Working/Functional Title

Chairperson, Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Position Summary

Michigan State University (MSU), the nation’s pioneer land-grant university, is one of the top research universities in the world. Home to nationally ranked and recognized academic departments, residential colleges, and service-learning programs, MSU enrolls approximately 40,000 undergraduates and 11,000 graduate and professional students each year. More than 12,000 faculty and staff are employed at MSU, and its 17 degree-granting colleges – including allopathic (MD degree), osteopathic (DO degree), and veterinary (DVM degree) medical colleges – offer more than 400 academic programs of study.  The College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) at MSU includes three clinical departments – Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Small Animal Clinical Sciences, and Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation; two affiliated biomedical science departments – Microbiology, Genetics, & Immunology, and Pharmacology & Toxicology; and two service units -- the Veterinary Medical Center (VMC) and the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL). More information on the university and college are available here.

The Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences (LCS) is home to 33 faculty including five endowed chairs, two University Distinguished Professors, one Red Cedar Distinguished Professor, thirteen assistant professors, and several faculty with joint appointments in MSU Extension, AgBioResearch, and biomedical or agricultural departments. Our faculty are educating the next generation of veterinary professionals, conducting research that improves the lives of animals and humans, and providing outstanding clinical services.

LCS clinical and research resources include the VMC, offering elective and emergency care for horses, cattle, other food and fiber species, and large exotic species; the Pegasus Critical Care Center for clinical cases requiring isolation precautions; the Mary Anne McPhail Equine Performance Center for clinical evaluation and research of equine performance; and the new Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Center that will house approximately 680 cows and features precision feeding systems, robotic milking, labs, and dedicated instructional space for students and veterinary hands-on training.

The next LCS Chairperson is to be a visible, accessible, and empathic leader who fosters a sense of purpose, promotes shared governance, and leads with humility, listening first and rallying others around a shared vision. This is an opportunity to lead a dynamic department poised to help define the future of large animal veterinary medicine at MSU and beyond. The LCS Chairperson will have a 50% administrative appointment, with the remaining time available for service, teaching, research, and/or outreach.

Responsibilities

The LCS Chairperson is expected to:

• Provide visionary leadership and strategic direction to the department
• Communicate effectively in written, verbal, and interpersonal forms  
• Set clear expectations and foster an environment in which they can be met 
• Promote faculty mentorship and support personnel development across a wide spectrum of roles and responsibilities
• Model and promote an environment that is welcoming to all and prioritizes kindness, collegiality, accountability, and professionalism
• Foster collaboration and cohesiveness within the department, championing shared governance and team-based success
• Ensure strong teaching and student outcomes
• Address declining student interest in large animal practice through novel programming and sustained outreach
• Engage with stakeholders both internal and external to the organization, representing the department to veterinary and agricultural communities at the state, national, and international levels
• Promote educational, research, and clinical opportunities aligned with University and College priorities
• Work with the College Development team and Directors of the VMC and VDL to support departmental growth and visibility
• Create strategic collaborations with the medical colleges, biomedical and animal science departments, and related units to amplify One Team, One Health engagement and impact

Required Qualifications

• Earned doctoral degree in veterinary medicine (DVM or equivalent)
• Knowledge of the animal agriculture landscape
• Ability to articulate a vision for the future of large animal veterinary medicine
• Strong record of accomplishment and advancing knowledge in at least two of the academic missions of service, research, teaching, and/or outreach
• Excellent and timely written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to effectively engage with others and collaborate within team settings
• Experience successfully leading groups or programs, managing budgets, and managing personnel
• Experience mentoring colleagues and trainees, fostering their professional growth and career advancement
• Ability to model and foster an environment of kindness, collegiality, professional citizenship, and collaboration

Desired Qualifications 

• Experience in large animal clinical medicine
• Board certification in an AVMA-recognized specialization relevant to large animals
• Earned advanced graduate degree (PhD, MS, MPH, or equivalents) or professional certification
• Experience in formal leadership positions
• Record of successfully leading, representing, and advocating for teams or groups
• Familiarity with the various types of external stakeholders, including commodity groups, producers, and government and regulatory agencies
• Media relations and communications training and experience

Application

To apply for this position, please submit the following materials through the Michigan State University online submission system (MSU Applicant Page) at https://careers.msu.edu/jobs/search: 1) a statement of interest highlighting qualifications, professional accomplishments, experiences pertinent to the position, and leadership philosophy; 2) curriculum vitae; and 3) the names and addresses of three professional references, one of whom should be a current or former mentee or person you supervise(d).

If you have any questions, please contact the search committee chairperson, Dr. Susan Ewart (ewarts@msu.edu). Review of applicants will begin as early as October 1, 2025 and will continue until the position is filled.

