Assistant Professor of Sensory Science
Department of Viticulture and Enology, University of California, Davis
As part of UC Davis’s commitment to hire leading research faculty with an outstanding commitment to teaching and service that meets the needs of our diverse state and student population, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California announces an Assistant Professor faculty position (9-month) in the Department of Viticulture and Enology. Applications are encouraged from candidates with a strong background in any current or emerging area that will fit within our department’s disciplinary focus in Sensory Science
As one of the country’s leading research intensive (R1) institutions, UC Davis seeks candidates with exceptional potential for research, teaching, service, and inclusive excellence. It is expected that candidates will demonstrate an understanding of the barriers preventing full participation of members from historically underrepresented and marginalized student communities in higher education. Successful candidates will have an accomplished track record (calibrated to career stage) of teaching, research, and service activities, including a clearly articulated vision of how their work at UC Davis will contribute to the University’s mission of serving the needs of our diverse state and student population. An applicants’ track record of engagement and activity related to diversity, equal opportunity, and inclusion (calibrated to career stage), as well as their plans for future engagement, will be a significant part of the evaluation of the candidate’s qualifications for a faculty appointment.
This is an academic year (9-month), Assistant Professor tenure-track position with teaching, research, outreach/engagement and service responsibilities and includes the expectation that the appointee will conduct mission-oriented research and outreach/engagement of relevance to the California Agricultural Experiment Station (https://caes.ucdavis.edu/research/aes).
Responsibilities:
The appointee is expected to establish a competitively funded research program with a focus on the sensory evaluation of wine. Research areas of interest include, but are not limited to, descriptive sensory analysis, consumer studies, and the development of novel methodologies at the intersection of sensory perception and viticulture and enology practices. A key challenge in sensory science is the ability to quantify the true impact of viticulture and winemaking practices on the sensory profile of wines. The research program should aim to integrate sensory, chemical, and biological data to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing wine sensory characteristics and consumer perception. A particular area of importance to the California wine industry is how climate-related changes, such as the effects of rising temperatures during berry ripening, impact grape composition, wine sensory outcomes, and consumer preferences. Additionally, the appointee will have the opportunity to pursue research in other emerging areas, such as how sensory perception is influenced by alcohol removal, packaging design, and human health. It is expected the appointee will leverage emerging technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence) and/or novel technologies and methodologies to uncover patterns between wine composition and sensory characteristics and provide deeper insights into perception and consumer preferences. As an interdisciplinary department, it is expected that the appointee will collaborate with Viticulture & Enology colleagues, and others, in chemistry, microbiology, and food science to enhance the research scope. Sensory research related to other beverages and foods is also be supported within this position.
The appointee will be responsible for teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses in wine sensory; some examples include the core courses VEN 125 (Wine Types & Sensory Evaluation) and 125L (Sensory Evaluation of Wine Laboratory). Other teaching effort contributions could include, for example, VEN 3 (Introduction to Wine), VEN 124 (Wine Production), VEN 124L (Wine Production Lab), VEN 127L (Post-Fermentation Wine Processing Lab), VEN 170 (Grape & Wine Industry Regulation), VEN 213 (Flavor Chemistry of Foods and Beverages), VEN 225 (Advanced Sensory Analysis of Wines), among others. A typical teaching expectation would be two undergraduate courses and a graduate course each year. Participation in and development of industry and public outreach and/or community engagement programs, is expected, by collaboration with Cooperative Extension specialists and advisors, partners in allied industries, or other appropriate public stakeholders. Performance of departmental and university service is expected.
Qualifications:
Ph.D. or equivalent in sensory science, consumer science, enology, food science, neurophysiology and behavior, psychology, behavioral nutrition, behavioral economics, or a related field by the time of appointment.
Post-doctoral experience is preferred. Evidence of research excellence is expected. The candidate should have the ability to develop and instruct undergraduate and graduate courses and the ability to develop and conduct extramurally funded research in sensory science.
Salary:
The salary range for this position is $102,200 - $125,400 (annual). “Off-scale salaries” and other components of pay, i.e., a salary that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions, qualifications, and experience.
Applications:
Application materials must be submitted via the following website: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu. The position will remain open until filled. To ensure consideration, applications should be received by January 15, 2025.
Initial review of applications will be conducted using anonymized versions of the Statement of Research Accomplishments and Interests and the Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Applications demonstrating sufficient potential based on this review will be advanced to full review.
Required application materials include: 1) curriculum vitae including publication list, 2) up to three publications, 3) transcripts if the applicant is within five years of Ph.D. degree, 4) statement of research accomplishments and future research plans relevant to sensory science, 5) statement of teaching accomplishments and philosophy, 6) Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and 7) the names, addresses, including e-mail, of four professional references and 8) an Authorization to Release Information form
Additional inquiries should be directed to Dr. Dario Cantu (dacantu@ucdavis.edu).
The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment, UC Davis conducts a reference check on all first-choice candidates for Academic Senate Assistant Professor, Steps 4, 5, or 6 through Professor, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Steps 4, 5, or 6 through Professor of Teaching, and Acting Professor of Law through Professor of Law positions. The reference check involves contacting the administration of the applicant’s previous institution(s) to ask whether there have been substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the University’s Faculty Code of Conduct. To implement this process, UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search for these faculty positions to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” into UC RECRUIT as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, only finalists considered for these faculty positions will be subject to reference checks.
UC Davis supports Family-friendly recruitments. UC Davis covers travel expenses for a second person to accompany an invited faculty recruitment candidate who is a mother (or single parent of either gender) of a breast or bottle-feeding child less than two years of age.
http://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/programs/work-life/index.html
UC Davis recognizes the necessity of supporting faculty with efforts to integrate work, family and other work-life considerations. To recruit and retain the best faculty, the campus sponsors a Work Life
Program that provides programs and services that support faculty as they strive to honor their commitments to work, home and community. http://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/programs/worklife/index.html
The UC Davis Partner Opportunities Program (POP) and Capital Resource Network (CRN) are services designed to support departments and Deans’ offices in the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty. For information about POP, please visit https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/partner-opportunities-program-pop. For information about the CRN, please visit https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/capital-resource-network. Please note eligibility for these programs may be based on policy and funding availability.