Description
Position Details:
DESCRIPTION OF POSITION:
This is a full-time (12 month), permanent tenure-track Associate or Full Professor position in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology (VMP) that focuses on elk hoof disease as part of a program studying infectious diseases of wildlife and diseases that occur at the wildlife-domestic animal interface.
Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has led research into elk hoof disease since the Washington State Legislature provided generous operating funding and mandated the College as the state’s lead to monitor and assess causes of and potential solutions for the disease in 2017. The College’s robust interdisciplinary program works collaboratively with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, other state, federal, and tribal wildlife management and agricultural agencies, and research institutions with the goal of developing science-based information to better manage the disease.
Elk hoof disease, also called treponeme-associated hoof disease, is an emerging infectious disease affecting elk in the northwestern U.S. The etiology is likely polybacterial and multifactorial, but the presence of treponeme bacteria, similar to those associated with digital dermatitis in livestock, are a hallmark of the disease. As such, investigations are incorporated into ongoing programs studying emerging and endemic infectious diseases of wildlife occurring at the wildlife-domestic animal interface, including investigation of ecological systems that influence the risk of emerging disease occurring in wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. More information on WSU research and outreach on elk hoof disease is available at https://vetmed.wsu.edu/departments/veterinary-microbiology-and-pathology/elk-hoof-disease/
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The position is defined as approximately 75% research/graduate education, 20% outreach, and 5% service. The successful candidate will be expected to develop and maintain a productive research and outreach program on elk hoof disease and, secondarily, other infectious diseases at the wildlife-livestock interface. Maintaining current, and developing new, collaborations with researchers, managers, and stakeholders is critical for the function of a successful program. Staying active in the department’s graduate program, including mentoring graduate students and serving as a member of student advisory committees, is expected. Service activities can include service to the profession, Department, College, or University. Additional responsibilities include supervision of support staff, e.g., scientific assistant and post-doctoral fellow, and administrative responsibilities, e.g., budgeting, annual reporting.
The applicant’s research area must be compatible with the goals of the elk hoof disease program mandate. Research focus should include but not be limited to wildlife/livestock infectious disease ecology, wildlife ecology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, microbiology, bioinformatics, immunology, disease surveillance, and diagnostics. Candidates with a research emphasis on wildlife ecology and epidemiology, infectious hoof diseases of livestock and/or wildlife, or other diseases affecting the domestic livestock-wildlife-human interfaces, and candidates with experience working with wildlife management agencies are especially encouraged to apply. Those with experience collaborating on social and cultural aspects of wildlife disease and natural resource management are also encouraged to apply.
Requirements
Rank (Associate or Full Professor) will be based on the tenure and promotion criteria of the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology and will be shaped by the depth and breadth of the candidate’s experience.
Associate Professor has demonstrated progress toward establishing a sustainable research and graduate education/mentoring program with regional or national reputation in their field of research with attendant publications and expertise.
The rank of Full Professor is generally awarded to those who have developed and sustained a research and graduate education/mentoring program that has attained an international reputation.
More information regarding faculty rank qualifications can be found at: https://provost.wsu.edu/documents/2017/08/tenure-and-promotion-guidelines.pdf/
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS for all ranks:
An earned PhD degree in biomedical science, natural resources, or related fields is required.
Evidence of an established research program, a record of effective collaboration, and successful mentoring is required.
Candidates must have demonstrated abilities in conducting hypothesis-based research and publishing high quality papers in top journals.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS for all ranks:
A proven track record in wildlife disease research and experience in outreach activities and communication with the public is preferred.
The College of Veterinary Medicine is interested in candidates who have the communication skills and cross-cultural capabilities to maximize effective collaboration with a diverse community of campus and external colleagues and stakeholders.
Exceptional candidates will have a history of contributions to high quality graduate education.
DEPARTMENT:
Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology (VMP) is one of five departments/schools in the College of Veterinary Medicine. The departmental mission is “to enhance animal and public health through teaching veterinary and graduate students, training veterinary pathology and microbiology residents, and conducting biomedical research in infectious diseases and immunology”. The department takes pride in what we believe is an environment that fosters collaboration, creativity, personal and professional growth, and productivity. Although few faculty members are intensively involved in all three traditional missions of teaching, research, and service, we value and seek excellence in each.
