Professor and Head

Position Function:

The Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition, and Health Promotion (BCH-NHP) at Mississippi State University is seeking qualified individuals to join our dynamic and comprehensive academic unit as the Department Head. Our faculty have expertise across a wide range of disciplines, including biochemistry, molecular biology, food science, nutrition, dietetics, health promotion, and culinology. The department plays an essential role in advancing academic, research, and extension missions, contributing to the development of knowledge and its practical application in the health and nutrition fields.
Applications must be submitted online at www.jobs.msstate.edu (PARF 508702).

Salary Grade:  UC

Please see Staff Compensation Structure or Skilled Crafts and Service Maintenance Compensation Schedule for salary ranges.  For salary grade UC, these positions are "Unclassified" and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.

Department Profile:

The Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition, and Health Promotion (BCH-NHP) faculty expertise includes biochemistry, molecular biology, food science, nutrition, dietetics, health promotion, and culinology. This is a comprehensive department with academic, research and extension missions. BCH-NHP offers minors, BS, MS, and PhD degrees, and currently houses 553 undergraduate and 70 graduate students. Moreover, the Department hosts two distance learning opportunities: a MS degree with an emphasis in Health Promotion and a MPH in Nutrition. The Department prides itself on maintaining accreditation across multiple programs.
Please see http://www.bchnhp.msstate.edu/ for information about the Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition, and Health Promotion.

Anticipated Appointment Date:

July 1, 2025.

Tenure Track Status:

Yes. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Develops and maintains knowledge of the concepts, enabling legislation, history, and philosophy of the structural framework of the Department and that of a Land-Grant University.
2. Follows prescribed financial policies when making budget and expenditure recommendations for the Department.
3. Fosters collaboration and maintains communication with Department employees, faculty, staff, and other personnel with matters pertaining to the Department, College, Division, and across the University. Collaborates with governmental organizations (local, state, regional, national) and private sector entities to address the needs and priorities of the Department’s clientele, users, and cooperators.
a. Establishes and maintains relationships with key decision makers and leaders and communicates regularly with them to improve timelines, detail, and appropriateness of Department activities.
b. Reports regularly to superiors and advocates/negotiates with them for optimum combinations of human resources, funds, and materials to achieve program missions on a priority basis.
c. Reviews/evaluates plans of work, programs, publications, and other educational services and recommends continuation and/or modification to ensure complementary and supportive efforts by all faculty/staff.
4. Participates in department head meetings by reporting on and representing the teaching, research, extension, and other scholarly functions of the Department.
5. Leads in coordination with the Departmental faculty, the development of curricula, the establishment of standards for formal and non-formal instruction, and continued programmatic excellence in undergraduate and graduate education programs as well as extension education programs.
6. Identifies, supports, and encourages multi-department and interdisciplinary program activities that advance knowledge and technologies and enhance the development and dissemination of practical applications.
7. Encourages teamwork and promotes cooperation and joint programming, where appropriate, within the Department, among departments in the College, among units within the Division, and throughout the University system.
8. Leverages existing groups, such as priority planning groups and departmental advisory councils, to effectively identify priorities and strategically plan programs for the Department.
9. Provides planning, coordination, and support for obtaining goods and services needed for effective and efficient operation of the Department. Such services m