Assistant Professor of Large Animal Emergency Surgery
Auburn University
Assistant Professor of Large Animal Emergency Surgery
Auburn University
The Department of Clinical Sciences at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine is seeking applicants to fill a full-time, 12-month/year appointment as a clinical track assistant professor in large animal emergency surgery.
Description of Large Animal Service: Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine is home to the John Thomas Vaughan Large Animal Teaching Hospital which was completed in 2003. The hospital consists of two equine in-patient wards (containing air-conditioned and specially designed stalls for neurological or neonatal patients), a self-contained isolation complex, an out-patient/lameness diagnostic complex, an ICU, two large treatment/diagnostic areas, an endoscopy/standing surgical suite, nuclear scintigraphy, complete large animal digital radiological services, centralized pharmacy services, 3 surgical suites with 4 recovery boxes, 2 in-patient food animal wards, 1 food animal procedure barn, 1 food animal surgical suite, a working dairy with milking parlor, and house officer/faculty offices and conference areas. Additional services on-site include 3T MRI, 64-slice CT, equine standing CT, and radiation therapy (Varian Edge™ linear accelerator). A Qalibra CT is scheduled for installation in late 2026. The JTV Large Animal Teaching Hospital is additionally outfitted with equipment for laparoscopy, digital video-endoscopy (traditional and over-ground dynamic), laser surgery, ultrasonography, ECG (including a telemetry unit)/blood pressure/pulse oximetry, arthroscopy, critical care monitoring, dentistry, and TVEC. The successful candidate would join the team of 11 board-certified large animal internal medicine specialists (ACVIM-LA diplomates), 4 board-certified large animal surgeons (one of whom is also boarded in ACVECC), and 6 board-certified theriogenologists. Additional supportive services include Equine Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Equine Diagnostic Imaging, Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care, and Neurology.
Teaching, Research, and Scholarship Opportunities:
The Department participates in college-wide veterinary and graduate programs. There is ample opportunity to collaborate with faculty within the Equine and Food Animal sections or beyond. Faculty development is a priority with a formal mentoring program for new faculty through the Department of Clinical Sciences. The Biggio Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (wp.auburn.edu/biggio) located on Auburn’s main campus is a fantastic resource for all teaching related needs, including support for instructional technologies. The CVM also has monthly teaching enhancement workshops and a summer teaching institute that has brought nationally recognized speakers to present on a variety of teaching related topics.
For more information about the College of Veterinary Medicine, please reference our website at www.vetmed.auburn.edu.
The University: Auburn University is one of the nation’s premier public grant institutions. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report ranked Auburn #47 among top public institutions. Auburn maintains high levels of research activity and high standards for teaching excellence, offering Bachelor’s, Master’s, Educational Specialist, and Doctor’s degrees in agriculture and engineering, the professions, and the arts and sciences. Its 2024-25 enrollment of 34,145 students includes 27,907 undergraduates and 6,238 graduate and professional students. Organized into twelve academic colleges and schools, Auburn’s 1,426 faculty members offer more than 200 educational programs. The University is nationally recognized for its commitment to academic excellence and community engagement, its positive work environment, its thriving student life programs, and its beautiful campus. Collaborative opportunities are readily available within the College of Veterinary Medicine and across the Auburn University campus as well as at medical colleges at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Emory University.
Auburn University offers a wealth of benefits to its employees, to remain competitive in an ever-changing landscape of academia. More information about employee benefits and tiger Perks can be viewed here:
https://auburn.edu/administration/human_resources/benefits/index.php
The Area: Auburn residents enjoy a thriving community, recognized as one of the “best small towns in America,” and one of the “top ten small towns in the South” with moderate climate and easy access to major cities or to beach and mountain recreational facilities. Situated along the rapidly developing I-85 corridor between Atlanta, Georgia, and Montgomery, Alabama, the combined Auburn-Opelika-Columbus statistical area has a population of over 500,000, with excellent public-school systems and regional medical centers. The town has an art museum, performing arts center, and many regional opportunities for music and theater performances. Numerous cultural and recreational venues and idyllic escapes are within one hour of Auburn including Callaway Gardens, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and numerous shopping and dining experiences. Clement weather allows for extensive outdoor recreational opportunities including trails for walking or cycling, kayaking/boating in the many rivers that traverse the area and in Lake Martin with its 600 miles of shoreline, Tuskegee National Forest and other State Parks, all within a short drive from downtown. The 240,000 square foot university recreation center and multiple indoor lap pools and outdoor lounging pools offer additional opportunities to facilitate a healthy active lifestyle. Additional information can be found at:
https://www.aotourism.com/top-reasons-to-love-auburn-and-opelika/.
Auburn University is understanding and sensitive to the family needs of faculty, including dual-career couples: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/facultyjobs/
The successful candidate will be expected to participate in teaching and clinical service. The scope of the position is to provide after-hours emergency clinical service and to provide training to residents, interns, and DVM professional students (approximately 30 weeks per year); however, clinical service with daytime service areas in either the equine or food animal hospitals is also possible. The distribution of effort between equine and food animals will be determined by the candidate’s training and interests, but both are expected in this position. Backup by faculty specialists in equine internal medicine, food animal internal medicine, equine surgery, and theriogenology are also available. The candidate will be joining 2 other faculty in large animal emergency (1 ACVIM-LA diplomate who is also pursuing ACVECC certification and 1 ACVS-LA diplomate). Teaching responsibilities include clinical and didactic instructional activities of professional veterinary medicine and postgraduate training programs related to large animal emergency surgery and medicine. Collaborative research and scholarship with other faculty is encouraged.
Application Process: Applications must include 1) a letter of intent stating the candidate’s strengths and professional goals, 2) a current curriculum vitae, and 3) names, email and mailing addresses, and telephone numbers of three professional references.
General inquiries may be directed to Thomas Passler, DVM, PhD, DACVIM-LA, Professor of Food Animal Internal Medicine and Search Committee Chair ([email protected]). Starting salary will be commensurate with experience and credentials.
Review of applications will commence on March 31, 2026, and will continue until a qualified applicant is recommended for appointment.
The selected candidate will have to complete the following prior to being hired, a background check, submission of original transcripts, and for internationals, complete a degree verification via SpanTran.
The successful candidate must have a DVM or equivalent degree and be either board‑certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS‑LA) or the European College of Veterinary Surgeons (ECVS) or have completed an ACVS or ECVS residency training program. Candidates who have not completed ACVS/ECVS residency programs but are trained through the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (ACVECC) with large animal surgical experience may be considered. These qualifications must be met at the time employment begins.
The candidate selected for this position must meet eligibility requirements to work in the United States at the time the appointment is scheduled to begin and continue working legally for the proposed term of employment. Eligibility for faculty veterinary licensure in the State of Alabama is also required.
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