Assistant/Associate
Professor of Entomology (Veterinary Entomology)

Location:
Entomology & Nematology Department
University of Florida
Institute of Food
and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS)
Gainesville, Florida

Salary: Commensurate
with Qualifications and
Experience

Review date: For full
consideration, candidates
should apply and submit
additional materials by
April 15, 2020. 
The position will remain
open until a viable applicant
pool is determined.

Duties and Responsibilities

This is a 12-month tenure-accruing position that will be 30% teaching (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences), 60% research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station) and 10% Extension (Florida Cooperative Extension Service), available in the Entomology & Nematology Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida.  This assignment may change in accordance with the needs of the unit.  Teaching duties will include offering undergraduate and graduate courses in medical/veterinary/livestock entomology through both on-campus and distance delivery.  The faculty member will actively participate in graduate and undergraduate education by chairing and serving on graduate committees, supervising thesis, dissertation and undergraduate research, and publishing the results with their students. Research duties include development of an extramurally-funded research program in veterinary entomology with emphasis on management of external parasites and biting flies of livestock, poultry, companion animals or wildlife, including potential disease vectors. The faculty member will seek contract and grant funding actively to support their program. Publishing research results in peer reviewed and other appropriate journals is expected.  Extension duties include the development and delivery of appropriate recommendations for external parasite and fly management to county Extension personnel and clientele groups. Tenure will accrue in the Entomology & Nematology Department.

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.

Qualifications
Required:
A doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in entomology or allied subject area with training and experience in veterinary/medical entomology or a closely related discipline is required. Candidates must have demonstrated skills in verbal and written communication, interpersonal relationships, publication in peer-reviewed journals, and procurement of extramural funding. Candidates must be supportive of the mission of the Land-Grant system. Candidates must also have a commitment to IFAS core values of excellence, diversity, global involvement, and accountability.

Preferred:
Postdoctoral experience and teaching experience are desirable.

Background Information: 
The University of Florida (http://www.ufl.edu) 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 (http://ifas.ufl.edu) includes the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (http://cals.ufl.edu), the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station (http://research.ifas.ufl.edu), the Florida Cooperative Extension Service (http://extension.ifas.ufl.edu), the College of Veterinary Medicine (http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu), the Florida Sea Grant program (http://www.flseagrant.org/ ), 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. IFAS employs over 2500 people, which includes approximately 900 faculty and 1200 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 Senior 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. The Entomology and Nematology Department is a unit in the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) and has a diverse teaching, research and extension education programs with 32 faculty members on the Gainesville campus, 35 faculty located across the state at research and education centers, 50 courtesy faculty, and 30 support personnel.

Employment Conditions:
This position is available August 1, 2020 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 # 59509
Dr. Heather McAuslane
Chair, Search and Screen Committee
University of Florida
Entomology & Nematology Department
PO Box 110620
1881 Natural Area Drive
Gainesville, FL   32611
Telephone: 352-273-3913
Facsimile: 352-392-1090
Electronic Mail: hjmca@ufl.edu

Application Information

Individuals wishing to apply should go online to http://apply.interfolio.com/74371 and submit:

• Cover letter that states applicant’s interest in the position and qualifications relative to the credentials listed above
• Curriculum vitae
• Statement of research interests
• Statement of teaching and mentoring philosophy
• Diversity statement indicating how your previous experiences have prepared you to contribute to an inclusive institutional culture
• Contact information (including email addresses) for three individuals willing to write letters of recommendation

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).

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). 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 Opportunity Institution dedicated to building a broadly diverse and inclusive faculty and staff. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is committed to creating an environment that affirms diversity across a variety of dimensions, including ability, class, ethnicity/race, gender identity and expression. We particularly welcome applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service. The University and greater Gainesville community enjoy a diversity of cultural events, restaurants, year-round outdoor recreational activities, and social opportunities.

Postdoctoral
position (2-year): Microbiomes of Invasive Fruit Flies (crop pests)

Location:
University of Florida Entomology and Nematology Department, Gainesville, Florida

Salary: $47,500 plus fringe benefits and 3% annual increase.

Start date: First week of October, but an earlier start date (up to early September) is possible.

Duration: 2 years (with possibility of extension for another year).

Description:
A postdoctoral position is available from Adam CN Wong’s lab at University of Florida Entomology and Nematology Department in Gainesville, Florida. We are interested in applying meta-transcriptomics and microbial genome sequencing to study the nutritional roles of gut-associated microbes in two major invasive fruit fly pests on different crops and nutrient environments. Specifically, we are studying the spotted winged drosophila (SWD) Drosophila suzukii and the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata. The successful candidate will work in a dynamic team with 4 graduate and 10 undergraduate students. S/he will actively engage with our collaborators from the USDA and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel..

Minimum qualifications:
PhD in Molecular Biology, Genomics, Microbiology, Entomology, Ecology or relevant field.

Preferred qualifications:
Candidates with demonstrated experience of RNAseq, microbial genome sequencing, microbiome analyses, and/or bacterial genetics are highly desired.

To apply, please submit a CV and a 1-page cover letter in pdf files to Dr Adam Wong (adamcnwong@ufl.edu) with the subject line “Postdoc application: fruit fly microbiomes”. Please include names and contact information of at least two references familiar with your work. The position will remain open until filled.

For more info, please visit:

https://microbiota.wixsite.com/adam-wong

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=_eMzgj8AAAAJ&hl=en

Biological Scientist Position
(1-year): Host-microbe interactions

Minimum qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in molecular biology, microbiology or a closely related field, with 1+ year of research experience.

Preferred qualifications: Master’s or Doctoral degree holders are welcome to apply. Demonstrated competency on molecular biology and/or microbiology techniques is desirable.

Salary: $12-18/hour, commensurate with education level and experience.

Start date: Available immediately.

Duration: 1 years (with possibility of extension based on funding and performance).

A biological scientist OPS position is available from Adam CN Wong’s lab at University of Florida Entomology and Nematology Department in Gainesville, Florida. The position aims to study the interactions between a human pathogen (Vibrio Cholerae) and an insect (chironomids, also known as nonbiting midges) in an aquatic setting using microcosms in the lab.

The successful candidate will provide assistance in preparing and maintaining the chironomid colony, generating axenic (germ-free) and gnotobiotic chironomid larvae, quantifying bacteria by culture-dependent methods, and conducting basic molecular techniques (DNA/RNA extraction, PCR, gel electrophoresis). The candidate will work with a team of a graduate student and several undergraduate interns. S/he will also actively engage with our collaborators from the UF Emerging Pathogen Institute (EPI) and USDA. Training will be provided.

To apply, please submit a CV and a 1-page cover letter in pdf files to Dr Adam Wong (adamcnwong@ufl.edu) with the subject line “Biological Scientist position: Host-microbe interactions”. Please include names and contact information of two references. The position will remain open until filled.

For more info, please visit:
https://microbiota.wixsite.com/adam-wong
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=_eMzgj8AAAAJ&hl=en​