Professor and Chair – Department of Animal Sciences

Professor and Chair – Department of Animal Sciences

Job no: 537393

Work type: Tenure-Track Faculty

Location: Main Campus (Gainesville, FL)

Categories: Biology/Life Science, Agricultural Sciences, Veterinary Medicine/Animal Care

Department:  - AG-ANIMAL SCIENCES

The UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences is dedicated to advancing teaching, research, and extension in livestock species including beef, dairy, poultry, swine, and equine. The department delivers hands-on training across its four specialization tracks:
Animal Biology, Equine, Food Animal, and Integrative Animal Sciences, serving approximately 80 graduate students and 560 undergraduate students. The department operates on the Gainesville campus and statewide Research and Education Centers to support UF’s land‑grant mission.

Responsibilities include oversight of teaching and research units across more than 5,000 acres with facilities such as cow-calf and feedlot operations, a dairy unit, a quarter horse herd, a sheep unit, extensive forage production, and related teaching/research herds. These resources support nationally recognized programs in teaching, research, and Extension.

Mission: The Department of Animal Sciences provides the highest level of education, creates transformative knowledge, and delivers solutions to stakeholders in Florida and globally.

Vision: To be the global leader in Animal Sciences, enabling faculty, students, and stakeholders to lead and shape the future of animal agriculture.

Values: Excellence, integrity, collaboration, passion, and innovation.

Research/Teaching/Extension: Objectives include facilitating the research process, improving infrastructure, engaging stakeholders, enhancing teaching facilities, and expanding Extension programs.

• Cultivate stakeholder engagement and alignment with the department’s mission and program priorities.
• Engage and consult with an external advisory board and stakeholders in beef, dairy, equine, swine, poultry, small ruminants, meat science, and allied industries to guide program development and impact.
• Provide vision, support, and coordination in planning, developing, and implementing departmental programs in Teaching, Research, and extension in accord with the Land-Grant mission.
• Encourage proactive development of strategic, interdisciplinary programs addressing Florida’s and national priorities in animal agriculture.
• Provide strategic financial leadership and stewardship of a large, financially complex enterprise, ensuring long-term sustainability across all departmental animal programs.
• Develop, promote, and facilitate external funding opportunities from public and private sources, including philanthropic and donor relations.
• Recruit, retain, and foster the academic growth and professional development of faculty, staff, and students.
• Advance undergraduate and graduate education
  , including recruitment, retention, experiential learning, workforce development, and online offerings where appropriate.
• Provide leadership and administration for statewide Teaching, Research, and Extension programs
  , including coordination of Animal Sciences programs at UF/IFAS RECs.
• Administer resources with transparency and accountability
  , while championing planning and assessment.
• Foster shared governance
  ; evaluate faculty and staff performance; support mentorship, retention, and promotion.
• Represent the department and faculty interests with IFAS and University administrators; collaborate with other departments, RECs, and partner organizations.

• Beef, dairy, equine, small ruminant, and poultry industries contribute significantly to Florida’s economy
  , with extensive production, employment, and revenue figures across sectors.

• Academic programs: B.S. in Animal Sciences with multiple specializations; M.S. and Ph.D. programs.
• Facilities:
  Gainesville campus facilities and units, plus statewide RECs partnerships.
• Research strengths: genomics, nutrition, physiology, health and welfare, meat science, data-enabled decision support.
• Extension and…