Assistant Professor or Associate Professor (With Tenure) The Wisconsin Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) Initiative is designed to help address significant, complex challenges of particular importance to Wisconsin and the world, through accelerated and strategic faculty hiring, research infrastructure enhancement, interdisciplinary collaboration and increased student and educational opportunities. This position is part of the RISE initiative, the Department of Food and Nutritional Science (FSN) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor or Associate Professor (with tenure) position with expertise in the processing, or characterization of functional components in milk or dairy foods like cheese or approaches to improve the environmental or economic sustainability of dairy processing. The vision for this position is to act in concert with complementary programs and researchers within the department, the Dairy Innovation Hub, CALS and campus communities. Areas of focus could include, but are not limited to, the identification and characterization of functional dairy components, identification and characterization of bioactive metabolites that are generated through fermentation, processing and digestion processes of cheese and fermented dairy products, the discovery and creation of products containing dairy ingredients targeted towards personalized nutrition applications; ultimately these efforts would lead to impactful dairy product discoveries, uses, and economic impacts. Research that provides value to consumer health and dairy product development, or economical and environmental sustainability, are also of great interest. The ideal candidate will produce high-impact, relevant research that can be meaningfully applied to the dairy industry and complement existing departmental strengths in food and nutritional sciences. We value scholars who demonstrate a strong commitment to public engagement and real-world impact. We seek a faculty member who will combine rigorous research with a deep interest in outreach that engages communities, stakeholder, industries, and institutions. This position offers an outstanding opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary research, influence dairy food manufacturing, and teach in a world-class academic setting.
Key Job Responsibilities:
Develop a nationally competitive, extramurally funded research program focused on functional dairy products with the goal of increasing the consumption, sustainability, nutritional value, and health impact of dairy products and dairy-derived components in concert with RISE-THRIVE and EARTH initiatives. Teach graduate and undergraduate students, commensurate with college expectations and consistent with the teaching loads of the department. Mentor students and promote their development and success in a collaborative environment. Contribute to outreach and service functions of the department, college, university, and professional societies. Contribute to programs aimed at increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the department, college, and university. Promote an inclusive and diverse climate within our campus and associated communities.
Department: Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences
Compensation: Negotiable – 9 months / ongoing
Required Qualifications:
Training or experience demonstrating potential for excellence in conducting frontier research, providing innovative teaching, and actively engaging in outreach.
Demonstrated research capacities in areas such as milk characterization, cheese technology, identification and quantification of metabolites and bioactives, clinical studies, and advanced processing technologies.
Demonstrated skills may include AI, data analysis, techno-economic analysis, molecular identification, large datasets, and complex problem-solving.
A record of, or potential for, securing competitive external funding such as through USDA, NSF, NIH, and so forth.
Demonstrated commitment to public engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and stakeholder engagement.
Demonstrated commitment to or potential for instructional excellence and pedagogical scholarship for instruction and mentorship.
Strong communication and collaboration skills are required and will be assessed via written work listed on curriculum vitae, statements submitted for the application, and interactions during the interview process.
At the rank of Associate Professor with tenure, the selected candidate's qualifications must be sufficient to meet the requirements for tenure in the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison by the position start date.
Education:
Ph.D. in Food Science, Food Engineering, Nutritional Sciences, or related fields.
How to Apply:
Apply online at "Jobs at UW" (http://jobs.wisc.edu). Applications must be received through UW-Madison's online application system.
To begin the process, please click "Apply Now".Applicants must upload the following information as a single PDF document:
- Cover letter detailing interest and relevant training/experience for this position (1-page)
- Curriculum vitae
- Statements of:
- Teaching and mentoring philosophy and experience (1-page limit)
Research experience and interests with a description of current and planned research (3-5 page limit).In addition, you will be asked to provide the names and contact information of three references willing to be contacted for letters of recommendation at a later date.
Deadline:
The deadline for assuring full consideration is August 30, 2026; however, the position will remain open, and applications may be considered until the position is filled.
Contact Information: Scott Rankin - Department Chair
Phone: 608-263-2008
Email: sarankin@wisc.eduInstitutional Statement on Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
