Position Function:
The head is a full-time administrative position and reports to the Dean of the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences (CALS) and Director of the Mississippi Agricultural Forestry & Experiment Station (MAFES), the Director of the Mississippi State University Extension Service (MSU-ES), and the Dean of the College of Engineering. The head provides visionary leadership for all aspects of the department's current and future activities in teaching, research, Extension, and service. The head is responsible for administrative management fostering teamwork among faculty, staff and students of the department by using appropriate communication, management methods, and organizational guidelines to develop, enable, implement, and evaluate programs. The head fosters relationships and communication with other academic and center/institute heads on- and off-campus, and external stakeholders. The head is responsible for managing appropriated funds, extramural support as gifts, grants and/or contracts, allocating departmental resources, making timely decisions, delegating responsibility, and motivating faculty and staff toward accomplishment of defined teaching, research, and service objectives, as well as other scholarly activities on- and off-campus.
This position holds the William & Sherry Berry Endowed Chair.
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 Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) has an energetic group of 20 on-campus faculty members engaged in teaching, research, and extension, as well as several other faculty members at MSU-affiliated research centers and adjuncts employed elsewhere. We have a strong culture of mentoring junior faculty members to help them attain success. Our department is co-administered by the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences and the Bagley College of Engineering, and it offers undergraduate (B.S.) and graduate (M.S. and Ph.D.) degrees in three distinct program areas: Biomedical Engineering and Bio-systems Engineering, which are both accredited by ABET, and Agricultural Engineering Technology & Business. Within these programs, the department has roughly 400 undergraduates and 40 graduate students. The department has ongoing collaborations with MSU’s School of Veterinary Medicine, Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, and several other centers, institutes, and departments. The J. Charles Lee Agricultural and Agricultural and Biological Engineering Building includes more than 6,000 square feet of state-of-the-art instructional and research facilities, and it includes labs for sterile tissue culture, bio-mechanical testing, environmental and agricultural simulation or modeling studies, electronic/robotic design fabrication and testing, GPS/GIS, renewable bio-energy, and student computing resources. More information about ABE can be found at http://www.abe.msstate.edu/.
MSU, a Carnegie Foundation R1-Very High Research Activity Doctoral University, is a comprehensive public institution with more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students and nearly 1,500 full-time faculty members. Representative of the American land-grant tradition yet distinctive in character and spirit, MSU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, masters, specialist, and doctoral degrees. MSU’s researchers are assisted by a supportive research administration to place MSU among the top universities in the nation in research and development in the sciences and engineering. A member of the Southeastern Conference, MSU is a major athletic competitor on the national stage, having won the NCAA baseball national championship in 2021. The university is in Starkville, Mississippi, a historic city with a population of about 25,000, roughly 2 hours by car from Memphis, Birmingham, and Jackson and roughly 4 hours from New Orleans, Atlanta, and Nashville. Starkville is a vibrant college town with several signature weekend events highlighting arts, culture, and sports. Its location opens doors to adventures and relaxation in natural settings. Like the state of Mississippi, Starkville is also known for its southern hospitality. Websites for the Chamber of Commerce (https://www.starkville.org/) and city schools (https://www.starkvillesd.com/) are good sources of additional information.
Anticipated Appointment Date:
January 1, 2027.
Tenure Track Status:
Yes.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
The head should be able to effectively represent the teaching, research, Extension, and other outreach efforts of the department with agencies, clientele, stakeholder groups, civic organizations, professional organizations, and the general public. Additionally, the head:
1. Develops/maintains knowledge of the concepts, enabling legislation, history, and philosophy of the department and a land-grant university.
2. Follows policies with departmental budget/expenditure recommendations.
3. Develops/maintains communication with faculty/staff/other personnel, with Governmental organizations (local, state, regional, national), and the private sector on behalf of clientele, users, and cooperators.
4. Establishes/maintains relationships with key decision makers/leaders and communicates regularly to improve department activities.
5. Reports regularly to superiors. Advocates/negotiates for optimum combinations of human resources, funds, and materials to achieve program missions on a priority basis.
6. Reviews/evaluates plans of work, programs, publications and other educational services. Recommends continuation and/or modification to ensure complementary and supportive efforts by all faculty/staff.
