Associate or Research Professor of Agricultural Economics and Director of the Ag Finance Center

The Division of Applied Social Sciences seeks applications and nominations for director of the newly formed Agricultural Finance Center (AFC). The director will hold a non-tenure track appointment at the level of associate or research professor in the Division of Applied Social Sciences and lead programs in the newly-formed AFC.  Responsibilities include agricultural and farm finance research, policy research, outreach to disseminate research results, and interaction with policy makers, as well as other Departmental duties. 

The AFC director facilitates the successful operation and management of the AFC including leading the development of FAPRI-based analytic models designed to evaluate finance policy options for government and business decision makers.  The director will also be expected to be involved in attracting external grants.

The AFC director will be tasked with four expectations:  1) leverage and expand the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) baseline models to develop expectations of regional- or state-level agricultural financial conditions; 2) serve as a national resource to agricultural, agribusiness and service sector participants for agricultural financial conditions; 3) partner with policy makers and the USDA Office of Chief Economist to identify, explore and communicate how farm policies impact agricultural financial conditions nationally and at the state-level and 4) develop programs that anticipate information needs for policy makers.

The selected candidate will be expected to collaborate with FAPRI. He or she will be expected to link scholarship work with engagement and policy efforts that extend past the University campus to national policy makers and opinion leaders. The director will develop and manage a team of researchers and staff as needed for the successful operation of the Center.

The position is expected to have the following approximate allocation of effort: Applied Research/scholarship - 70%, and Extension – 30%.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: Ph.D. or Masters’ with ten years of relevant experience in agricultural or applied economics, economics or a related social sciences discipline. 

Candidates will be evaluated on: creativity and flexibility in research, the ability to lead a team of researchers, and interpersonal skills. Ideal candidates will have 1) prior experience informing the agricultural, agribusiness and service sectors (particularly financial) related to current and projected financial conditions; 2) knowledge of the agricultural sector, trade policies, and cause-effect between the agricultural sector and domestic fiscal and monetary policy; 3) the capacity to relate changes in national agricultural financial conditions back to state-level impacts on farm income, land values, and service sector performance; and 4) demonstrated success linking scholarship with engagement.

Application Procedure

Please visit https://hrs.missouri.edu/find-a-job/academic to submit an application. All applications must include a letter of interest in the position, current Curriculum Vitae, relevant scholarship-related work samples, contact information for three professional references, and other supporting materials. Applicants must include a written statement on their philosophy for promoting inclusivity and diversity. The finalist for the position will be required to provide official transcripts for graduate courses. 

The University of Missouri values diversity and is committed to working towards achieving equity and inclusion within all its programs. Candidates applying for this position are required to provide a statement addressing how they would utilize their former experience and knowledge to promote diversity and inclusion at the university and how that commitment would add value to the Division of Applied Social Sciences.

For More Information

Dr. Ray Massey

Chair, Search Committee

223 Mumford Hall

Columbia, MO  65211

Masseyr@missouri.edu

573-639-3088

Benefit Eligibility

This position is eligible for University benefits. The University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans; retirement; paid time off; and educational fee discounts. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at http://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits.

Diversity Commitment

The University of Missouri is fully committed to achieving the goal of a diverse and inclusive academic community of faculty, staff and students. We seek individuals who are committed to this goal and our core campus values of respect, responsibility, discovery and excellence.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an equal access, equal opportunity, affirmative action employer that is fully committed to achieving a diverse faculty and staff. Equal Opportunity is and shall be provided for all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without unlawful discrimination on the basis of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status. For more information, call the Vice Chancellor of Human Resource Services/Affirmative Action officer at 573-882-4256.

To request ADA accommodations, please call the Disability Inclusion and ADA Compliance Manager at 573-884-7278.