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 addressing the processing and manufacture of safe food in Utah, especially as related to the meat and dairy industries to support the state’s major commodity producers. The successful candidate will be assigned to teach online courses in the area of food safety and toxicology 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, 2024

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. Extension efforts should support Utah’s major commodity producers, including the meat and dairy industries.
• Secure external funding to support Extension efforts.
• Respond to Utah food manufacturer inquiries and questions related to food processing, safety, and traceability. Act as a Process Authority for food manufacturers in Utah by reviewing, guiding, testing, and issuing process evaluations for new food products that meet state and federal requirements.
• 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.
• 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 USU Creamery, the Aggie Meat Lab, and the Aggie Chocolate Factory on issues related to food safety.

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/curriculum planning, implementation, or evaluation in areas related to food safety.
• Demonstration of strong oral and written communication skills, including effective communication of scientific concepts to lay audiences.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certification as HACCP lead trainer, Preventive Controls lead trainer, and/or ServSafe Proctor
• Evidence of online teaching experience or curriculum development, particularly in higher education.
• Experience with home food preservation and consumer food safety.
• Demonstration of ability to coordinate and evaluate projects involving multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience conducting needs assessments and performing formative, programmatic, and other evaluation to show impacts to multiple stakeholders.
• 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 - Cover Letter describing how the candidate meets the minimum and preferred qualifications for the position under "Other Documents 1-10"
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, public service university, with a strong commitment to excellence, access, and inclusion, empowering people to lead successful lives of involvement, innovation, and impact. Utah State provides high-quality education to 27,500-plus students locations throughout the state, including at three residential campuses, eight statewide campuses, and 23 education centers. USU Online educates students from all 50 states and 55 countries. For over 25 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns in all of Utah’s counties. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge through research and scholarly activities, providing a high-quality undergraduate and graduate education at an affordable price.

Utah State is committed to cultivating a community of inclusive excellence where all 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. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when they named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. 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 04/2024

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