7. Ensures Extension faculty provide statewide educational programming for dissemination of research-based information, including in-service education programs for agents and teaching programs for stakeholders to include scientific-based assessment and evaluation.
8. Participates in leadership meetings with the CALS Dean/MAFES Director, Bagley COE Dean, Director of MSU-ES, and others, reporting on and representing the department and sharing information back to the department.
9. Oversees, in coordination with departmental faculty, development of curricula, standards for formal/non-formal instruction, and continued programmatic excellence in undergraduate, graduate and Extension education.
10. Identifies, supports, and encourages multi-and inter-disciplinary programs that advance knowledge and technology and enhance the development and dissemination of practical applications.
11. Encourages teamwork and promotes cooperation/joint programming, where appropriate, within the department, among division units and across the university.
12. Maximizes the use of existing priority planning groups and advisory councils to identify priorities and plan programs.
13. Provides planning, coordination, and support for obtaining goods/services for optimum operation of the department, such as official mail, space allocations, supplies, computer support services, property control and facilities.
14. Manages the staffing process according to MSU policies and procedures, such as position
development/requisition, application recruitment/review, candidate selection/recommendation and terms of employment.
15. Evaluates performance of departmental faculty on-campus and in cooperation with appropriate research and Extension center heads. Responsible for justifying the evaluation with the Dean(s)/Director(s) or their designees.
16. Mentors faculty for successful promotion and tenure outcomes. Recommends opportunities for employee professional growth/development, including early faculty mentorship and networking.
17. Works with the director of MAFES and other university research centers to enhance research, develop a research program in applied and fundamental research to meet stakeholder needs, and expand knowledge base.
18. Interacts with research and Extension centers to facilitate statewide research efforts.
19. Works with the development team to provide leadership on fundraising efforts for the department.
Minimum Qualifications:
Earned doctorate from an accredited institution in Agricultural Engineering, Biological Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering Technology, or related fields. Eligible for tenure at associate or full professor and graduate faculty membership at MSU.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
1. Knowledge of and appreciation for the diverse interests and interdisciplinary programs in the department.
2. Knowledge of and experience with capital development activities and extramural grantsmanship.
3. Familiarity with Land Grant University system
4. Demonstrated successful administrative experience appropriate to the required responsibilities.
5. Competence in leadership and management, and exceptional interpersonal skills.
6. Demonstrated excellence in teaching, research, and Extension/outreach.
7. Experience in establishing networks with business and industry.
8. Achievement of national visibility through leadership in academic and professional organizations.
9. Willingness to pursue, promote and encourage regional, national and international opportunities for the department.
10. Demonstrated ability to communicate and interact effectively with administrators, faculty, staff, students, partners, consumers, and industry-related constituencies.
11. Demonstrated ability to facilitate linkages with appropriate local, state, national and international agencies.
Working Conditions and Physical Effort
No unusual physical requirements. Requires no heavy lifting, and nearly all work is performed in a comfortable indoor facility.
Instructions for Applying:
Link to apply: http://explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/
All applicants must apply online at www.jobs.msstate.edu.
Candidates should attach (1) a detailed letter of application including the applicant’s interest, qualifications, and experience; (2) a statement of administrative philosophy, strategies, and vision as department head; (3) a complete curriculum vitae; and (4) at least five professional references complete with current contact information. References will be contacted only upon applicant approval. Anticipated appointment date is January 1, 2027 or until a qualified candidate is identified. Screening will begin August 1, 2026.
Nominations for exceptional potential candidates for the position are welcome and may be sent to Dr. Dan Peterson, Chair, Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering Department Head Search Committee, at dp127@msstate.edu.
Screening Date:
August 1, 2026, until filled.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination is prohibited in university employment, programs or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status to the extent protected by applicable law. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance, 231 Famous Maroon Band Street, P.O. 6044, Mississippi State, MS 39762, (662) 325-5839.
What do I do if I need an accommodation?
In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Mississippi State University, please contact the Department of Human Resources Management at tel: (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu.
If you have any questions regarding this policy, contact the Department of Human Resources Management at (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu. Upon request, sections of this job listing are available in large print, and readers are available to assist the visually impaired.