COLLEGE:
The WSU CVM is organized into five departments/schools, including VMP, Veterinary Clinical Sciences (VCS), Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience (IPN), the School of Molecular Biosciences (SMB), and the Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, each dedicated to excellence in teaching, research, and service (http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu). Further, the College is home to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (https://waddl.vetmed.wsu.edu/) and the USDA-ARS-Animal Disease Research Unit and many personnel from these units are career track or affiliated faculty in VMP. Shared research interests among personnel across all these units allow for fruitful collaborations and creative solutions to critical problems in animal health and veterinary medicine.
UNIVERSITY:
Washington State University is a Land Grant, comprehensive research institution with an enrollment of approximately 20,300 students on the Pullman campus. There are eleven colleges offering 63 doctoral degree programs along with four professional degree programs (veterinary medicine, medicine, pharmacy, and business) across the WSU system. The University is one of the largest residential universities in the Northwest and Pullman offers a safe, friendly, small-town living environment; other system campuses are located in three urban communities across the state.
AREA:
Washington State University’s Pullman Campus is situated in the rich agricultural area known as the Palouse, in eastern Washington. The Pullman public school system is ranked #16 in the state (of 256) and Pullman is an excellent, safe environment to raise a family. Pullman is only eight miles from the University of Idaho at Moscow, approximately 1.5 hours south of Spokane and 5.5 hours from Seattle. The Pullman environs offer many outdoor recreational activities including skiing, fishing, hunting, whitewater rafting, camping, hiking, and rock climbing. Pullman is near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and near numerous rivers, lakes, and wilderness areas including the Snake, Salmon, and Clearwater rivers, Coeur d’Alene, Pend Oreille, and Priest lakes, the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, and Hells Canyon, to name a few. To learn more about the Pullman community, visit: http://www.pullmanchamber.com. The university’s web page, www.wsu.edu, offers additional information about WSU and the surrounding area.
Additional Information:
Area/College:
College of Veterinary Medicine
Department Name:
Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology
City, State, Zip:
Pullman, WA, 99164
Department Link:
https://vetmed.wsu.edu/departments/veterinary-microbiology-and-pathology/
Annual Salary:
Associate Professor: $140,000 - $160,000
Full Professor: $160,000 - $180,000
In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the above salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the range is based on the candidate’s current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination.
WSU offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes paid sick and vacation leave; paid holidays; medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents; retirement; deferred compensation and optional supplemental retirement accounts.
For a more detailed summary of benefits offered by WSU for Faculty visit: https://hrs.wsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-Benefit-Overview-for-Faculty-and-AP.pdf.
Find total compensation information here: https://hrs.wsu.edu/managers/recruitment-toolkit/total-compensation/.
Overtime Eligibility:
Overtime Ineligible
FTE: 100%
This is Permanent tenure track position.
Posting Close Date:
Applications received by Monday, September 23, 2024 at 11:59pm will be considered in the initial review process.
Background Check:
This position has been designated by the department to require a background check because it requires access to children or vulnerable adults as defined by RCW 74.34, engages in law enforcement, requires security clearance, interacts with WSU students in a counseling or advising capacity, has access to personal identifying and/or financial information, unsupervised access to university buildings/property, or other business-related need. A background check will not be completed until an initial determination of qualification for employment has been made.
Application Instructions:
Applicants must upload all required documents listed below to their online application at https://hrs.wsu.edu/careers/. Application materials should clearly communicate how the applicant meets all required qualifications.
External candidates, please upload all documents in the “Resume/CV” section of your application. Internal candidates, please upload all documents in the “Resume/Cover Letter” section of your application.
All documents must be attached before submitting the application. The application cannot be edited once submitted.
Documents may be submitted in one file or separate files.
Applicants are encouraged to upload as a PDF if possible.
Applicants will be requested to provide contact information for professional references within the online application.
Required Documents:
A letter of application indicating applicant's short and long-term goals, qualifications for the position, including research interests and accomplishments.
Curriculum vitae
Names and contact information of three references
Summary research and diversity statements. The research statement should describe the applicant’s vision for their research program in addressing problems in infectious diseases in wildlife, broadly, and elk hoof disease, in particular.
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EDUCATOR AND EMPLOYER. Members of ethnic minorities, women, special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam-era, recently separated veterans, and other protected veteran, persons of disability and/or persons age 40 and over are encouraged to apply.
WSU employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
WSU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact Human Resource Services: 509-335-4521 (v), Washington State TDD Relay Service: Voice Callers: 1-800-833-6384; TDD Callers: 1-800-833-6388, 509-335-1259(f), or hrs@wsu.edu.
