Job Information
Montana State University Assistant Professor of Animal Breeding & Genetics in Bozeman, Montana
Position Details
Position Information
Announcement Number FAC - VA - 25005
For questions regarding this position, please contact:
For questions regarding this position, please contact Dr. Megan Van Emon, Search Committee Chair at (406) 874-8286 or megan.vanemon@montana.edu
Classification Title
Working Title Assistant Professor of Animal Breeding & Genetics
Brief Position Overview
Full-time (1.0 FTE ) tenure-track, academic-year appointment. Position will be filled at the Assistant Professor level.
Competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience. Benefits include TIAA / CREF retirement, group health and life insurance plans, tax-sheltered annuity programs, Social Security, worker’s compensation, unemployment compensation, University wellness program, and sick leave.
Faculty Tenure Track Yes
Faculty Rank TT
Position Number 4A1744
Department Animal & Range Sciences
Division College of Agriculture/MAES
Appointment Type Faculty
Contract Term Academic Year
Semester
If other, specify From date
If other, specify End date
Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining
FTE 1.0
Benefits Eligible Eligible
Salary $74,000 – $78,000 annually, commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications
Contract Type MUS
If other, please specify
Recruitment Type Open
Position Details
General Statement
Agriculture is the largest segment of the Montana economy and the dominant land use in the state. Beef cattle, and lamb and wool production are vital components of Montana agriculture, with $1.3 billion of beef cattle and $3.3 million of wool annual cash receipts. Montana is home to more domestic livestock, especially beef cattle than people, and most all of Montana’s 1.4 million beef cows and 200,000 sheep are raised in forage-based systems on rangelands, pastures, cover crops, and stockpiled hay. Beef cattle and sheep grazing occurs in every county and reservation in Montana. Montana State University has a long and distinguished history of working across academic disciplines and working directly with beef cattle and sheep producers in Montana and the greater Rocky Mountain West and Northern Great Plains regions. Ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable beef cattle and sheep production is an important focus of the MSU Animal and Range Sciences Department. This position will complement and expand existing MSU efforts to help sustain Montana’s ranches, farms, and rural communities.
Duties and Responsibilities
The position is 45% academic teaching, 45% research/scholarship, and 10% service.
The successful applicant will be required to develop and implement a nationally recognized research program in animal breeding and genetics. The successful candidate’s research program should be relevant to the state of Montana and complement and expand existing research, teaching, and outreach efforts at MSU .
The successful candidate will have on-campus teaching responsibilities that will include, but are not limited to, undergraduate courses in topics including, Principles of Animal Breeding and Genetics and a graduate course in Advanced Animal Genetics. As a tenure-track faculty member in the Department of Animal and Range Sciences at Montana State University, the successful candidate will be expected to participate in Departmental activities, publish in reputable peer-reviewed journals, secure extramural funding, mentor graduate students, contribute to teaching and learning efforts (on- and off-campus), and provide appropriate departmental, college, university, and professional service.
The successful candidate will work collaboratively with faculty within the Animal and Range Sciences Department as well as researchers and Extension faculty across Montana and throughout the region. The successful candidate will comply with all departmental, college, university, state, and federal reporting requirements and assure compliance with civil rights and affirmative action policies.
Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills
A Ph.D. degree in Animal Science, Genetics, or related discipline (must be earned at the time of hire).
A record of research and publication in Animal Breeding and Genetics.
A demonstrated record of, or high potential for securing extramural and competitive funding.
A demonstrated record of, or high potential for effective teaching at the college or university level.
A demonstrated ability to mentor students from all backgrounds to succeed.
Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills
Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate and participate in interdisciplinary research.
A demonstrated record of, or high potential to work effectively with local, state, and/or federal Agricultural, Natural Resources and Rangeland stakeholders (e.g., livestock producers, state and federal natural resource agencies, non-government organizations).
Ability to effectively write and communicate research to scientific and non-scientific audiences.
A demonstrated record of application of breeding and genetics principles for genetic improvement of livestock, companion animals, and/or other agriculturally relevant species.
The Successful Candidate Will
Have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to successfully contribute to teaching, scholarship, and service.
Positively interact with colleagues, staff, and students.
MSU , the College of Agriculture, and the Department of Animal and Range Sciences value individuals who are passionate, pursue excellence, and exhibit passion for helping others.
