Associate Professor, Food Chemistry

42761BR

Animal and Food Sciences

Position Description

The Department of Animal and Food Sciences and Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, is seeking applicants for a full-time, 9-month tenure-track position (55% research; 40% teaching; 5% service) in Food Chemistry at the rank of Associate Professor. Teaching responsibilities include a tandem offering in Food Chemistry (4403/5403) and a tandem offering in Food Analysis (4402/5402) with the opportunity to teach other courses of interest which align with department need in the summer. Serving as a career advisor for food science undergraduate and graduate students is also expected. The successful candidate is expected to develop and maintain a productive research program in food chemistry that is focused on meat or dairy protein system sustainability, preferably informed by omics studies (proteomics, lipidomics, metabolomics, volatilomics) and utilizing current capacity in mass spectrometry. All tenure-track faculty are expected to continually seek funding to support their research program, mentor graduate students, and participate in interdisciplinary research activities when synergistic opportunities arise. Scholarship opportunities associated with outreach and engagement are encouraged.

About the University

Established in 1923, Texas Tech University is a Carnegie R1 (very high research activity) Doctoral/Research-Extensive, Hispanic Serving, and state-assisted institution. Located on a beautiful 1,850-acre campus in Lubbock, a city in West Texas with a growing metropolitan-area population of over 300,000, the university enrolls over 40,000 students with 33,000 undergraduate and 7,000 graduate students. As the primary research institution in the western two-thirds of the state, Texas Tech University is home to 10 colleges, the Schools of Law and Veterinary Medicine, and the Graduate School. The flagship of the Texas Tech University System, Texas Tech is dedicated to student success by preparing learners to be ethical leaders for a diverse and globally competitive workforce. It is committed to enhancing the cultural and economic development of the state, nation, and world.
About Lubbock:Referred to as the "Hub City" because it serves as the educational, cultural, economic, and health care hub of the South Plains region, Lubbock boasts a diverse population and a strong connection to community, history, and land. With a mild climate, highly rated public schools, and a low cost of living, Lubbock is a family-friendly community that is ranked as one of the best places to live in Texas. Lubbock is home to a celebrated and ever-evolving music scene, a vibrant arts community, and is within driving distance of Dallas, Austin, Santa Fe, and other major metropolitan cities. Lubbock's Convention & Visitors Bureau provides a comprehensive overview of the Lubbock community and its resources, programs, events, and histories.

About the College

The Davis College includes the departments of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Agricultural Education and Communications, Animal and Food Sciences, Landscape Architecture, Plant and Soil Science, and Veterinary Sciences along with multiple research centers and institutes. Davis College also houses eight research centers and institutes including the Center for AgriScience Communications, Davis College Water Center, Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute, Institute for Genomics of Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, International Center for Agricultural Competitiveness, International Center for Food Industry Excellence, Texas Cooperative Research Unit, and the Thornton Agricultural Finance Institute. For the current academic year, the College has 2,747 undergraduate students and 519 graduate students. Davis College has 111 tenure-track faculty, 30 non-tenure track faculty, and 169 support staff. Faculty in Davis College generated approximately $16 million in extramural funding to support research, teaching, and outreach and engagement missions.

About the Department/School/Area

The Department of Animal and Food Sciences (https://www.depts.ttu.edu/afs/) at Texas Tech University exists to address the challenges of a growing and changing world. We tackle these challenges by empowering students, advancing discovery, and disseminating knowledge. Our core values (to elevate others, foster discovery, pursue excellence, and value people) define our culture and those we seek to hire. The department takes pride in its tradition of student success and experiential learning through curriculum taught by faculty who are dedicated to excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and engagement. Innovative creativity to address regional issues with global implications, while engaging with external community members through citizenship, are also hallmarks of the program. The department is housed in a modern research and teaching facility and is supported by several off-campus units (Equestrian Center, Equine Therapeutic Riding Teaching and Research Center, Grantham Companion Animal Research Facility, and an Agricultural Field Laboratory with canine, sheep/goat, swine, beef cattle, Burnett Center, and feed mill units). There are approximately 30 faculty members in the department, many of whom are leading researchers in their respective fields. Areas of research excellence include meat science and muscle biology, food science and safety, animal nutrition, health and welfare, and companion animal science. The department continues to experience unprecedented growth in student enrollment and is comprised of more than 1,450 undergraduate and graduate students.

