Professor in Ruminant Herd Health

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY Ghent University is a world-class, open, pluralistic and socially engaged university. Our credo is ‘Dare to Think’: we are a haven for courageous thinkers. With one of the most progressive career models for academics in the world, Ghent University evaluates its scholars not only by the length of their publication list but also by the impact they pursue, what they achieve and how they collaborate. Are you a good ‘fit’ with our university? Discover here our vision on education and research. ASSIGNMENT You will be part of the Internal Medicine, Reproduction, and Population Medicine Department, more specifically the Bovine Herd Health team. The position, funded by the Special Research Fund, is granted the privilege of focusing primarily on research for a period of 5 years. During that period the teaching load will be limited to no more than 8 ECTS credits per on average over a period of 3 years. After that, this will become a regular position, with a possible expansion of the teaching assignment. For further development of the academic career, please see ‘Appointment information’ below. ACADEMIC RESEARCH You will develop innovative and internationally recognized research in the field of ruminant herd health and precision livestock farming. You will supervise doctoral and master's thesis students in their research. ACADEMIC EDUCATION You teach various courses in the field of precision livestock farming, reproduction, and bovine herd health medicine. INSTITUTIONAL AND SOCIETAL ENGAGEMENT Based on your expertise and experience, you will contribute to the university's operations and/or take on external assignments. In particular, you will contribute to the internal and external services provided by the Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction, and Population Medicine. PROFILE You have a strong academic CV with international visibility in the requested field (business coaching for cattle and/or precision livestock farming) Your achievements in the field of research and education contribute to the development of the scientific domain (e.g. publications, presentations, or other academic output) You are capable to initiate and supervise educational and research projects and to acquire the necessary funding for this You are didactically skilled to teach university students to develop academic competences, including clinical and preventive skills in veterinary medicine students You have experience in preventive veterinary medicine and ruminant herd health You have experience with cattle farming and innovations in this sector You have experience in data management and analysis Experience in sensor technology, and/or the development of management and decision support tools is an asset You are a certified specialist (Diplomate) of a relevant specialty college related to bovine veterinary medicine, such as, but not limited to, the European College of Bovine Health Management, the European College of Animal Reproduction, and the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine‑Large Animal, or you are willing to obtain this certification within five years of your appointment Mobility is recommended (e.g. education, research, economic, or societal) You have a broad (inter)national network within the various stakeholders involved in modern (cattle) farming and are willing to expand this further You work in a collaborative way and integrate smoothly into the department/faculty. You look for opportunities inside and outside the university and actively use your network to do so You show leadership potential/have leadership experience. More information about leadership at Ghent University If you don't know Dutch, you are willing to learn it. This will be assessed during the selection interview. When taking up a teaching assignment, you must master the language of instruction of the course. More information about the language requirements and appropriate language guidance at Ghent University APPOINTMENT INFORMATION Taking into account the assessment of academic potential and merits of the selected candidate, the academic rank of assistant professor tenure track, associate professor, full professor or senior full professor is granted. We offer you a temporary appointment in a tenure track system for a term of five years. If positively evaluated by the University Board, the term of office will be transferred into a permanent appointment as an associate professor. At that moment the time devoted to research, education and institutional and societal engagement may be altered Should you already be a member of the professorial staff or hold an equal post at a university or research institution, you can immediately be appointed as an assistant professor, without prejudice to the possibility of a temporary appointment We offer you a permanent appointment in the starting grade of associate professor, full professor or senior full professor, without prejudice to the possibility of a temporary appointment. During the first period of 5 years, your focus is primarily on research. Subsequently, the time devoted to research, education and institutional and societal engagement may be altered The recruitment is from 1 September 2026. OUR OFFER Ghent University has developed a new inspiring career model for professors. Academic freedom and academics' responsibility, talents and ambitions act as a natural drive to advance their careers, as part of teamwork. Ghent University is specifically committed to guiding international professors in the process of coming to Ghent. At Ghent University, our view is as broad as possible, because internationalisation creates synergies within and outside the institution. We offer you a wide range of employee benefits. The basic teacher training and courses in ‘Dutch’ and ‘English’ for foreign‑speaking lecturers are just a few of our wide range of courses and training. Candidates who are newly appointed at Ghent University with an appointment of at least 50 % receive a Starting Grant of € 240 000 to contribute towards the personnel, operating and/or equipment costs. Furthermore, professors who meet the conditions may be eligible for Basic Research Funding. DIVERSITY Ghent University pursues an equal opportunities policy and values everyone's talent, regardless of gender, age, philosophy of life, skin colour, sexual orientation, migration background or disability. We encourage everyone to apply. Ghent University strives for a gender balance, whereby a maximum of three‑fifths of the doctoral members of the academic staff are of the same sex. As long as this target has not been met at the level of the scientific group, priority will be given to candidates of the under‑represented sex for senior academic staff mandates with mainly research assignments in the event of equal qualifications. This precedence is not automatic and unconditional; the personal situation of each candidate is always taken into account when assessing the applications. Interruptions in research careers and/or atypical career paths (e.g. relevant experience outside the academic sector) will be taken into account when assessing the application. SELECTION PROCEDURE The selection committee will carry out an initial, substantive screening of the admissible applications on the file. This assessment takes into consideration both the candidate's merits and potential. Ghent University emphasizes the qualitative assessment of academic. Therefore, candidates are asked in the application form to mention their most important academic or non‑academic achievements with the most impact. For shortlisted candidates, the following steps in the selection procedure shall consist of at least: a selection interview in which the vision and planning regarding education, research, and institutional and societal engagement as well as the embedding in the bigger picture are discussed a trial lesson on a subject in the relevant field a screening of leadership ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS You are a veterinarianYou hold a doctoral degree in veterinary sciences, bio‑engineering or animal sciences, or a diploma or certificate that is recognised as equivalent When assessing a foreign (non‑EU) degree, it may be necessary to request a certificate of equivalence from NARIC; we recommend that you start the recognition procedure with NARIC as soon as possible, if applicable. You must have this recognition by the date of appointment at the latest You have at least two years of postdoctoral experience on the starting date of your employment. This term of two years is determined by the date mentioned on the required diploma Your application meets the formal requirements (submitted on time, complete: with a completed application form and a copy of the diploma, delivered via e‑recruitment) HOW TO APPLY Apply online through the e‑recruitment system before the application deadline. We do not accept late or incomplete applications, or applications that are not sent through the online system. Your application must include the following documents: In the field ‘Application form’: the application form + a mandatory appendix in which you explain your vision on research that will be realised during the next of the mandate of ZAP member with mainly research assignment. Minimum 3 – maximum 5 pages, references not included. All this combined as a one‑PDF file In the field ‘Diploma’: a transcript of your doctoral degree. If you have a foreign diploma in a language other than our national languages (Dutch, French or German) or English, please add a translation in one of the mentioned languages In the field ‘Certificate of equivalence’: only for diplomas awarded outside the European Union: certificate of equivalence (NARIC) (if already in your possession). For diplomas awarded in the UK before 31 January 2020, a certificate of equivalence is not required Note that the maximum file size for each field is 10 MB. MORE INFORMATION For further information regarding this vacancy, please contact Professor Ann Martens (Ann.Martens@UGent.be, +32 (0)9 264 76 28) at the faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Dean. Vragen over online solliciteren? Lees de FAQ of contacteer ons via selecties@ugent.be. #J-18808-Ljbffr