Assistant Professor of Small Animal Surgery

Tufts University : Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine : Clinical Sciences

Location

Grafton, MA, United States

Open Date

Aug 11, 2025

Salary Range or Pay Grade

$124,000 to $186,000

Description

The Department of Clinical Sciences at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University invites applications for an assistant professor or assistant clinical professor of small animal soft tissue surgery. The successful candidate will contribute to pre-clinical and clinical teaching in the DVM program, provide surgery services in the Foster Hospital for Small Animals (FHSA), mentor residents, and engage in research and scholarly activity. This is a continuous-term (tenure-equivalent) track position.

The position emphasizes excellence in DVM student instruction and resident mentoring. Assisting with pre-clinical didactic, clinical skills, and surgical skills teaching is required. Faculty are expected to assist with specialty board review sessions, journal club, and other aspects of resident training, including supervision of resident research projects.

The FHSA receives ~35,000 cases per year, providing a robust and varied surgical caseload. The emergency and critical service provides 24 hour / 7 day a week service and is certified as a Level 1 Trauma Center. The successful applicant will be part of a team of 5 other ACVS diplomates, in addition to neurologists and ophthalmologists who also provide surgical services. Additional minimally invasive procedures are offered by other services. Primary emergency coverage is provided by four surgery residents, with backup support from the faculty surgeons. The FHSA has a full range of specialties that include diagnostic imaging, anesthesiology, emergency and critical care, internal medicine, neurology, cardiology, dermatology, oncology, and ophthalmology.

The FHSA has intraoperative ultrasound and fluoroscopy, as well as CT, MRI and 2 towers for arthroscopic, laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery. Current faculty have strengths in orthopedics, arthroscopy, traumatology, minimally invasive osteosynthesis (MIO), corrective osteotomy and joint replacement, cardiothoracic surgery, and urological procedures.

There are many opportunities to develop independent or collaborative research projects with faculty on this campus or with researchers on other Tufts campuses and within the New England medical community. Cummings School has research strengths in clinical and translational research, supported by a clinical trials office. Areas of strength include musculoskeletal disease, cardiovascular disease, comparative oncology, urology, and others. All scholarly activity is valued in the school's promotions process and the expectations are dependent on the appointment track and assigned time. The amount of time devoted to research and scholarly activity is negotiable, in accordance with the interests of the faculty member. All faculty members are expected to engage in scholarly activity to ensure they remain current in their discipline.

The successful candidate will be committed to working collaboratively in a team environment. Senior surgical faculty members are available to provide excellent mentorship. Between 26 - 32 weeks will be assigned to clinical activity, depending on the expertise, experience, and interests of the candidate. The remaining time will be distributed to teaching (4 - 8 weeks), research and scholarly activity (4 - 12 weeks), and administrative service (2 - 5 weeks), in accordance with the guidelines of Cummings School and the appointment track.

Qualifications

Requirements include a DVM degree or its equivalent and completion of an American College of Veterinary Surgery and / or European College of Veterinary Surgery approved residency. Board certification is required at, or no later than two years following, the date of hire. The candidate must be eligible for licensure in Massachusetts. Enthusiasm for, and demonstrated ability in, teaching is required. Demonstrated clinical excellence and the ability to multi-task and manage a robust caseload is expected. Specific interest in soft tissue surgery is required and interest in surgical oncology can be supported. Evidence of scholarly activity is considered an asset. The candidate must possess effective communication skills and have demonstrated the ability to work in a team.

Application Instructions

Application review will continue until a suitable candidate is identified. Candidates should submit a curriculum vitae and a cover letter describing their qualifications, clinical experience, scholarly interests, and teaching experience. Please address your strengths / experiences in creating an inclusive environment as it relates to teaching, research, and / or service in your cover letter. The names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three references should be provided. Salary will be commensurate with experience and the appointment may be made in either the clinical or unmodified track, depending on the interests of the applicant. Applicants should submit materials through the Interfolio link ( https : / / apply.interfolio.com / 171904 ). For questions about the application process please contact Dr. Leslie Sharkey at Leslie.Sharkey@tufts.edu .

The salary range for this position is $124,000 to $186,000. Tufts University is committed to providing competitive and equitable compensation that reflects each candidate's experience, expertise, responsibilities, and performance. The pay offered within the posted range will be determined based on a variety of factors such as (but not limited to) the individual's education and experience, discipline, rank, internal equity, and budgetary considerations.

Cummings School is situated in Grafton, MA on a 600-acre pastoral campus, forty-five minutes west of Boston and next door to Worcester, the second largest city in Massachusetts. A virtual tour of the campus is available here . There is a regional rail service stop adjacent to campus and easy access to cultural and sporting events. The campus is a short drive from beautiful beaches, mountains, and other unique features of New England. The area is a hub of biotechnology and higher education. The K-12 education system is excellent. Housing is readily available close to campus or in any number of surrounding towns. Links to faculty policies and procedures and human resources benefits can be found here.