Associate Director for Precision Nutrition and Agrilife Research Professor

**Job Title** Associate Director for Precision Nutrition and AgriLife Research Professor **Agency** Texas A&M Agrilife Research **Department** Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture-Precision Nutrition **Proposed Minimum Salary** Commensurate **Job Location** College Station, Texas **Job Type** Faculty **Job Description** **About IHA and Texas A&M AgriLife** The [Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture](https://iha.tamu.edu/), IHA, is the world’s first research institute to combine precision nutrition, responsive agriculture and behavioral research to reduce diet-related chronic disease in a way that considers environmental and economic effects, with a mission to optimize health for current and future generations through innovative research connecting agriculture, food systems and nutrition.  IHA’s vision of a healthier world through evidence-based solutions in nutrition and agriculture integrates the three focus areas of: * Precision Nutrition  * Responsive Agriculture  * Healthy Living  The IHA fosters transformative research that connects food systems to human health, with strong infrastructure, interdisciplinary faculty and partnerships across The Texas A&M University System and beyond. The United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, ARS, Responsive Agricultural Food Systems Research Unit, RAFSRU, is co-located with the IHA and collaborates with the IHA on focused research on human health and nutrition to prevent and mitigate nutrition-associated chronic disease via innovations in the agriculture, food systems and nutrition environment. Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members: * [Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service](https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/) * [Texas A&M AgriLife Research](https://agriliferesearch.tamu.edu/) * [College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University](https://aglifesciences.tamu.edu/) * [Texas A&M Forest Service](https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/) * [Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory](https://tvmdl.tamu.edu/) As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service. Click [**here**](https://agrilife.tamu.edu/) to learn more about how _**you**_ can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world! **Position Information** The Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, IHA, invites applications for the **Associate Director for Precision Nutrition**. This leadership position will drive innovation at the intersection of **Precision Nutrition, Healthy Living and Responsive Agriculture**, advancing IHA’s mission to integrate **biological discovery, translational science and real-world impact**. The Associate Director will provide **strategic, scientific and programmatic leadership** for Precision Nutrition initiatives, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations in areas such as **dietary exposures, metabolism, exercise, genomics, epigenetics, microbiome, and immune function, to optimize health outcomes** across diverse populations and different life stages. **Responsibilities:** * **Strategic Leadership** * Lead and expand IHA’s Precision Nutrition, PN, research portfolio * Develop and execute a bold vision building synergy and aligning PN with other IHA focus areas, i.e., Responsive Agriculture and Healthy Living * Shape institutional priorities and national visibility in PN * **Research Excellence** * Advance discoveries across broad areas of nutrition, such as: * Effects of food, nutrients, non-nutrient bioactives, and dietary patterns on health and disease risk * Diet interactions with gut microbiota, contaminants, and other environmental exposures on health outcomes * Interindividual/subpopulation variability in dietary responses * Nutritional modulation of metabolism, transcriptional regulation, epigenetics, immunity and other physiological responses and resulting health-span * Link pre-clinical discoveries to human biomarkers to advance the prevention/treatment of chronic diseases * Translate mechanistic insights into actionable dietary strategies and agricultural innovations * Maintain a nationally recognized, externally funded research program * **Program Development and Collaboration** * Build cross-disciplinary teams across nutrition, agriculture, engineering, public health and clinical sciences * Foster partnerships with federal agencies (e.g., NIH, USDA), industry and academic institutions * Lead large-scale, multi-investigator grants and initiatives * **Education and Mentorship** * Mentor graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty * Contribute to education of nutrition and related disciplines * Promote workforce development in Precision Nutrition * **National Leadership and Service** * Represent IHA in national organizations (e.g., American Society for Nutrition) * Contribute to scientific advisory panels, editorial boards and policy discussions * Enhance IHA’s reputation as a global leader in Precision Nutrition **Required Qualifications:** * Ph.D. in Nutrition, Nutritional Sciences or a related field * Established record of **high-impact publications** in leading journals (e.g., _American Journal of Clinical Nutrition_, _Journal of Nutrition_) * Established record of sustained **extramural funding** (NIH, USDA or equivalent) * Demonstrated leadership in **interdisciplinary research and program development** * Strong commitment to collaboration and team science **Preferred Qualifications:** * Expertise in **human clinical nutrition or other modern precision nutrition approaches** * Professional credentials such as **Registered Dietitian, RD,** or equivalent clinical experience * Proven ability to lead **large-scale collaborative initiatives** * Experience translating research into **practice, policy or food/agricultural systems** * Track record of leadership in national or international scientific organizations **What You Need to Know** **Salary:** Compensation for this position is commensurate based on the selected candidate’s qualifications. **Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?** When you choose to _**work**_ for Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents. In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following: * [Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance](https://www.tamus.edu/benefits/) with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums  * 12-15 days of annual paid holidays   * Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month * Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas   * Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife **Applicant Instructions:** Applicants must submit: * Cover letter * Statement of research vision and leadership in Precision Nutrition * Curriculum vitae * Contact information of three references The application screening process will begin on August 17, 2026, and the position will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified. All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check. Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.