Assistant Professor of Precision & Performance Nutrition

The School of Food & Agriculture (SFA) at the University of Maine invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Precision & Performance Nutrition. We seek a positive, talented colleague with strong expertise in nutritional metabolism and performance nutrition. The successful applicant is expected to contribute to SFA’s tripartite mission of teaching, research, and service, to address important nutrition and health challenges in Maine, the nation, and the world, and to provide nutrition education and counseling for the University of Maine’s D1 student athletes. 

The initial appointment split will be 40 percent teaching, 30 percent research, and 30 percent service. Specific teaching assignments will be determined based on the expertise of the candidate and the needs of the program but may include Introduction to Food and Nutrition, Human Nutrition and Metabolism/Advanced Human Nutrition, and a new course on the topic of sports nutrition. The successful candidate will be expected to establish an externally funded research program, mentor graduate researchers, and collaborate on research programming in precision and performance nutrition.

The successful candidate will fulfill their service responsibilities by providing nutrition services for UMaine Athletics. This extended, 10.5-month appointment (July 15-May 31) includes 1.5 months providing summer nutrition services for student athletes and the possibility of teaching online during the summer term. The summer component of this position is in place for six years initially, after which it is contingent on the success of the summer initiatives and the availability of funding. Typical hiring salary for this 10.5-month work year position is $84,000 commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

• Developing and delivering nutrition services to UMaine’s student athletes, including group and individual nutrition counseling during the school year ​​and the summer. 
• Serving as a nutrition programming resource for coaches and managers, providing consultation on athlete fueling stations, and delivering or supervising non-credit nutrition and food preparation classes for athletes. 
• Developing and teaching essential undergraduate and graduate courses in nutrition in the online M.S. program in Food Science and Human Nutrition. 
• Developing and teaching an undergraduate course in sports nutrition. 
• Facilitating a Dietetic Internship rotation in Sports Nutrition. 
• Establishing a successful and nationally recognized human nutrition research program, preferably in performance or precision nutrition. 
• Preparing applications for external funding that lead to grant awards. 
• Advising, mentoring, and providing research experiences for students at all levels. 
• Forming collaborations with internal and external partners to increase grant success, address important nutrition and health issues, and benefit the nutrition of athletes and/or individuals with specific nutritional needs. 

About the University:
The University of Maine is a community of more than 11,900 undergraduate and graduate students, and 2,500 employees located on the Orono campus, the regional campus in Machias, and throughout the state. UMaine is a land, sea and space grant university, and maintains a leadership role as the University of Maine System's flagship institution. UMaine is the state's public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, dedicated to providing excellent teaching, research and service for Maine, the nation and the world. More information about UMaine is at umaine.edu. 

The University of Maine offers a wide range of benefits for employees including, but not limited to, tuition benefits (employee and dependent), comprehensive insurance coverage including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and short and long term disability as well as retirement plan options. 

UMaine is located in beautiful Central Maine. Many employees report that a primary reason for choosing to come to UMaine is quality of life. Numerous cultural activities, excellent public schools, safe neighborhoods, high quality medical care, little traffic, and a reasonable cost of living make the greater Bangor area a wonderful place to live. Visit the Maine Office of Tourism to learn more about what the Bangor region has to offer.

Qualifications:
Required:

• Earned Ph.D. in Nutrition, or in a closely related field with a Master’s degree in Human Nutrition. 
• Credentialed Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). 
• Must have or obtain a state of Maine Licensed Dietitian (LD) credential through the Board of Licensing of Dietetic Practice prior to providing individualized nutrition care, per state law.
• Expertise in precision nutrition and the nutritional needs of young adults, especially athletes. 
• Prior experience in teaching at the undergraduate or graduate level. 
• Prior nutrition counseling and/or nutrition education experience.
• Evidence of potential for scholarship, such as peer-reviewed publications or successful grant applications.
• Strong oral and written communication skills. 
• Evidence or promise of dedication to professional as well as institutional service. 

Preferred:

• Willingness to obtain Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) or Certified International Society of Sports Nutrition (CISSN) credential. 
• Prior experience providing nutrition counseling to athletes.
• Prior experience as an instructor or teaching assistant using Brightspace or similar learning management systems. 
• Willingness to develop asynchronous online graduate courses.
• Evidence of collaborative interdisciplinary research and partnerships with non-academic or industry organizations. 
• Post-doctoral fellow experience in nutrition or health. 
   

Other Information: 

To be considered for this position you will need to “Apply” and upload the documentation listed below:

1.) a cover letter which describes your experience, interests, and suitability for the position
2.) a resume/curriculum vitae

Candidates selected to proceed to the final stages of the search process will be requested to provide a list of names and contact information for references.

Incomplete application materials cannot be considered. Materials received after the initial review date will be reviewed at the discretion of the University.

For full consideration, materials must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. EST on October 18, 2026.

For questions about the search, please contact search committee chair Jade McNamara at [email protected].

The successful applicant is subject to appropriate background screening.