This tenure track position is located at the Northern Agricultural Research Center (NARC) which is a diversified crop and livestock research facility located seven miles southwest of Havre (pop. 10,000). Havre, MT offers year-round outdoor recreation opportunities such as hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, golfing, skiing, and ice skating. Cultural attractions include museums, galleries, concerts and live theater. Historical attractions nearby include the Montana Dinosaur Trail, Fort Assinniboine and Buffalo Jump. Havre is a small town with a low crime rate, and is the focal point of commercial activity in the Hi-Line region. Also located in Havre, but not part of the research center, is Montana State University-Northern, north central Montana’s comprehensive university offering programs and services at the associate, baccalaureate, and master’s levels.

Develop a range beef cattle research program focused on cow/calf management strategies that optimizes economic and environmental sustainability of range beef production in Montana and the western US. Research may include across discipline interactions focused on cow/calf beef production systems (nutrition, biometrics, pre and/or post-weaning management, precision agriculture including breeding and genomics, interactions with animal health, crop (range)/livestock interactions & integration or impacts or end product value).

The ideal candidate will develop research program focused on providing the information and tools needed to assist ranchers and land managers in optimizing land resources for beef cattle. As a result, an integrated approach to developing economically relevant management strategies and recommendations for Montana and regional range beef cattle production practices is expected.

The research program should have immediate and long-lasting effects on western beef cattle production. The individual is expected to collaborate with other scientists, extension personnel, ranchers, related industry representatives, advisory and commodity groups to develop research priorities and assist in developing management recommendations.

Opportunities exist to participate in graduate student education. Securing extramural funds from state, regional and national grant programs, as well as from industry, will be required to provide adequate research program support of a nationally recognized program. The position is expected to communicate research findings in oral and written formats, including refereed publications.

Participation in outreach and service activities is expected. The successful individual will also provide expertise to other research programs in the Department, College and MAES as appropriate.

Required Qualifications

1. Ph.D. in Animal Science or related discipline at the time of hire.
2. Demonstrated experience in planning, designing, and implementing livestock research using accepted scientific methodology, and interpreting research results to solve problems.
3. Established ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with scientists, agricultural producers, and stakeholders.
4. Established scientific publication record commensurate with training and experience.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Demonstrated ability to foster and maintain strong collaborations and conduct research with project leaders in other departments, state and federal agencies.
2. Experience in Western beef cattle production systems in a semi-arid, range environment.
3. Demonstrated potential to write grant proposals and secure funding.
4. Post-doctoral experience.
5. Knowledge and experience in rangeland ecology and livestock interactions.

About Montana State University - Northern Agricultural Research Center

Presently, there are 15 animal science faculty and 9 range science faculty in the Department of Animal and Range Sciences. This position will be a key contributor to the Department’s Animal Science program and to the Department’s Natural Resources and Rangeland Ecology (NREE) program (i.e., Range Science). The Department’s undergraduate degree program in Animal Science has four options including Science, Livestock Management and Industry, Sustainable Livestock Production, and Equine Science. Animal Science faculty focus teaching and research programs on livestock nutrition (including ruminal/gastrointestinal microbiology), reproductive physiology, genetics, meat science, and livestock production systems. The NREE undergraduate degree is accredited by the Society for Range Management and includes two options, Rangeland Ecology and Management, and Wildlife Habitat Ecology and Management. The NREE degree emphasizes the interactions among animals, vegetation, soils, and water and their influences on the ecology and management of livestock and wildlife. Range Science faculty focus teaching and research programs on rangeland and riparian ecology, livestock grazing management, invasive pl...ants, forages, wildlife habitat ecology and management, and livestock grazing interactions with fish and wildlife. As one of six academic departments within the College of Agriculture, the Animal and Range Sciences Department presently has approximately 350 undergraduate and 35 graduate students. Extension specialists in the Department focus their off-campus educational efforts on beef cattle, sheep and wool, forages, pesticide safety, wildlife, and rangeland management. The Animal and Range Sciences Department is located in the Animal Bioscience Building which contains state-of-the-art teaching and laboratory facilities. Greenhouse research space is available on campus at the Plant Growth Center. Land and livestock for research are available at our Department’s 474-acre Bozeman Agricultural Research and Teaching Farm located adjacent to campus, our 640-acre Fort Ellis Research Farm located 5 miles from campus, and our 13,750-acre Red Bluff Research Ranch located 35 miles from campus. Collaborative research opportunities also exist at seven off-campus MSU research centers located across the state and the 55,000-acre USDA-ARS Fort Keogh Livestock & Range Research Laboratory at Miles City, MT. More information about the Department can be found at http://animalrange.montana.edu. To find out more about Montana State University, MSU Extension, and the College of Agriculture, please access www.montana.edu, www.msuextension.org, and http://ag.montana.edu. Founded in 1893 as a Land Grant University, Montana State University (MSU) is composed of eight academic colleges and a graduate school and boasts a friendly, supportive faculty and campus environment. Currently, the University hosts an enrollment of nearly 17,000 students, including approximately 2,000 graduate students. MSU is classified as one of 130 U.S. Research Universities (very high research activity) by the Carnegie Foundation. MSU is located in Bozeman, Montana, an extended community of about 70,000 nestled in the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Montana. In addition to providing access to an extraordinary ecosystem for teaching and research programs, Bozeman is renowned for year-round recreational and cultural opportunities to include access to world class ski areas, multiple blue ribbon trout streams and the Gallatin National Forest. The local airport is served by seven national airlines that provide non-stop service to 17 cities throughout the nation. Named an All American City, Bozeman boasts high-quality medical facilities, a very low crime rate, many fine restaurants, acclaimed public and private schools, a symphony orchestra and choir, an annual opera, and nationally known events such as the Sweet Pea Festival of the Arts held in early August of each year. Powder Magazine identified Bozeman, with “three distinctly different” major ski resorts within an hour’s drive, as the number one place to live and ski in its November 2010 Magazine. Bizjournals.com ranked Bozeman #2 on the list of American Dreamtowns – small towns that offer the best quality of life without metropolitan hassles. The K-12 educational system, growing reputation of Montana State University, and pristine natural environment of the area combine to make Bozeman one of America’s most desirable university towns. Bozeman is located in the beautiful Gallatin Valley, 90 miles north of Yellowstone National Park.

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