Assistant Professor - Precision Ranching

Job Title

Assistant Professor - Precision Ranching

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Research

Department

Sonora

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Sonora, Texas

Job Type

Faculty

Job Description

About Texas A&M AgriLife

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:

Texas A&M AgriLife Research seeks an innovative, collaborative, and highly motivated scientist to serve as an Assistant Professor in Precision Ranching. This is a 12-month, 100% research appointment administratively housed at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in San Angelo, Texas, with strong preference for the candidate to be based primarily at the Texas A&M AgriLife Sonora Experiment Station, where the proposed faculty member will engage closely with regional stakeholders to address their needs through research. The successful candidate will hold an affiliation with either the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife & Fisheries Management or the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Texas A&M University.

The successful candidate will develop a nationally recognized, externally funded research program focused on advancing the productivity, profitability, and sustainability of rangeland systems through the application of precision technologies, data-driven decision support tools, and integrated resource management strategies. The position will foster interdisciplinary collaborations across Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M University, industry partners, and other stakeholder groups.

Texas rangelands comprise approximately 60% of the state's land area and support livestock production, wildlife habitat, water resources, recreation, agritourism, and numerous ecosystem services. This position will address emerging challenges and opportunities through the application of smart sensing technologies, remote monitoring systems, automation, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics to improve management decisions and resource stewardship across rangeland enterprises.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain an externally funded, nationally recognized research program addressing critical challenges facing Texas rangeland and livestock industries.
• Conduct fundamental, applied, and translational research focused on precision ranching technologies and management systems.
• Advance innovative solutions related to:
  • Rangeland restoration and management.
  • Livestock production efficiency and resource optimization.
  • Smart sensing, automation, and digital agriculture technologies.
  • Wildfire mitigation and invasive species management.
  • Watershed management and water quality protection.
  • Integrated multi-enterprise ranching systems, including agritourism.
• Publish research findings in high-impact peer-reviewed journals and other relevant outlets.
• Mentor graduate students and supervise research personnel.
• Secure competitive extramural funding from federal, state, industry, and private sources.
• Collaborate with AgriLife Research and Extension faculty, industry stakeholders, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations.
• Translate research outcomes into practical applications that support stakeholder adoption and economic impact.
• Contribute to intellectual property development, technology transfer, and stakeholder engagement activities.

Administrative Relationships:

• Reports to the Center Director, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo, with academic guidance provided by the affiliated department.
• Provides direction and supervision for research personnel, support staff, and graduate students associated with the program.

Qualifications:  

Required job qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Rangeland Science, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, or a closely related discipline by the date of appointment.
• Expertise in rangeland production systems and management practices.
• Demonstrated experience with precision agriculture technologies, smart sensor systems, remote sensing, data analytics, automation, or related technologies.
• Record of publishing original research in peer-reviewed journals.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

Preferred job qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience with range plant identification and field-based vegetation sampling.  
• Prior academic, post-doctoral, or professional research experience.
• Demonstrated ability to secure competitive external funding.
• Experience working with federal agencies or in other multi-agency collaborative settings.
• Ability to build collaborative and multidisciplinary research programs.
• Ability to communicate and build relationships with regional stakeholders to identify needs to address through research.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of rangeland production systems and management practices in semi-arid rangelands, including strong plant identification skills and experience with field sampling methods.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated leadership and team-building capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively.
• Professional judgment, initiative, and interpersonal effectiveness.
• Understanding of the mission and role of the Land-Grant University System.

Location and Facilities:

Texas A&M AgriLife’s San Angelo Research and Extension Center is an off-campus center located in San Angelo, Texas, known for its long history of work on small ruminant ranching, rangelands and wildlife in the West Central Texas region. Scientists at the center conduct research on site and at satellite stations located in Crockett, Edwards, Sutton, and Menard counties, totaling about 15,000 acres. Each location has all the equipment required for managing the livestock on these properties including cross fencing, corrals, livestock scales, barns, and storage facilities.

Sonora Station (Sutton and Edwards counties) recently celebrated its 110th anniversary as a research facility. Sonora Station totals 3,300 acres, located about 27 miles south of Sonora, Texas. Research at Sonora Station has covered all facets of rangelands, including small ruminant management and production, grazing systems, water management, prescribed fire and grazing with goats to reduce juniper invasion for savanna restoration, wildlife ecology, and rangeland plant ecology to name a few. Datasets from some of these projects span decades to inform and support future work. In addition to Sonora Station, the San Angelo Center also manages two other Texas A&M AgriLife Research ranches where similar research is conducted. Read Ranch (Crockett County) totals about 5,000 acres located near Ozona, Texas and the Carl and Bina Sue Martin Ranch totals about 4,700 acres located near Menard, Texas.

The successful candidate will have opportunities to conduct research across the properties associated with the center and collaborate extensively across Texas A&M AgriLife, other universities, governmental agencies, industry partners, and nonprofit organizations to develop impactful research programs that address regional, national, and global challenges in rangeland management and precision livestock systems. These activities will support the missions and strategic plans of the San Angelo Research and Extension Center and Texas A&M AgriLife Research.

Additional information about Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo, the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife & Fisheries Management, and the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Texas A&M University is available at:

• Texas A&M AgriLife Research: https://agriliferesearch.tamu.edu/
• Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, San Angelo: https://sanangelo.tamu.edu/
• Texas A&M University Department of Rangeland, Wildlife & Fisheries Management: https://rwfm.tamu.edu/
• Texas A&M University Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering: https://baen.tamu.edu/

What You Need to Know

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

Important Notice Regarding H1-B Sponsorship:

Your employment at Texas A&M AgriLife may require nonimmigrant sponsorship. A Presidential proclamation issued on September 19, 2025, imposes a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions filed after September 21, 2025. Texas A&M AgriLife will NOT pay this fee. If the fee is imposed on your petition, this offer of employment will be revoked. If actions taken during your employment result in the imposition of this fee, your employment will be terminated. To the extent that this statement conflicts with any applicable System or member Policy, Regulation, or Rule, this statement will control. We recommend that you consult with your private immigration counsel at your own expense regarding potential implications.

In addition, on January 27, 2026, Texas Governor Abbott issued a moratorium on the filing of any new H-1B unless approved by the Texas Workforce Commission. Accordingly, if you will now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status this moratorium may affect our ability to employ you should you be selected as the final candidate.

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

Application Instructions: 

Applicants must upload a

• Cover letter (two-page limit)
• Curriculum vitae including a list of three references and their contact information within the CV
• Vision statements of research and service (two-page limit).

To be given full consideration, please submit applications by October 25, 2026. The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified. The anticipated start date is March 1, 2027.

Questions:  Address inquiries to Search Committee Chair: Dr. Andrew Kasner, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, San Angelo, [email protected], 325-657-7341.

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.