Assistant Professor – Agribusiness - University of Florida

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The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is creating an environment that affirms community across all dimensions. We particularly welcome applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF .

This is a 9-month tenure-accruing position that will be 60% teaching (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences) and 40% research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station), available in the Food and Resource Economics Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida.  This assignment may change in accordance with the needs of the unit.  Duties will include teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in agribusiness, specifically financial management and agribusiness management, and courses as needed to support our undergraduate and graduate programs. The candidate is expected to develop a research program with a focus on issues important to the food and agricultural industry such as finance, management, industrial organization, supply chains, and/or risk management. Tenure will accrue in the Food and Resource Economics Department. The faculty member will seek contract and grant funding actively to support their program.  The faculty member will engage in Extension activities in their program area. 

Candidates interested in analysis of large datasets are encouraged to tie into a campus wide effort by the University of Florida aims to expand the use of AI in higher education and research (https://ai.ufl.edu). The University is home to the HiPerGator, one of the most powerful high-performance computers at a US public university. The Department is committed to support the AI@UF initiative by developing high quality empirical scholarship and teaching curriculum.

The successful candidate will engage in scholarly activities related to instruction, including teaching undergraduate and/or graduate courses, advising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, participating in curriculum revision and enhancement, seeking funding for the teaching program, supervising undergraduate and graduate research and creative work, publishing teaching-related scholarship, producing learning tools, and engaging in professional development activities related to teaching and advising.  Faculty are encouraged to support and participate in the CALS Honors Program, distance education, and international education.

Because of the IFAS land-grant mission, all faculty are expected to be supportive of and engaged in all three mission areas—Research, Teaching and Extension—regardless of the assignment split specified in the position description.

Background Information:

The Food and Resource Economics Department (FRED) has approximately 30 faculty members and 10 support staff positions in Gainesville, and 6 faculty members spread across 5 Research and Education Centers throughout the state. FRED faculty teach a wide variety of courses, from agribusiness management, to natural resource/environmental economics, to welfare economics and trade theory. FRED averages approximately 200 undergraduate majors/year, and 80 M.S., Ph.D. and Master of Agribusiness students. Research and Extension efforts reflect both the needs of the State and the mission of the Agricultural Economics profession.

The University of Florida is a Land-Grant, Sea-Grant, and Space-Grant institution, encompassing virtually all academic and professional disciplines, with an enrollment of more than 56,000 students.  UF is a member of The Association of American Universities.  The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences includes the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Florida Sea Grant program, and encompasses 16 on-campus academic departments and schools, 12 Research and Educational Centers (REC) located throughout the state, 6 Research sites/demonstration units administered by RECs or academic departments, and Florida Cooperative Extension Service offices in all 67 counties (counties operate and maintain). The School of Natural Resources and Environment is an interdisciplinary unit housed in IFAS and managed by several colleges on campus.  UF/IFAS employs nearly 4,500 people, which includes approximately 990 salaried faculty and 1,400 permanent support personnel located in Gainesville and throughout the state. IFAS, one of the nation’s largest agricultural and natural resources research and education organizations, is administered by a Vice President and four deans: the Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Dean for Extension and Director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the Dean for Research and Director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Dean for the College of Veterinary Medicine.  UF/IFAS also engages in cooperative work with Florida A&M University in Tallahassee.

Commensurate with Education and Experience

A doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in agricultural, environmental, and/or applied economics, economics, or a closely related discipline is required. Candidates should possess excellent verbal and written communication, interpersonal relationships, and quantitative skills. Motivation to work in multidisciplinary teams is required. Candidates must also demonstrate effectiveness in teaching. Candidates must demonstrate a strong record or potential of publishing in top Agricultural Economics journals and grant procurement. Candidates must be supportive of the mission of the Land-Grant system.  Candidates must also have a commitment to UF core values. 

Postdoctoral experience is desirable. 

For full consideration, candidates should apply and submit materials by October 15, 2024.  The position will remain open until a viable applicant pool is determined.

Employment Conditions

This position is available August 15, 2025, and will be filled as soon thereafter as an acceptable applicant is available. Compensation is commensurate with the education, experience, and qualifications of the selected applicant.

Nominations

Nominations are welcome.  Nominations need to include the complete name and address of the nominee. This information should be sent to:

Please refer to Requisition # 532559

Dr. Jaclyn D. Kropp

Chair, Search and Screen Committee

University of Florida

Food and Resource Economics Department

PO Box 110240

Gainesville, FL 32611

Telephone: 352 294-7631

Electronic Mail: jkropp@ufl.edu       

Application Information

Individuals wishing to apply should go online to Careers at UF and submit:

• Cover letter that states applicant’s interest in the position and qualifications relative to the credentials listed above. This should include information about your research interests and teaching philosophy.
• Curriculum vitae
• Contact information (including email addresses) for 3 individuals willing to write letters of recommendation
• Teaching evaluations, if available
• Unofficial transcripts

Selected candidate will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible.  Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. The University of Florida is a public institution and subject to all requirements under Florida Sunshine and Public Record laws

The University of Florida is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University is committed to non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations, genetic information, and veteran status in all aspects of employment including recruitment, hiring, promotion, transfers, discipline, terminations, wage and salary administration, benefits, and training. The University and greater Gainesville community enjoy a variety of cultural events, restaurants, year-round outdoor recreational activities, and social opportunities.

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF.