Tenure Track Faculty Position in Microbiology, Department of Biology
The Department of Biology at Wake Forest University invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track faculty position in microbiology, with a start date of July 1, 2025. We are seeking candidates whose research program addresses fundamental aspects of physiology, biochemistry, and/or genetics of prokaryotes using cellular, molecular, and/or biochemical approaches from single organisms to communities and ecosystems. Individuals whose research focuses on eukaryotic microbes are encouraged to apply to the “Eukaryotic Cell Biology” position, but also speak to any potential contributions to microbiology education and research in our department. Research programs that complement existing areas within the Biology and Chemistry Departments at Wake Forest are encouraged to apply. Recruited faculty will join a collaborative community of teacher-scholars engaging in research spanning the tree of life from the biosphere to molecules. Information about research being conducted in the Biology Department can be found at biology.wfu.edu.
Successful candidates will teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels with the opportunity to participate in a new integrative graduate curriculum. Teaching loads are consistent with our high expectations for research and include courses in Microbiology (lecture and lab) and another upper-level course that serves Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) and Biology majors, which could include Biochemistry or another course in the candidate’s area of expertise. Successful candidates will demonstrate a strong commitment to developing thriving, externally-funded research programs and engaging Biology Ph.D. and M.S. students, as well as undergraduates majoring in Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, or Environmental Science in the research laboratory and classroom. The Biology Department spans two campuses (Reynolda Campus and Wake Downtown) and offers both a Biology major and a BMB major in collaboration with the Chemistry Department, and supports an Environmental Science major and Neuroscience minor. This new faculty member will move into a newly renovated open research space at Wake Downtown in a laboratory adjacent to new hires in Eukaryotic Cell Biology and Biochemistry with tissue culture space that can be made to be BSL-2 compliant and space for growing organisms (including plants). The department supports faculty and student research with excellent shared facilities including two fully staffed, state-of-the-art microscopy facilities, a greenhouse, and a mass spectrometry facility. We have limited animal facilities on site with potential space at the medical school, adjacent to the Wake Downtown building, but we cannot support large animal colonies. Faculty and student research is supported by the Center for Molecular Signaling and the Center for Redox Biology and Medicine. Faculty will also have the opportunity to form collaborations and affiliations within the adjacent Wake Forest School of Medicine, including participation in a Molecular and Cellular Biosciences Ph.D. program. For more information about the position, please contact the Chair of the search committee, Dr. Regina Cordy (microbio@wfu.edu). To apply, go to hr.wfu.edu/careers and select Faculty Openings.
Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled, but for full consideration, materials should be submitted by the start of the application review on October 1, 2024. Applications should include (i) a cover letter detailing interest in the specific position (limit 1-2 pages), (ii) a curriculum vitae (no page limit), (iii) a concise statement of research interests (3-4 pages), and (iv) a statement of teaching philosophy (2-3 pages). Research statements should include (but are not limited to) research questions, past accomplishments, short-term and long-term research plans, and ideas on how your research program will foster inclusivity. Briefly describe any potential broader societal impacts of your research. Teaching statements should address teaching philosophy, classroom and assessment approaches, and how you will create a learning environment that supports diverse students. All documents must be compiled as a single PDF file and submitted via hr.wfu.edu/careers. Selected applicants will be asked later to provide three letters of recommendation. Inquiries specific to the application process and document submission should be directed to wakejobs@wfu.edu.
Founded in 1834, Wake Forest University (WFU) is a private university located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that combines a small (approximately 5,300 undergraduates) liberal arts collegiate university with 3,200 graduate students in schools of arts and science, medicine, law, business, and divinity. The Department of Biology awards both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. The quality of the undergraduate and graduate teaching environments is outstanding, and our faculty combine commitment to that mission with nationally and internationally recognized leadership in research.
We offer undergraduate degrees in Biology (B.A. and B.S.), a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology B.S. degree through a partnership with the Chemistry Department, and support a B.A. degree in Environmental Science. A major in Neuroscience is in development. This position is one of four this year in Biology, with additional new hires in the next two years, providing opportunities for collaboration with new and established researchers from Biology and other departments, including Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics & Statistics, Physics and Engineering. The University has a deep institutional commitment to public service and engagement with the world, as indicated by the motto “Pro Humanitate.” For more information about the University, go to www.wfu.edu/visitors/quickfacts.html.
Wake Forest University is an AA/EO employer and values an inclusive and diverse learning community and campus climate. To provide a safe and productive learning and living community, Wake Forest University conducts background investigations for all final faculty candidates being considered for employment. Wake Forest seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce while promoting an inclusive work environment committed to excellence in the spirit of Pro Humanitate. In adherence with applicable laws and as provided by University policies, the University prohibits discrimination in its employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability and veteran status and encourages qualified candidates across all group demographics to apply.
Winston-Salem is part of the beautiful Piedmont Triad metropolitan region of North Carolina, which has a population of more than 1.5 million and is listed among the 35 best places to live in North America by Cities Ranked and Rated. Known as the “City of Arts and Innovation,” Winston-Salem offers a vast array of arts experiences ranging from music venues to galleries to theater and film and jazz festivals and active biomedical and environmental research communities. The city is ranked among the top 50 US cities for affordability on national surveys. Winston-Salem is 70 minutes from the Blue Ridge of the Appalachian Mountains, 4 hours from the Atlantic Ocean, and offers excellent opportunities for developing a local research program. Other prominent universities are approximately 90 minutes away in the Research Triangle area.