Utah State University seeks a talented full-time Assistant Professor and State Extension Specialist in Food Safety. The position will be academically housed in the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences. The position is offered as a 0.917 full-time equivalent 12-month tenure-track Assistant Professor rank with a split appointment of 70% Extension, 25% Teaching, and 5% Service. The successful candidate will be responsible for coordinating and conducting extension activities and programming that supports the processing and manufacturing of safe food including traceability systems and recall plans in Utah.

The successful candidate will be assigned to teach online and face-to-face courses in the area of food safety that support the Food Science and Master of Food Safety and Quality programs and mentorship of MFSQ students in applied practice experiences. Utah State University encourages all faculty to participate in professional service to the department, college, institution, and profession.

Proposed start date is July 1, 2023

This person will be expected to do the following related to their responsibilities as an Extension Specialist:

• Partner with Extension county faculty, federal, state, and local food regulatory agencies, and community and industry partners to implement, deliver, and evaluate targeted programming for industry and consumers.
• Act as a Process Authority that will serve food manufacturers in Utah by reviewing, guiding and issuing process review letters for new food products that meet state and federal licensing requirements for the production of safe food.  
• Implement training and education programs that lead to industry or regulatory certifications, including Preventative Controls for Human Food and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points.
• Provide lab testing to food manufacturers to confirm that industry, state and federal requirements are met, and respond to food manufacturer inquiries or questions related to food processing, safety, and traceability.  
• Serve as a resource person for county-based Extension faculty, the media, and other stakeholders providing resources and training to help solve food-related problems relevant to decreasing the incidence of food borne illness in Utah. This includes providing resources and training related to food safety in home food preservation to county faculty and consumers.
• Be a resource to departmental faculty as well as to the Aggie Chocolate Factory, the USU Creamery, and the Aggie Meat Lab on issues related to food safety.
• Secure the funding needed to support targeted programming and other Extension and teaching efforts. The person will be expected to build a network of industry partners and other collaborators and stakeholders from different disciplines and institutes.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• PhD in food safety, microbiology, food science or related field with experience or expertise in the area of commercial food processing
• Evidence of experience in grant writing, program planning, implementation, or evaluation in areas of food safety.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Evidence of teaching experience or curriculum development, particularly in higher education.
• Demonstration of strong oral and written communication skills, including effective communication of scientific concepts to lay audiences.
• Experience with home food preservation and consumer food safety.
• Demonstration of ability to coordinate and evaluate projects involving multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience in partnerships, collaboration and coordination efforts.
• Experience conducting needs assessments and performing formative, programmatic, and other evaluation to show impacts to multiple stakeholders.
• Demonstration of supervisory and mentoring skills.
• Experience working with land grant University Extension services

Along with the online application, please attach:

1. Resume/CV - Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”
2. Cover Letter to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-10”
   • Cover Letter describing how the candidate meets the minimum and preferred qualifications for the position
3. Minimum three (3) professional references with contact information

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Employees typically work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes.  

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant and space-grant university, with a strong commitment to excellence, access, and inclusion. USU serves approximately 27,500 students throughout the state at three residential campuses, eight statewide campuses, and 23 education centers. USU Online has served students from all 50 states and 55 countries for over 25 years, and USU Extension provides outreach and service to all counties in Utah.  

As a land-grant university, USU engages communities and empowers people to lead successful lives of involvement, innovation, and impact. As an R1 research institution, USU provides a high-quality undergraduate and graduate education at an affordable price. Washington Monthly has consistently ranked USU in the top 10 among public universities for contribution to social mobility, research, and public service.  

Utah State is committed to cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where different perspectives, values, cultures, and identities are acknowledged, welcomed, and valued. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Learn more about USU. 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or hr@usu.edu. 

About the Region

U.S. News and World Report ranked Utah first for its strong economy, fiscal stability, education, and health care. Outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities abound throughout the state, including five national parks, 43 state parks and recreation areas, and 15 alpine ski resorts. The home of USU’s main campus, Logan, is a city of 54,000-plus people in a picturesque mountain valley 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. The Logan metro area claimed the top spot in the Milken Institute’s 2022 ranking for best-performing small cities in the nation. 

* updated 7/2023

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Cody Carmichael, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov