Professor and Head of the Department of Agricultural Sciences

West Texas A&M University, a Member of The Texas A&M University System, invites applications for the position of Professor and Head of the Department of Agricultural Sciences.  The position is a twelve-month, tenured position that reports to the Dean of the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences. WTAMU is a four-year academic institution of 9,000 students serving the Panhandle of Texas and portions of four adjacent states. This geographic region is noted for its agricultural production and related businesses. The Department offers baccalaureate degrees in Agribusiness; Agricultural Business and Economics; Agriculture, Agriculture Education; Agricultural Communication, Animal Science; Equine Industry and Business; and Plant, Soil, and Environmental Science. Master of Science (M.S.) degrees are offered in Animal Science; Plant, Soil, and Environmental Science, and Agriculture with emphases options in Agriculture Education, Agricultural Media and Communication, and Agricultural Business and Economics; as well as an online Masters of Agriculture (M.Ag.). Additionally, a Ph.D. program is offered in Systems Agriculture.  There are 1,200 students enrolled in the Department including 100 graduate students. The Department has a dynamic team of 30 full-time tenure-track faculty, four full-time clinical faculty, six full-time instructors, as well as research specialists and facility managers. Furthermore, the Department encompasses diverse facilities, which support the academic and research mission including animal units, laboratories, greenhouses, and farms, as well as a new state-of-the-art beef cattle feedlot currently under construction with a planned capacity of approximately 4,400 head.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in an agricultural discipline or closely related field offered by a University.
• Demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching, research and service.
• Commitment to an interdisciplinary team approach to research, education and service.
• Interpersonal skills, vision and desire to establish working relationships both internally and outside of the University.
• Experience with managing federal, state, local, and grant accounting codes and funding structures. Proven ability to ensure efficient allocation of resources and adherence to fiscal guidelines. 
• Evidence of administrative experience desired.
• Excellent computer, written, and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide academic leadership to faculty, staff, and students in the Department of Agricultural Sciences
• Lead efforts to recruit, mentor, and evaluate faculty and staff while promoting their professional growth to sustain excellence in teaching, research, and service.
• Provide fiscal and operational oversight of all of the research and educational programs within the Department of Agricultural Sciences.
• Lead the development and implementation of academic programs that recruit, support, and graduate undergraduate and graduate students prepared to contribute meaningfully to the agricultural industry at the regional and broader levels.
• Collaborate with agricultural industry leaders to assess and address regional needs in teaching, research, and service.
• Coordinate with executive leadership to ensure the availability of resources required for successful program execution.