Position Special Requirements/Additional Information
In accordance with MSU policy, hiring will be conditional upon successful completion of a pre-employment background check.
Must be able to work outdoors in inclement weather conditions.
This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Physical Demands
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodation. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
The Program
The Department
Presently, there are 16 animal science faculty and 8 range science faculty in the Department of Animal and Range Sciences. This position will be a key contributor to the Department’s Animal Science program and to the Department’s Natural Resources and Rangeland Ecology ( NREE ) program (i.e., Range Science). The Department’s undergraduate degree program in Animal Science has three options including Science, Livestock Management and Industry, and Equine Science. Animal Science faculty focus teaching and research programs on livestock nutrition (including ruminal/gastrointestinal microbiology), reproductive physiology, genetics, meat science, and livestock production systems. As one of six academic departments within the College of Agriculture, the Animal and Range Sciences Department presently has 435 undergraduate and 35 graduate students. Extension specialists in the Department focus their off-campus educational efforts on beef cattle, sheep and wool, forages, pesticide safety, wildlife, and rangeland management.
The Animal and Range Sciences Department is located in the Animal Bioscience Building which contains state-of-the-art teaching and laboratory facilities. Land and livestock for research are available at our Department’s 474-acre Bozeman Agricultural Research and Teaching Farm located adjacent to campus, our 640-acre Fort Ellis Research Farm located 5 miles from campus, and our 13,750-acre Red Bluff Research Ranch located 35 miles from campus. Collaborative research opportunities also exist at seven off-campus MSU research centers located across the state and the 55,000-acre USDA - ARS Fort Keogh Livestock & Range Research Laboratory at Miles City, MT. More information about the Department can be found at http://animalrange.montana.edu. To find out more about Montana State University, MSU Extension, and the College of Agriculture, please access www.montana.edu, www.msuextension.org, and http://ag.montana.edu.
The College
Founded in 1893 as a Land Grant University, Montana State University (http://www.montana.edu/) ( MSU ) is composed of eight academic colleges and a graduate school and boasts a friendly, supportive faculty and campus environment. Currently, the University hosts an enrollment of nearly 17,000 students, including approximately 2,000 graduate students. MSU is classified as one of 130 U.S. R1 Research Universities (very high research activity) by the Carnegie Foundation.
MSU is located in Bozeman, Montana (http://www.bozemanchamber.com/) , an extended community of about 70,000 nestled in the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Montana. In addition to providing access to an extraordinary ecosystem for teaching and research programs, Bozeman is renowned for year-round recreational and cultural opportunities, including access to world class ski areas, multiple blue ribbon trout streams, and the Gallatin National Forest. The local airport is served by seven national airlines that provide non-stop service to 17 cities throughout the nation.
Named an All American City, Bozeman boasts high-quality medical facilities, a very low crime rate, many fine restaurants, acclaimed public and private schools, a symphony orchestra and choir, an annual opera, and nationally known events such as the Sweet Pea Festival of the Arts held in early August of each year. Powder Magazine identified Bozeman, with “three distinctly different” major ski resorts within an hour’s drive, as the number one place to live and ski in its November 2010 Magazine. Bizjournals.com ranked Bozeman #2 on the list of American Dream towns – small towns that offer the best quality of life without metropolitan hassles. The K-12 educational system, growing reputation of Montana State University, and pristine natural environment of the area combine to make Bozeman one of America’s most desirable university towns. Bozeman is located in the beautiful Gallatin Valley, 90 miles north of Yellowstone National Park.
Posting Detail Information
Number of Vacancies 1
Desired Start Date Negotiable upon successful completion of search. Preferred starting date on or before July 1, 2025.
Position End Date (if temporary)
Open Date
Close Date
Applications will be:
Screening of applications will begin on September 1, 2024; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.
Special Instructions
To apply, submit all of the following:
(1) a letter of application addressing the above required and preferred qualifications, and
(2) a current curriculum vita, and
(3) the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three (3) current professional references.
An application packet including all of the above items as listed is highly encouraged. Missing materials or information may result in your application not being considered for the position.
Electronic submissions in PDF format are required, and must have the applicant’s signature on the letter of application. For electronic submittals, please indicate “Applicant – Search VA – 25005” in the subject line of the email.
EEO Statement
Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.
In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.
