"Alerted.org

Tenure-Track: Assistant Professor Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications

Location College Station, TX

Open Date 10/15/2025

Position ID 170211

Description

The Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications (ALEC), in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University invite applications for a 9-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor position with academic, scholarly, and professional credentials and accomplishments in Agricultural Communications and Journalism (AGCJ). The anticipated start date for this faculty position is August 1, 2026. The successful candidate will contribute to the continued growth of the ALEC academic programs, specifically the AGCJ undergraduate major and minor and the ALEC master’s and doctoral programs in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications. Opportunities exist for the successful faculty member to work closely with Texas A&M AgriLife extension. The position carries 50% research, 40% teaching, and 10% service appointment. The chosen candidate is expected to obtain federal, state, industrial, and/or foundation funding to support and sustain a vigorous, nationally known research program.

Applicants should have an interest in interdisciplinary research that integrates departmental and college faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, and Texas communities. We welcome applicants whose scholarship bridges research and practice in one of the two (or both) fields below.

Option Field 1: Advancing the science of science communication. The unique discipline of science communication emerged approximately 20 years ago, and a 2017 report was the first of its kind to lay the groundwork for studying the science of science communication. Using the report as a basis for enhancing scientific scholarship and teaching, a successful candidate would find opportunities to deepen the current program; create a robust, evidence-based science communication and public engagement program in the context of agricultural and life sciences; and align the program with prestigious communication programs.

The Option Field 1 hire will:

+ Specialize in building knowledge for effective science communication and public engagement by conducting basic research in science communication (e.g., message framing, debunking misinformation, cognitive dissonance) with a focus on life sciences communication and public engagement in a variety of contexts, including food, health, natural resources, precision agriculture, and technology.

+ Specialize in quantitative research methods and experimental design to elevate the College’s social science research profile while training young scholars (e.g., undergraduate students, graduate students, and post-doctoral scholars) in rigorous quantitative research methods as part of their formal course work, assistantships, and positions.

+ Associate with the Institute for Health in Agriculture to partner with experts across the disciplines in the food, agriculture, natural resources, and human (FANH) sciences to elevate the quantitative research within the Department and situate the Department as an international leader in conducting social science research at the intersection of health and agriculture.

+ Secure external funding from rigorous science communications programs, like NSF’s Science of Science: Discovery, Communication, and Impact (SoS:DCI).

Option Field 2: Rural and Social Challenges. Agriculture lies at the intersection of science and society, which often creates difficult challenges for some of the world’s most vulnerable populations. Furthermore, agricultural topics are increasingly intertwined with public attitudes toward the management of land, water, and animals; public concerns about conservation, gene-edited food, and animal welfare; and public perceptions of agricultural production and product development. There is a vital need to effectively engage the public in conversations around these complex and often controversial topics that can negatively impact rural audiences and cause disparities between rural audiences and their urban or suburban counterparts. A successful candidate will be a leader in engaging in conversations related to rural and social challenges affecting rural, suburban, and urban audiences and training students to communicate about complex, controversial topics.

The Option Field 2 hire will:

+ Specialize in understanding rural, urban, and suburban audiences and the complex social systems that influence their ability to mitigate or adapt to rural and social challenges.

+ Secure external funding from rigorous funding programs, like USDA’s AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Program or HHS’s National Rural Health Policy, Community, and Collaboration Program.

+ Secure research funding to provide educational opportunities for the world’s vulnerable populations, translate complex information for broad audiences, and influence policy regarding rural and social challenges.

+ Provide students with a transformational curriculum base related to public-facing agricultural engagement and communication, agricultural interpretation, or technical messaging for the public regarding rural and social challenges.

The AGCJ program (housed in ALEC) currently serves approximately 230 undergraduate majors, 40 undergraduate minors, and 115 graduate students seeking a master’s or doctoral degree in Agricultural Education, Leadership, and Communications. Current program and departmental faculty members engage in research and outreach that directly inform the practice of communications and address the communication and information needs and strengths of children, adolescents, families, communities, organizations, and policymakers to promote overall health and well-being. Program faculty place a high value on collaboration within the program and across disciplines in the department, college, and university.

The Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications is home to nearly 1,300 undergraduate students, 300 graduate students, and over 30 faculty scholars from around the globe. The website (https://alec.tamu.edu/) provides extensive information about the work being conducted. Come join the fun!

Qualifications

Successful candidates will have academic, scholarly, and professional credentials and accomplishments in Agricultural Communications and Journalism. The candidate must have an earned doctorate in an agricultural communication, communications, or a related field by the date of hiring.

Serious consideration will be given to applicants with experience in securing extramural funding as a principal/co-principal investigator, specifically funding from competitive national, foundational, or international sources; publishing work in journals with high impact metrics; and providing formal and informal training in non-academic and/or extension settings.

Application Instructions

Applications must be submitted online at: apply.interfolio.com/174639 .

Applicants must submit:

+ A cover letter summarizing their interest in and qualifications for the position;

+ A current Curriculum Vitae that includes research activity, teaching experience, and service to the profession;

+ A personal statement that includes a guiding philosophy and plans for research, teaching and service (max. three-pages, single-spaced, using 12-point font); and

+ Names and contact information for three professional references.

The position will be open until filled. The process of reviewing applications will begin 30 to 45 days after the position opens. If you have questions about the position, please contact Dr. Rafael Landaverde ([email protected]). The selected candidate is expected to begin August 1, 2026.