This position is a full-time, annual appointment at the rank of Associate or Full Professor, and may be in the Tenure System or the Health Programs (HP) faculty appointment system. Health Programs positions are unique to MSU's medical colleges and support clinical research, diagnostic service, and teaching (see https://www.hr.msu.edu/policies-procedures/faculty-academic-staff/health-programs-faculty-handbook/index.html)

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate -Veterinary Medicine

Desired Degree

Other -Advanced Degree in Research (PhD or MS)

Minimum Requirements

Applicants for the position of Large Animal Clinical Sciences (LCS) Chairperson are expected to have earned a doctorate degree in veterinary medicine. An advanced degree in research (i.e. PhD or MS) is preferable but not required. Candidates should be able to demonstrate a combination of academic accomplishments sufficient to qualify for appointment as an associate or full professor in the tenure-track or health programs (HP) faculty appointment systems at Michigan State University. This includes evidence of sustained excellence in teaching, research (basic or clinical), or service. A history of successful extra-mural research funding is also desirable.

Candidates for the LCS Chairperson position are expected to have significant experience in, and a strong commitment to, promoting and maintaining a high-quality, innovative, responsive learning environment for undergraduate, graduate, professional students, and house-officers (interns and residents). In addition, the candidates must have an understanding and appreciation of how best to balance the missions of teaching, clinical service, and research across a diverse and expansive LCS faculty. The candidate should be able to demonstrate a history of successful mentorship of faculty in the clinical and/or tenure track systems; as evidenced by the progression of mentored faculty through an academic promotion system.

Candidates must also have experience in, and a commitment to, providing excellent clinical service. The Chair is expected to work closely with the Director of the Veterinary Medical Center (VMC) to accomplish this goal.

Desired Qualifications

An advanced degree in research (i.e. PhD or MS) is preferable but not required.  A history of successful extra-mural research funding is also desirable.

Required Application Materials

For full consideration, applicants are to submit: 1) a statement of interest highlighting qualifications, professional accomplishments, experiences pertinent to the position, and leadership philosophy; 2) curriculum vitae; and 3) the names and addresses of three professional references, one of whom should be a current or former mentee or person you supervise(d).

Review of Applications Begins On

10/1/2025

Website

CVM.MSU.EDU

Department Statement

The Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences (LCS) is educating the next generation of veterinary professionals, conducting research that improves the lives of animals and humans, and providing the finest clinical services available.

Our diverse faculty focuses on areas ranging from dairy, food animal, and specialized equine services to intensive research and student training. They work closely with students pursuing DVM degrees, veterinarians in internship and residency programs, and MS and PhD students. Learning to better understand, diagnose, and treat disease takes place in some of the most advanced facilities and laboratories. Faculty and students work together to find new solutions and put them into practice for a better world.

LCS educational facilities include the Large Animal Clinic in the Veterinary Medical Center, where faculty members and students provide emergency care as well as diagnostics, medical and surgical treatment, and therapeutic services for horses, cattle and other ruminants, as well as other animals including zoo and wildlife.

LCS coordinates the Summer Food Systems Fellowship Program - a unique partnership between the College and industry partners, which ensures the supply of well-trained veterinarians to work within the food animal industry.

LCS is organized by three core research areas: preharvest food safety, inflammation and metabolic disorders, and equine sports medicine and rehabilitation.

Our faculty members (43 assistant/associate/professors/emeritus) are innovative researchers, dedicated teachers, and gifted practitioners. Their combined accomplishments have made us one of the top-ranked veterinary schools in the country. Every day, faculty members advance knowledge in a broad range of specialties and create new knowledge that is rapidly put into practice in a clinical setting. Our students learn from some of the brightest, most creative minds in veterinary medicine.

Our residents and interns work closely with the faculty researchers and clinicians, and support staff help make sure everything runs smoothly in the lab and the clinic.

The MSU community has a long history of collegiality that fosters collaborations across many different academic disciplines and with off-campus stakeholders. Similarly, the role of the LCS Chairperson will be to foster and promote a collaborative environment that extends well beyond the college. The ideal candidate will be encouraged to embrace opportunities to network with other campus-based units such as the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, AgBioResearch, and various research centers and departments with the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources with the goal of building and delivering impactful programs to better serve students and stakeholders. The department faculty are uniquely positioned to network with off-campus entities such as Michigan Department of Agriculture, Michigan Animal Health, Michigan commodity organizations, and food-animal producers to generate advancements in the health and well-being of large animals. The successful candidate will be expected to not only foster these existing relationships, but also explore other collaborative opportunities with the goal of enhancing the department’s research and educational programs.

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.