Center Director – Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Lubbock
Full Time
Lubbock, TX 79403
Posted
Job description
Job Title
Center Director – Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Lubbock
Agency
Texas A&M Agrilife Research
Department
Research Director Management
Proposed Minimum Salary
Commensurate
Job Location
Lubbock, Texas
Job Type
Faculty
Job Description
Center Director – Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Lubbock
Position Description
Texas A&M AgriLife Research seeks a full-time, research-active, and dynamic individual with a proven record of research excellence to serve as Center Director at the agency’s Lubbock Center. This person will be responsible for administering and coordinating all aspects of the Center as well as participating in active research through collaboration, where appropriate, to enhance overall faculty research productivity at the Center. This is a 12-month appointment and will be linked with a departmental affiliation within Texas A&M University that best fits the candidate’s background and interest.
The Center Director is expected to provide visionary leadership, recognize and respond to dynamic research and public service needs regionally and statewide, and catalyze the design and implementation of innovative research projects. The Center Director is also responsible for fostering productive partnerships and relationships with relevant organizations; recruiting and retaining highly qualified faculty and staff; promoting professional development among faculty and staff; facilitating the acquisition of external resources; and providing fair, sound, and transparent management of human, physical, and fiscal assets. Central to the success of this position is the ability to foster interdisciplinary research and collaborate on the subject matter with department heads, university administration, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, local/state/national government entities, civic and business leaders, and advisory and commodity groups.
Responsibilities
-
In collaboration with research faculty at the Lubbock Center, develop a vision for the continued role of the Center and AgriLife Research in the dynamic environment of agriculture, food, and water science in the southern High Plains, throughout Texas, and across the nation.
-
Provide intellectual, philosophical, and strategic leadership to Center faculty and scientists, staff, and students to enhance research, extension, and teaching missions.
-
Develop strategic responses to agriculture-related challenges and opportunities, particularly in meeting the needs of the region’s food, fiber, and value-added processing industries.
-
Develop and/or lead research teams to respond to internal and external research grant opportunities with the involvement of research faculty from AgriLife Research and AgriLife Extension, as well as other research partners.
-
Manage human and fiscal resources, and build a strong and growing portfolio of extramural funding to enhance the Center’s research capacity and reputation.
-
Represent the Center to state and federal agencies, private organizations, partners, collaborators, key industry groups, and international organizations.
-
Provide leadership for the coordination of efforts between research, teaching, and extension faculty to create an effective and synergistic working relationship.
-
Coordinate with the administration of AgriLife Research to plan initiatives, convey research and extension information, and pursue fundraising opportunities that will benefit the Center far into the future.
-
Communicate effectively with AgriLife Research administration, department heads in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, AgriLife Extension leadership, and other Texas A&M University System components.
-
Develop collaborative and administrative leadership between Center Director and District Extension Administrator for Research and Extension programs and operations for the Center.
Administrative Relationship
This position reports to the
Director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research
.
Required Education/Experience
-
An earned Ph.D. in an agricultural or closely associated discipline
-
A well-recognized leader in agricultural sciences, with an excellent research background in a relevant field, as demonstrated by publications in refereed journals, grant funding, honors and awards, and academic stature appropriate for a full-time faculty appointment at the rank of Professor
-
Demonstrated ability to engage with stakeholder groups, identify critical challenges, and conduct solutions-oriented research to address them
-
Demonstrated success in building, supporting, and leading interdisciplinary teams
-
Experience in managing human and fiscal resources
Preferred Education/Experience
-
At least 10 years of experience conducting competitively funded research
-
Knowledge of the land grant university system and a track record of using research and extension to solve problems and convey practical solutions to stakeholders
-
Demonstrated experience navigating conflicting interests to achieve accepted practices among groups (e. g., stakeholders, trade associations, commodity groups, state and/or federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations)
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
-
Demonstrates excellent writing and speaking skills in English
-
Able to communicate effectively with faculty, staff, administration, and stakeholders
-
Able to manage interdisciplinary teams effectively
-
Able to inspire Center employees, manage teams, and invest in the individual success of staff members
-
Demonstrates a clear commitment to the mission of a land-grant university system
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Skilled in strategic planning and development to advance the goals of the Center
-
Able to coordinate with broad-based partners and stakeholders to address current and emerging agricultural, food, and water challenges statewide, nationally, and internationally
Location
Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 1102 East Drew Street, Lubbock, TX 79403.
Lubbock Research and Extension Center
The Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Lubbock was established in 1909 to serve the Southern High Plains of Texas. The Lubbock Center serves the region and its communities through scientific research, public outreach, extension, and education programs. Faculty members at the Lubbock Center collaborate with colleagues at Texas A&M University at College Station, Texas Tech University, and other AgriLife Research and Extension Centers across the state. Research and extension programs at the Lubbock Center seek to strengthen agricultural production and sustainability in the semi-arid southern High Plains, specifically cotton, corn, peanut, sorghum, and potato breeding; irrigation water management; vegetable production; agronomy; soil fertility; climate-adaptive cropping systems; viticulture and enology; agricultural economics and risk management; precision agriculture and remote sensing; and crop protection, including weed science, entomology, and plant pathology. The Lubbock Center’s facilities include 132,600 square feet of offices (50), laboratories (10), classroom, and auditorium; greenhouses (14 units), workshops, storerooms, sheds, and ancillary buildings; and 300 acres of on-site irrigated (five wells) cropland for research and demonstrations. The Lubbock Center also operates and maintains 690 acres of research and demonstration farms at Halfway (Hale County) including 4 center pivots, 10 irrigation wells, and 27 acres of subsurface drip, as well as 14,200 ft2 of offices, laboratories, and a shop; and 220 acres in Lamesa (AG-CARES; Dawson County) including 120 acres under center pivot and 22 acres of subsurface drip irrigation.
Texas A&M AgriLife
Texas A&M AgriLife
, a member of the Texas A&M University System, is administered by the Vice Chancellor and Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences and includes
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
,
Texas A&M AgriLife Research
, the
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
at Texas A&M University,
Texas A&M Forest Service
, and
Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
.
Texas A&M AgriLife Research
is the leading research and technology-development agency in Texas for agriculture, natural resources, and the life sciences. Our discoveries yield economic, environmental, and health benefits that are key to our state’s success and vital to the lives of its citizens. With 13 research centers throughout the state, AgriLife Research is dedicated to research that improves the Texas economy and lives of local and statewide stakeholders through research across the whole agricultural value chain.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
provides programs, tools, and educational resources to improve agriculture and food and fiber production, advance human health, protect the environment and natural resources, enhance profitability, and enrich youth development.
Additional information about Texas A&M AgriLife Research is available at:
Texas A&M AgriLife Research:
https://agriliferesearch.tamu.edu/
Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Lubbock:
https://lubbock.tamu.edu
Closing Date for Applications
Review of applications will begin on or about 01 Jul 2023 and will continue until the position is filled. Date position is available: 01 Sep 2023.
Application Instructions
An application should contain:
1) A cover letter including the applicant’s vision for research, and extension, and administrative philosophy for the Center;
2) A statement of research for the position (2-page limit);
3) A statement of administrative vision for the position (2-page limit);
4) A statement of extension for the position (2-page limit);
5) A current resume or
curriculum vitae;
6) and Contact information for three references.
Questions
Address inquiries to Search Advisory Committee Chair:
Brent Auvermann, Ph.D.
Professor & Center Director, Texas A&M AgriLife Research – Amarillo
email:
brent.auvermann@ag.tamu.edu
work: 806-577-5600
All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity.
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