The Department of Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB) in the School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) (http://vetmed.tamu.edu/) at Texas A&M University invites applications for one Academic Professional Track (Non-Tenure) clinical assistant professor, clinical associate professor, or full clinical professor position (11-month appointment) to serve as a veterinary clinical microbiologist in the DVM 2 2 program at Veterinary Education, Research & Outreach (VERO: https://vetmed.tamu.edu/vero/) on the campus of West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) in Canyon, Texas. This full-time position has a negotiable expected start date of September 1, 2024. Developed as part of the Texas commitment to animals and agriculture, VERO represents a dynamic partnership between the VMBS and WTAMU and is set in the heart of one of the most productive animal agricultural regions in the world. The Texas Panhandle and Plains area is home to the highest density of cattle in the country with approximately 30% of the nation’s beef cattle fed or finished in the region, another 2.5 million beef cattle in the area, and over 300,000 dairy cattle at any given time. VERO provides unprecedented opportunities for veterinary education and collaboration with industry partners and stakeholders from the region and across the nation. The position involves an appointment and interaction with the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) in Canyon, Texas.
Canyon, Texas is located near Palo Duro Canyon State Park, home to the second-largest canyon in the country. This area provides scenic hiking, biking, camping, and horseback riding. Additionally, winter skiing in Taos, NM is within driving distance.
The successful candidate will have an academic home in VTPB and will work collaboratively with VERO-based and College Station-based faculty members to administer the 2 2 veterinary curriculum.
The successful applicant’s full-time equivalent (FTE) will be shared between VTPB and the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab (TVMDL), 60% and 40%, respectively. The VTPB portion (60% FTE) will include up to 30-40% effort to teaching and 10% to academic citizenship (service) with the remainder divided between scholarship and/or clinical diagnostics. Scholarship may include collaborative research or scholarship of teaching and learning in the applicant’s area of interest; an independent research program is not expected of the successful candidate. The successful applicant will join an active infectious diseases teaching group and a department dedicated to excellence in teaching, service, and scholarship. Teaching responsibilities will include delivery of infectious disease courses in the first two years of the 2 2 curriculum to a small cohort of eighteen veterinary medical students. The course focuses on the introduction to the agents of infectious diseases including bacteria, fungi, viruses, prions, protozoa, helminths, and arthropods with emphasis on general taxonomy, pathogenesis as it relates to clinical presentation, diagnosis and prevention, replication strategies, diagnostic procedures and interpretation, and mechanisms of disease and host immune response. The successful candidate will be responsible for teaching the bacteriology, virology, and mycology portion of the course; the course teaching team includes parasitologists and other diagnosticians. The 2 2 curriculum is integrated and highly experiential, and individuals with interest in small-group teaching and active learning are encouraged to apply. The successful applicant will be expected to “cross-over” and collaborate in the teaching in other courses to reinforce content related to their subject matter interest across the 2 2 program. This is a relatively new program and adjustments in effort assignment in this faculty appointment will be considered.
The TVMDL portion of the appointment (40% FTE) will be in veterinary diagnostic medicine service; performing routine testing, client communication, and serving as a subject matter expert in appropriate scientific disciplines and/or techniques. TVMDL’s mission is to promote animal health and protect agricultural, companion animal and public health in Texas – and beyond – through excellence in veterinary diagnostic services. The agency is a member of the Texas A&M University System and is composed of two full-service laboratories, located in College Station and Canyon, and two poultry laboratories, located in Center and Gonzales.
Texas A&M University is aware that attracting and retaining exceptional faculty often depends on meeting the needs of two careers and having policies that contribute to work-life balance. A university-led support initiative is in place to assist partners or spouses in securing employment within the Canyon area. For more information, visit https://facultyaffairs.tamu.edu/resources/dual-career-program.html