Assistant Professor – Biosensor Engineering

Assistant Professor – Biosensor Engineering

Job Description
Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is seeking applicants for a tenure track position in Biosensor Engineering as part of its SmartFarm Innovation Network faculty cluster hire. The cluster hire of 13 new faculty positions will be filled over multiple years within several academic units and Agricultural Research and Extension Centers. Collaborations of cluster hires and existing faculty will enhance interdisciplinary flagship programs at the nexus of digital, biological, social, and physical sciences and engineering with application to agriculture, food, and natural resources. This ambitious vision will create a statewide network of interconnected faculty, partners, and resources for scientific discovery and developing and deploying new technologies. The goal is to increase overall efficiency, resiliency, sustainability, and economic value of food, agriculture production systems, and natural resources and expand Virginia Tech’s global leadership in this rapidly evolving domain.

The Department of Animal & Poultry Sciences seeks an exceptionally qualified Assistant Professor of Biosensor Engineering. This faculty member will develop and apply enabling technologies for real-time data collection of bio-markers relevant for animal health, performance, reproduction, behavior, stress, and/or metabolism. The position is an academic year tenure track position with primary appointment in research and secondary appointment in Extension.

The successful candidate will develop a nationally and internationally recognized research program focused on addressing engineering challenges limiting capacity to monitor real-time changes in animal physiology. Research themes may include development, testing, and application of nano-materials, organic electronics, various types of sensors, and autonomous/intelligent sensor systems. The candidate is additionally expected to establish an Extension and outreach program designed to highlight advances in biosensor engineering to youth, professionals, or other agricultural stakeholder audiences. Outreach and support activities with Extension specialists and agents related to the candidate’s area of interest are also expected. The incumbent should plan to collaborate with researchers across Virginia Tech, including College of Engineering, to link sensors with circuits designed for energy harvesting, wireless power transfer, wireless data transfer, and other emerging technologies. Research and Extension activities will advance the field of animal science by enabling time-series assessment of bio-markers related to animal health, performance, reproduction, behavior, stress, metabolism, and other management-relevant production outcomes as well as environmental stewardship. These data are expected to contribute to data-based decision-making that will improve agricultural profitability and environmental sustainability. The incumbent is expected to garner extramural funding to support the research program. Significant scholarly outputs are expected, such as peer-reviewed research publications, review articles, etc. Recruitment and mentor-ship of graduate and postdoctoral students are also expected.

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech have a long history of strength and collaboration. The successful candidate will also be supported by Virginia Tech’s network of Destination Areas, trans-disciplinary communities across the university that are collaboratively working to address complex problems that impact the human condition. This position is expected to contribute to the Data and Decisions Destination Areas, which advances the human condition and society with better decisions through data. It will also contribute to the Global Systems Science Destination Area, which focuses on understanding and finding solutions to critical problems associated with human activity and environmental change. Through these mechanisms, the appointee will have access to a wide-range of resources across campus and Research Institutes, the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, and the 11 Agricultural Research and Extension Centers located across Virginia. Opportunities for international engagement exist and are encouraged. The Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences will provide a rich application environment for the incumbent, with a collaboration-centric culture and sensor application opportunities stemming across animal species, production systems, and levels of biological organization.

To obtain more information and to apply for this position go to [Job #515584 at https://jobs.vt.edu]. In addition to the online application, required application materials include: 1) cover letter summarizing qualifications, 2) curriculum vitae, 3) statement of current research and extension interests, and 4) full contact information for four professional references. 

Required Qualifications

• PhD in biological engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, agricultural engineering, material sciences, or a closely related field is required.
• The successful candidate should have demonstrated experience with design, development, and fabrication of biosensors

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous successful collaboration with interdisciplinary teams to address wireless sensor networking and power supply challenges in biosensor systems is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated capacity to obtain extramural funding in support of her/his program, mentor graduate and undergraduate students and have significant scholarly activities appropriate to the discipline.
• Identified opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration with faculty across Virginia Tech, including the Global Systems Sciences and Data and Decision Sciences Destination Area faculty is highly desirable.

Salary Information
Commensurate with experience

Additional Information
The successful Candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire accommodation please contact the hiring department.