Director of Body Composition Core

American Society of Exercise Physiologists; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Baylor College of Medicine’s USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center seeks a Director for the Body Composition Core in Houston, TX. The role oversees state-of-the-art body composition facilities and supports pediatric nutritional studies using DXA, 4-unit indirect calorimetry, BOD POD, and related methods.

The candidate will establish an independent research program, secure federal or industry funding, mentor postdoctoral researchers, and contribute to CNRC and BCM scholarly activities.

Qualifications

• Strong publication record in body composition or related fields.
• Proven ability to obtain federal grants, especially NIH.
• National reputation within the body composition research community.
• Ability to mentor trainees and manage laboratory operations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operation of the Body Composition Core.
• Develop an independent research program and secure funding.
• Supervise and train postdoctoral researchers.
• Engage in scholarly activities within CNRC and BCM Pediatrics.

Skills

Publication record

Funding record (NIH)

Reputation in body composition field

Mentorship & training ability

Education

MD/DO/PhD or other science-based doctoral degree

Job description

Director of Body Composition Core

USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center

Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX)

The Division of Nutrition, USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center (CNRC) (www.bcm.edu/research/research-centers/usda-ars-childrens-nutrition-research-center), in the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) (https://www.bcm.edu/) invites applications and nominations for an international search to identify the new Director of the Body Composition Core. Located within the heart of the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world, the Children’s Nutrition Research Center is one of the only USDA-funded human nutrition research centers focused specifically on children. Faculty members are consistently honored for their outstanding contributions to research and teaching by leading professional societies in the field including the American Society for Nutrition and the Society for Pediatric Research. Faculty bring a broad spectrum of expertise that spans biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, human genetics, physiology, nutrition, plant biology, animal science, physics, statistics, epidemiology, behavioral science, and psychology, as well as pediatric medical subspecialties.

Reporting to the Chief of Nutrition and Director of the Children's Nutrition Research Center, 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.

Qualifications

• 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 degrees and demonstrated evidence of commitment to scholarly activity and outstanding scientific accomplishments. Applicants are eligible for an appointment at the Assistant Professor (tenure-track), Associate Professor (tenured), or Professor (tenured) levels.

Application deadline: March 30, 2026.

Baylor College of Medicine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Equal Access Employer.