Graduate Research Assistant-Animal Science (Xiao)

Assistantship appointments may vary in length and are contingent upon the availability of funding. Terms on duties and responsibilities will be provided on the graduate assistantship contract.

• Students must be registered for graduate credit each semester (fall and spring) they receive an assistantship and must be in good academic standing and maintaining satisfactory progress toward their degree. In addition, international students must maintain the appropriate residency status.

• Teaching assistants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency (refer to section titled "English Language Proficiency Procedures for Graduate Teaching Assistants").

• Students offered a graduate teaching or graduate service assistantship must consent to a criminal background check. This includes graduate researchers teaching in a lab.

• Students placed on Academic Warning may retain their assistantship. Students placed on Probation may no longer receive an assistantship.

• Required annual training must be completed within 30 days of start date & yearly thereafter.

Description & Details:
Dr. Shulan (Landy) Xiao’s Lab (starting Fall 2026) in the Department of Animal Science at North Dakota State University (NDSU) is seeking one M.S. student and one Ph.D. student to join our group. Students will conduct research in one or more of the following areas:

• New meat product development, especially value-added cooked products

• Control of lipid oxidation in fresh and processed meat systems

• Encapsulation and application of bioactive compounds in meat systems

Advertised Pay:
$24,000/year for two-years

Minimum Qualifications:
B.S. in Food Science, Meat Science, Animal Science, or other closely related disciplines.

To inquire about the assistantship position and potential areas of study, contact Dr. Shulan (Landy) Xiao at shulan.xiao@ndsu.edu.
Anticipated Start date Fall 2026, Spring or Summer 2027

For questions about the Graduate School application process or materials, contact ndsu.grad.school@ndsu.edu

Applications must include the following materials:

Please include within application if you are currently or have in the past 12 months been employed with NDSU, the North Dakota University System or any other North Dakota State agency. If so, include which agency/department, as well as your how many hours you work a week and in the past 12 months.

Employment Eligibility:

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About Us:

North Dakota State University is distinctive as a student focused, land-grant, research university. We educate leaders who solve national and global challenges by providing affordable access to an excellent education that combines teaching and research in a rich learning environment.

NDSU is in the highest Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, R1, granted to the top research institutions in the country.

NDSU has offices across the state of North Dakota, and the main campus is in Fargo, on the Minnesota border. Along with Moorhead, Minnesota, Fargo forms one of the largest metropolitan centers between Minneapolis and Seattle. The community is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live.

NDSU is committed to fostering a community where differences are recognized as strengths. Rooted in our land-grant mission, we work together to meet the needs of North Dakota and its communities through education, research and outreach.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

NDSU does not discriminate in its programs and activities on the basis of age, color, gender expression/identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, participation in lawful off-campus activity, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, public assistance status, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, spousal relationship to current employee, or veteran status, as applicable. Direct inquiries to: Vice Provost, Title IX/ADA Coordinator, Old Main 201, NDSU Main Campus, Fargo, ND, 58108, 701-231-7708, ndsu.eoaa@ndsu.edu.

No Smoking Notice:

As an employer, the State of North Dakota prohibits smoking in all places of state employment in accordance with N.D.C.C. § 23-12-10.

Reasonable Accommodation Information: North Dakota State University is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, please contact Human Resources at 701-231-8961 or ndsu.hr@ndsu.edu.