Assistant Professor - Foods for Precision Nutrition - Food Sciences/IALS

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

About the Department of Food Science

The first academic discipline in food science began at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1918. The Department of Food Science at UMass Amherst has evolved into one of the most prestigious food science departments globally, with the UMass Food Science Ph.D. program consistently ranked as the best in the United States. The department is renowned for its cutting-edge research, interdisciplinary collaborations, and commitment to solving global food challenges.

The department is home to several of the most highly cited food scientists in the world, known for their groundbreaking contributions to areas such as food safety, food chemistry, health and wellness, sensory science, and sustainable food systems. The department fosters an inclusive and collaborative environment, encouraging diverse perspectives and partnerships across academia, industry, and government to drive innovation in food science.

About the Institute for Applied Life Sciences

IALS (http://www.umass.edu/ials) is home to three intellectual Centers comprising faculty and their academic and industry collaborators from across the life science disciplines (https://www.umass.edu/ials/centers). IALS is also home to 32 Core Facilities that provide the equipment, methodologies and staff to facilitate world-class research by investigators from both on- and off-campus (http://www.umass.edu/ials/core-facilities).

Job Description

The Department of Food Science and the Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst invites applications for a an academic year, tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant Professor level in the area of Foods for Precision Nutrition. We are seeking dynamic and innovative individuals with demonstrable ability for translational research in precision nutrition, including, but not limited to:

• Developing novel technologies to improve nutrition and health outcomes.
• Developing foods and/or novel food materials that influence gene-nutrient interactions and health outcomes.
• Modulating gut microbiota through diet for enhanced health.
• Identifying biomarkers for nutrient requirements and nutritional status across diverse populations.
• Exploring the role of genetic variation in response to food components, dietary patterns and nutrient metabolism using genetic/genomic and data science approaches.
• Applying precision nutrition to address health disparities, food insecurity, and sustainability.

Preference will be given to candidates who would bring expertise to complement the current research areas of the food science faculty (https://www.umass.edu/food-science/faculty). Postdoctoral and/or industry experience is preferred but not required. A strong interest in teaching/advising and strong oral and written communication skills are essential. The Department of Food Science places special emphasis on faculty-student interactions, participation in interdisciplinary activities, teamwork, cooperation, and industrial interactions. The Department is committed to increasing the diversity of the faculty, student body, and curriculum.

Requirements

Candidates must have a Ph.D. or equivalent in Food Science or a related field. We are seeking talented applicants qualified for an assistant professor position. Under exceptional circumstances, highly qualified candidates at other ranks may receive consideration.

Additional Information

A successful candidate will be expected to:

• Establish and develop an active, high-impact, internationally recognized, extramurally funded research program at UMass Amherst.
• Publish high-quality research papers in peer-reviewed journals.
• Oversee graduate theses and dissertations, as well as undergraduate independent studies and honors theses/projects.
• Develop and teach undergraduate and graduate courses in the area of health and nutrition, preferably food chemistry.

This position could begin as soon as September 1, 2025, with alternative start dates of January 2026 or September 2026.

Application Instructions

Review of the application will begin January 6, 2025 and will continue until a suitable candidate pool has been identified. Applicants should submit their (i) curriculum vitae, (ii) a statement of their research interests, (iii) a statement on their teaching philosophy, (iv) a contributions to inclusive excellence statement (see below), and (v) contact information (names, email addresses, and telephone numbers) for three professional references who can evaluate some combination of their professional experience, teaching and research abilities and commitment to inclusive excellence. The research statement of less than 3 pages should cover your research goals for the next 5 years. The teaching statement of less than 2 pages should include a description of any former teaching experience, your teaching philosophy, information about your experiences, and approaches to mentoring lab members and students.

For questions or additional information, please contact the co-chairs of the search, John Gibbons (Food Science representative: jggibbons@umass.edu) and Peter Reinhart (IALS representative: preinhart@umass.edu).

At UMass Amherst and in CNS, we strive to be a community where every individual feels a sense of belonging, where every individual is included, and where every individual is valued. You can find these values and goals here (https://www.umass.edu/strategicplan/strategic-plan). For this reason, we request that all applicants submit a Contributions to Inclusive Excellence Statement that addresses how you see yourself contributing to our community and campus climate and/or our shared goals of building a more inclusive, equitable, and diverse community.

The University is committed to active recruitment of a diverse faculty and student body. The University of Massachusetts Amherst is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer of women, minorities, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities and encourages applications from these and other protected group members. Because broad diversity is essential to an inclusive climate and critical to the University's goals of achieving excellence in all areas, we will holistically assess the many qualifications of each applicant and favorably consider an individual's record working with students and colleagues with broadly diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds in educational, research or other work activities. We will also favorably consider experience overcoming or helping others overcome barriers to an academic career and degree.