The Department of Animal and Food Sciences' Meat Science and Muscle Biology Program, a part of the International Center for Food Industry Excellence, is a premier program and unique in the nation. It consists of highly qualified, nationally recognized professors with outstanding achievements in both teaching, research, and outreach & engagement. The program is supported by a modern Animal and Food Sciences building, Experimental Sciences building, Agriculture Field Laboratory with Animal Units, and the Gordon W. Davis Meat Science Laboratory. The meat laboratory is well-equipped for research and teaching in the development, processing, and evaluation of meat products. In addition, a pathogen processing and microbiology laboratory is available at a separate location for collaboration with industry and food microbiologists. The program attracts exceptional students at all levels with approximately 40 M.S. and Ph.D. students enrolled in the program annually. In addition to student enrollment in the Meat Science concentration of the Bachelor of Science degree, the program also employs more than 100 undergraduates each year through Raider Red Meats, research labs, and leadership positions.

Major/Essential Functions

• Develop and maintain a nationally recognized research program in food chemistry with a focus on meat and/or dairy protein system sustainability, preferably integrating omics approaches (proteomics, lipidomics, metabolomics, volatilomics) and utilizing mass spectrometry capabilities.
• Secure external funding from federal, industry, and private sources to support research activities, graduate student training, and laboratory operations.
• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Food Chemistry (4403/5403) and Food Analysis (4402/5402), with opportunities to develop and teach additional courses aligned with departmental needs, including summer offerings.
• Advise and mentor undergraduate and graduate students, providing career guidance and fostering professional development.
• Recruit and mentor graduate students, ensuring timely completion of degree programs and successful placement in industry or academia.
• Engage in interdisciplinary and collaborative research activities with faculty within the department, across the college, and with external partners to address complex challenges in food chemistry and protein system sustainability.
• Contribute to departmental, college, and university service through committee work, participation in governance, and engagement with professional organizations.
• Conduct outreach and engagement activities with industry stakeholders, youth programs, and community partners to promote food science education and research impact.
• Support experiential learning opportunities by integrating applied laboratory training and hands-on research experiences for students.

Organization

Texas Tech University

Faculty Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Meat Science, Food Science, Animal Science or related discipline
• Expertise in food chemistry as evidenced by research and teaching programming
• Evidence of effective teaching including student evaluation, peer review, and self-reflection, delivery of content, learning outcome driven curriculum development, and assessment of learning outcomes
• Evidence of research enterprise such as a record of peer-reviewed referred publications in high quality journals, research proposal development, and external funding with documented graduate student mentorship and completion
• Evidence of service to university, industry, or professional organization/association

Preferred Qualifications

In addition to the required qualifications, individuals with the following preferred qualifications are strongly encouraged to apply:

• Focus on Meat or Dairy products
• Engagement in extracurricular activities and career advisement for undergraduate and graduate students
• Engagement in programs designed to develop and recruit youth
• Evidence of experiential learning in an applied laboratory environment
• Demonstrated collaborative research with multi-, inter-, or transdisciplinary teams
• Evidence of outreach and engagement activities with internal and external stakeholders
• Diverse portfolio of federal, private, and industry funding sources

Duty Point

TTU Lubbock, main campus and affiliated facilities

Safety Information

Adherence to robust safety practices and compliance with all applicable health and safety regulations are responsibilities of all TTU employees.

Does this position work in a research laboratory?

Yes

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please include the following documents in your application:

• Cover Letter detailing interest and summary of qualifications.
• Curriculum Vitae.
• Statements of teaching, research, and service philosophy (2-page maximum each).
• Contact list of at least three references.
• Copy of graduate and/or professional transcripts. Note: The successful candidate will be required to provide official transcripts upon hiring (facilitated through inter-institutional transfer).

Job Type

Full Time

Pay Basis

Monthly

Pay Statement

Compensation is commensurate upon the qualifications of the individual selected and budgetary guidelines of the hiring department, as well as the institutional pay plan. For additional information, please reference the institutional pay plan by visiting www.depts.ttu.edu/hr/payplan.

Travel Required

Up to 25%

Grant Funded?

No

Job Group

Associate Professor

EEO Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or status as a protected veteran.

Salary Grade

800

Applications must be received by

12/01/2025