Agency

Department

About IHA and Texas A&M AgriLife

The Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, IHA, is the world’s first research institute to combine precision nutrition, responsive agriculture and behavioral research to reduce diet-related chronic disease in a way that considers environmental and economic effects, with a mission to optimize health for current and future generations through innovative research connecting agriculture, food systems and nutrition. 

IHA’s vision of a healthier world through evidence-based solutions in nutrition and agriculture integrates the three focus areas of:

• Precision Nutrition 

• Responsive Agriculture 

• Healthy Living 

The IHA fosters transformative research that connects food systems to human health, with strong infrastructure, interdisciplinary faculty and partnerships across The Texas A&M University System and beyond. The United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, ARS, Responsive Agricultural Food Systems Research Unit, RAFSRU, is co-located with the IHA and collaborates with the IHA on focused research on human health and nutrition to prevent and mitigate nutrition-associated chronic disease via innovations in the agriculture, food systems and nutrition environment.

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

• Texas A&M AgriLife Research

• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University

• Texas A&M Forest Service

• Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.

Click here to learn more about how you can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!

Position Information

The Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, IHA, invites applications for the Associate Director for Precision Nutrition. This leadership position will drive innovation at the intersection of Precision Nutrition, Healthy Living and Responsive Agriculture, advancing IHA’s mission to integrate biological discovery, translational science and real-world impact.

The Associate Director will provide strategic, scientific and programmatic leadership for Precision Nutrition initiatives, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations in areas such as dietary exposures, metabolism, exercise, genomics, epigenetics, microbiome, and immune function, to optimize health outcomes across diverse populations and different life stages.

Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership

  • Lead and expand IHA’s Precision Nutrition, PN, research portfolio

  • Develop and execute a bold vision building synergy and aligning PN with other IHA focus areas, i.e., Responsive Agriculture and Healthy Living

  • Shape institutional priorities and national visibility in PN

• Research Excellence

  • Advance discoveries across broad areas of nutrition, such as:

    • Effects of food, nutrients, non-nutrient bioactives, and dietary patterns on health and disease risk

    • Diet interactions with gut microbiota, contaminants, and other environmental exposures on health outcomes

    • Interindividual/subpopulation variability in dietary responses

    • Nutritional modulation of metabolism, transcriptional regulation, epigenetics, immunity and other physiological responses and resulting health-span

  • Link pre-clinical discoveries to human biomarkers to advance the prevention/treatment of chronic diseases

  • Translate mechanistic insights into actionable dietary strategies and agricultural innovations

  • Maintain a nationally recognized, externally funded research program

• Program Development and Collaboration

  • Build cross-disciplinary teams across nutrition, agriculture, engineering, public health and clinical sciences

  • Foster partnerships with federal agencies (e.g., NIH, USDA), industry and academic institutions

  • Lead large-scale, multi-investigator grants and initiatives

• Education and Mentorship

  • Mentor graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty

  • Contribute to education of nutrition and related disciplines

  • Promote workforce development in Precision Nutrition

• National Leadership and Service

  • Represent IHA in national organizations (e.g., American Society for Nutrition)

  • Contribute to scientific advisory panels, editorial boards and policy discussions

  • Enhance IHA’s reputation as a global leader in Precision Nutrition

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Nutrition, Nutritional Sciences or a related field

• Established record of high-impact publications in leading journals (e.g., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Journal of Nutrition)

• Established record of sustained extramural funding (NIH, USDA or equivalent)

• Demonstrated leadership in interdisciplinary research and program development

• Strong commitment to collaboration and team science

Preferred Qualifications:

• Expertise in human clinical nutrition or other modern precision nutrition approaches

• Professional credentials such as Registered Dietitian, RD, or equivalent clinical experience

• Proven ability to lead large-scale collaborative initiatives

• Experience translating research into practice, policy or food/agricultural systems

• Track record of leadership in national or international scientific organizations

What You Need to Know

Salary: Compensation for this position is commensurate based on the selected candidate’s qualifications.

Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?

When you choose to work for Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.

In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums 

• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays  

• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month

• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas  

• Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

Applicant Instructions:

Applicants must submit:

• Cover letter

• Statement of research vision and leadership in Precision Nutrition

• Curriculum vitae

• Contact information of three references

The application screening process will begin on August 17, 2026, and the position will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.