employee benefits webpages have additional information.

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.

2026 Newsweek: America's Greatest Workplaces 2026 Well-being recognition

Job location

Davis, CA