Assistant Professor - Chemistry for Sustainable Foods & Chemical Food Safety

Department of Food Science, Cornell University

Tenure-track

Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-5701, USA.

The academic home for this position is the Department of Food Science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

The Department of Food Science at Cornell University invites candidates for a 9-month, full-time, tenure-track assistant professor position to develop a research and teaching program related to Food Chemistry in one of the following areas of research:

Chemistry for Sustainable Foods: Appropriate research areas may include but are not limited to: Chemistry of sustainably sourced food components (flavor, color, nutritive and bioactive compounds) which can promote health while ensuring a palatable food supply; developing state-of-the-art physicochemical tools for characterization of novel sustainable food components; computational studies of key chemical reactions in foods, and extending shelf-life and reducing food waste through mechanistic studies of chemical changes during food processing and storage.

Chemical Food Safety: Appropriate research areas may include but are not limited to: Development and utilization of rapid, inexpensive, and/or in situ sensors for real-time detection of chemical hazards e.g., allergens, heavy metals, or mycotoxins during manufacturing and throughout the food chain; toxicological studies, risk modeling, sampling and exposure assessments; novel analytical and/or computational approaches to detect adulteration of raw materials or finished products; and chemical hazard mitigation strategies.

Position Responsibilities:

This position has a balanced effort between research (50%) and teaching (50%) on a 9-month academic year basis. A track-record of publishing outstanding peer-reviewed scholarship is expected, as is excellence in and commitment to teaching, translation of knowledge, and advising and mentoring of students. We seek a colleague with an outstanding record demonstrating success and promise across all these areas, and who will be supported by and contribute to a vibrant culture of inclusive excellence at Cornell. A mentoring program for new faculty provides guidance and assistance.

Research (50%): The successful candidate will be expected to conduct an internationally recognized and externally funded research program in chemistry for sustainable foods or chemical food safety.

Teaching (50%): The candidate will be expected to teach one undergraduate course per semester and a third course every other year that could be a graduate seminar (or a course of equivalent effort). One undergraduate course would be a general education course related to food science and one would be a food chemistry course. The third course, to be taught every other year, will be based on department needs and the incumbent’s strengths and will be discussed with the department chair. The incumbent will be expected to advise undergraduate students and mentor Master’s and Ph.D. students.

Service to the Department: The candidate will be expected to participate in faculty meetings, select committees, and related service work appropriate to faculty members.

Qualifications: A Ph.D. in Food Science, Food Chemistry, Chemistry, Material Science, Biochemistry, Nutrition or a related field is required. The ideal candidate will show promise of or have already developed a national and international reputation for their innovative scholarship.

Applications and Starting Date: The anticipated starting date is July 2026 or as negotiated. Qualified applicants should submit 1) a cover letter briefly summarizing background, qualifications, and interest in the position; 2) a curriculum vitae; 3) a research statement outlining experience, interests, and goals, 4) a teaching statement outlining experience, interests, and goals, 5) copies of four relevant publications; and 6) names and contact information for four references. Materials should be submitted online to: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/30334.

Applications received by October 25, 2025 will be given full consideration. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

This is an in-person position. The successful candidate will be expected to relocate within commuting distance of Ithaca, NY. Relocation assistance may be provided. Finalists for this position will be asked to sign an affidavit that they have not been found to have violated employer policies at their previous institution(s).

Please forward questions to the search chair (Alireza Abbaspourrad, alireza@cornell.edu) or the search administrator (Patti Wojcik, pmw27@cornell.edu).

In compliance with New York's Pay Transparency Law, the annual base salary range is $90,000 - $135,000 when hired at assistant professor rank. This pay range represents base pay (for a 9-month appointment). Cornell University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Cornell University seeks to meet the needs of dual career couples, has a Dual Career program, and is a member of the Upstate New York Higher Education Recruitment Consortium to assist with dual career searches including positions available in higher education in the upstate New York area.

The new faculty member will join a collaborative, interdisciplinary community on the main campus in Ithaca, New York. Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League and Land-grant university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students, and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery, and engagement.

Cornell’s regional and global presence includes state-wide Cornell Cooperative Extension programs and offices in all counties and boroughs, global partnerships with institutions and communities engaged in life-changing research and education, the medical college’s campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, and the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

With a founding principle of “any person, any study,” Cornell is an equal opportunity employer.