Head, Department of Agricultural Economics

The department seeks a dynamic leader with vision and a talent for innovation. The Head will lead a diverse group of talented faculty and staff in fulfilling the research, teaching and extension/engagement missions of a preeminent agricultural economics department in a major land grant university. The Head will build internal and external support for achieving objectives; muster financial resources; develop human resources; and make key resource allocation decisions. The Head exercises leadership in administrative, fiscal, and human resource matters. The Head is also expected to uphold the department’s long-standing commitment to international programs; perform a liaison role within the university and with government agencies and industry groups; lead fundraising efforts; help strengthen interdisciplinary activities; and represent the department to professional organizations, the university community, and society at large. 

Candidates must have a passion for, and understanding of, or a strong willingness to embrace, the land-grant mission in its fullest sense. Candidates must have an earned doctorate and professional experience in agricultural economics, economics or a closely related area. The new Head must have a record of leadership, communication, and administrative abilities, and be committed to fostering diversity and creating a climate of inclusion. The successful candidate must have demonstrated a record of scholarly achievement commensurate with the rank of full professor.

The department consists of 38 faculty members, 37 professional staff, and 4 clerical/support staff. The department has 95 graduate students, 49 MS-MBA students, 8 Professional Masters students and 475 undergraduate students. The current annual budget is in excess of $16 million, of which roughly 40 percent is generated from external funds. The department is dedicated to diverse teaching, research and extension/engagement functions in the field of agricultural economics. This diversity is evidenced by the Center for Food and Agricultural Business (CAB), the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP), the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD), the Center for Food Demand Analysis & Sustainability (CFDAS), and the Center for Commercial Agriculture (CCA), all housed in the department. Research and extension programs maintain strengths in core areas but also extend frequently into areas not traditionally associated with agricultural economics, such as the department's new research initiative on the economics of family firms. Innovative teaching programs include the Purdue-Kelley MS-MBA in Food and Agribusiness Management, a dual-degree program with the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, and courses in global trade analysis, delivered using a combination of distance learning technology and traditional teaching formats. The dissemination of information and assistance to the public are provided via several models ranging from traditional extension programs such as the Top Farmer Crop Workshop and Outlook, to CAB and GTAP programs, to new models based on distance learning. The department has critical linkages, joint faculty appointments and collaboration throughout the university, including with various departments in the Colleges of Agriculture, Health and Human Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Engineering, and the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business. Department faculty regularly collaborate with colleagues in the Food Entrepreneurship and Manufacturing Institute, the Purdue Institute for a Sustainable Future and the Purdue Center for Global Food Security. The department is currently ranked fourth in the world by the Center for World University Rankings 2022.

The department is an integral part of the College of Agriculture, one of the world’s leading colleges of agricultural, food, life, and natural resource sciences and ranked fifth in the world in the 2023 QS World University Rankings. The college is deeply committed to the three land-grant missions (teaching, research, and extension), to international activities and perspectives that span all missions, and to excellence in all we do. The College of Agriculture and the Department of Agricultural Economics are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Our leadership, faculty, staff, and students are engaged in many efforts that are consistent with this commitment. The college has 11 academic departments and includes 309 faculty, 2889 undergraduate students, and 700 graduate students. The college’s current strategic plan can be accessed at Strategic Plan .  

Qualified persons are requested to submit the following: a letter of application; a statement of the applicant’s vision and administrative philosophy, emphasizing their ability to provide leadership to the teaching, research, extension and international missions of the department, and leadership experiences and qualifications; and a complete curriculum vita including names, addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three references. Nominations of outstanding potential candidates for the position are welcomed. Initial nominations and inquiries will be kept confidential; references will be contacted only upon approval of the applicant. 

Purdue is an ADVANCE institution – https://www.purdue.edu/advance-purdue/. 

Applications, nominations, and inquiries should be addressed to Dr. Gerald Shively, Associate Dean and Director of International Programs in Agriculture and Chair of the Search Committee, Purdue University. All application materials must be submitted electronically as a single pdf to this site.  Screening of applicants will begin February 13, 2024 and will continue until a suitable candidate is selected. A background check is required for employment in this position. Questions regarding the position may be sent to Dr. Shively at [email protected] or (765) 494-8467.  The successful candidate must have or be eligible to obtain a work Visa in the U.S. upon appointment.

Purdue University is an EOE/AA employer.  All individuals, including minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.