Associate Professor

The School of Molecular Biosciences (SMB) at Washington State University (WSU), Pullman, WA campus invites applications for two full-time, 12-month, permanent tenure-track faculty positions at the rank of Assistant and/or Associate Professor. Across both positions, the principal considerations will be scientific excellence, the importance of the problems addressed, the ability to fill a genuine expertise or capability gap, complementarity with existing faculty, and contributions to research, teaching, mentoring, collaborative funding, and interdisciplinary program development.

THEME 1 - TRANSMISSION OF METABOLIC DISORDERS ACROSS GENERATIONS: SMB seeks candidates whose research investigates how environmental, lifestyle, and biological factors influence metabolic health and disease across generations. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying developmental programming, metabolic disease susceptibility, and intergenerational/transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. The successful candidate will join a multidisciplinary team focused on elucidating the developmental and germline origins of chronic and metabolic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, reproductive aging, and related conditions. Through collaborative and integrative research, the candidate will contribute to advancing fundamental understanding of disease etiology and identifying new opportunities for prevention and intervention. 

THEME 2 - TRANSLATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND ENABLING PLATFORMS: SMB seeks candidates who develop innovative technologies and/or platforms that move biological discoveries toward practical applications. Relevant areas include nanobiotechnology; advanced drug or biologic delivery; precision gene editing, including base or prime editing; protein or genetic engineering; high-throughput screening; biosensors and diagnostics; tissue or organ engineering; biomaterials; and related translational technologies. 

Each position is expected to be approximately 65% research, 25% teaching and mentoring, and 10% service, with final effort distribution negotiable and determined at the time of offer. Successful candidates will establish or maintain innovative, rigorous, and extramurally funded research programs; publish influential scholarship; mentor undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral trainees; and contribute to undergraduate and graduate instruction. Teaching may include molecular and cellular biology, genetics, genomics, epigenetics, developmental or reproductive biology, metabolism, biotechnology, bioengineering, computational biology, bioinformatics, quantitative reasoning, or related areas. Successful candidates will also contribute to interdisciplinary grants, centers, shared platforms, training programs, technology development, and academic service. Associate Professor appointees will provide additional intellectual and programmatic leadership appropriate to rank.

An earned doctoral degree (Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M., or equivalent) in a relevant biological, biomedical, computational, quantitative, or related field is required by the time of hire. At the Assistant Professor level, applicants must demonstrate a strong record of research accomplishment and clear potential to establish an innovative, and extramurally funded research program. At the Associate Professor level, applicants must have an established record of high-quality scholarship, sustained or ongoing extramural funding, effective mentoring, and national or international recognition appropriate for rank and tenure. 

Preference will be given to candidates whose research aligns with one or both themes and adds distinctive, strategically important, and complementary expertise to SMB. Experience or interest in intellectual property, industry partnerships, commercialization, or translation into clinical, veterinary, agricultural, or public health applications is desirable.

Application materials are encouraged to be submitted by October 26, 2026 when the screening process will begin.  A letter of application, curriculum vitae, statement of research accomplishments and future plans, a statement of teaching and mentoring philosophy and interests, and contact information for at least three professional references submitted to https://hrs.wsu.edu/careers/, Jobs, Requisition R-15369, where a more detailed notice of vacancy is available. 

In matters of admission, employment, housing or services, or in the educational programs or activities it operates, WSU does not discriminate or permit discrimination by any member of its community against any individual on the basis of sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin, physical disability, mental disability, sensory disability, use of a trained service animal, age, religion, creed, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, honorably discharged veteran, member of the military, or immigration or citizenship status except as authorized by federal or state law, regulation, or government contract.

Inquiries about the application of federal and state laws and regulations (including inquiries regarding the application of Title IX, ADA/Section 504, and implementing regulations), as well as reports and complaints of discrimination and harassment, can be made verbally or in writing to WSU’s Compliance and Civil Rights, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, or both.

More information, resources, and contact information are available here: https://ccr.wsu.edu/notice-of-nondiscrimination/