Summary

The Division of Nutrition, USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center (CNRC), in the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) is seeking applications for Director of the Body Composition Core.  Applicants are eligible for an appointment at the Assistant Professor (tenure-track), Associate Professor (tenured), or Professor (tenured) levels.  Applicants are expected to have earned an M.D., D.V.M., Ph.D., or other science-based doctoral degree and demonstrated evidence of commitment to scholarly activity and outstanding scientific accomplishments. 

The Body Composition Core Director will oversee a state-of-the-art body composition facility that supports comprehensive nutritional/metabolic studies in children and/or pregnant or breastfeeding mothers using a variety of methods.  These methods include 40K whole body counter for body potassium measurement, Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA), High-Resolution Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography for bone architecture, Air Displacement Plethysmography (BOD POD/PEA POD), and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis. 

The Body Composition Core also has access to the Metabolic Research Unit with nursing staff; metabolic kitchen; dining and observation rooms; exam rooms; overnight rooms; whole room indirect calorimetry (4 units) and an infant indirect calorimeter; and an exercise laboratory equipped with treadmill and metabolic cart for indirect calorimetry. The Center also houses the CNRC Mass Spectrometry Core to facilitate total daily energy expenditure and total body water measurements using doubly labeled water as well as whole-body kinetics and oxidation of key metabolic substrates. The Core is supported by a full-time technician and administrative coordinator.

In addition to overseeing the operation of the Body Composition Core, the applicant is expected to develop an independent research program and secure federal, foundational and/or industry-sponsored grant funding. The applicant will be encouraged to supervise and train postdoctoral researchers and participate in the scholarly activities within the CNRC and the Department of Pediatrics at BCM.

Scientists in the CNRC work in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment with an ultimate mission to promote the nutritional health of children, prenatal and lactating women, and all clearly connected topics from methods to applications, from basic to applied. CNRC investigators use a wide range of model systems (yeasts, plants, mice, piglets and humans) to unravel the fundamental biology in the broad areas of nutrition, metabolism and development, investigate the behavioral pathways that contribute to obesity or poorly controlled metabolism among children, and assess approaches for promoting adequate nutrition or preventing and treating obesity among children. We seek outstanding scientists to join the CNRC who can bring in complementary research programs (either clinical or basic) and advance the CNRC mission. We prioritize the originality, excellence and promise of the candidate’s research program rather than the sub-area of specialization. 

Job Duties

• A strong publication record. Research involving the application and or methodologic study of body composition, assessment, and methods.
• A strong funding record as a principal investigator, especially, but not only, on federal grants particularly NIH grants. 
• A reputation, nationally, within the body composition research community as a respected researcher. 
• Ability to maintain very high standards of quality control, and documentation thereof. The candidate will be expected to not only maintain the laboratories, but to promote their use and to welcome mentoree into the laboratory for training experiences.

Minimum Qualifications

M.D., D.V.M., Ph.D., or other science-based doctoral degree and demonstrated evidence of commitment to scholarly activity and outstanding scientific accomplishments. 

Applicant review will begin on March 23rd, and the position will remain open until the position if filled.