JOB AD: IMMUNOENGINEERING
Assistant or Associate Professor in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
The William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Houston (UH) seeks to hire a tenure-track or tenured faculty member at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor under the Presidential Frontier Faculty Program with research interests in the field of Biomolecular Engineering, with Immunoengineering being the preferred focus area.
The Presidential Frontier Faculty Program is a university-wide integrated interdisciplinary hiring campaign that is overseen by central University leadership and encompasses hiring a large cohort of convergence research faculty to work on health, energy, sustainability, and security. Competitive candidates are expected to have a Ph.D. degree or equivalent when they start their position and show potential for exceptional research and excellence in teaching and service. The successful candidate will be appointed at a rank commensurate with accomplishments and expertise.
Description of the position: We are seeking faculty candidates who will develop an externally-funded research program in biomolecular engineering aimed at overcoming grand challenges in the broad field immunoengineering and immunotherapy. Examples of relevant focus areas include: (1) antibody discovery and development, (2) cell-based therapies, (3) vaccines or synthetic vaccinology including reverse vaccinology, and (4) immunomaterials for delivery. Expertise in cancer immunology and immonoengineering would be particularly desirable because it will maximize synergistic opportunities for innovative research with other UH researchers and researchers from the nearby Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world with researchers working at the forefront of the life sciences. The Department has 25 tenured and tenure-track faculty, modern research facilities, annual research expenditures exceeding $10 million, and a vibrant graduate program with more than 100 PhD students. The successful candidate will join a collegial group of research-oriented faculty working in a highly collaborative environment and be a member of the prestigious Presidential Frontier Faculty network of scholars at UH.
UH is a Carnegie Tier 1 Public Research University and is home to several research centers and institutes that provide opportunities for collaborative research, including the UH Drug Discovery Institute, UH Hewlett Packard Enterprise Data Science Institute, the Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, and the recently awarded $44.2 million Consortium for Translational and Precision Health between UH and Baylor College of Medicine, to name a few. The successful candidate will have access to state of the art shared core facilities at UH and the Texas Medical Center.
UH is one of the most ethnically diverse major research Universities in the United States. It is a Hispanic Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. Students come to UH from more than 137 nations and from across the world. UH is also an ADVANCE institution, one of a select group of Universities receiving funding from the National Science Foundation in support of its commitment to increase the number and success of women faculty in STEM fields.
The Houston Metropolitan Area offers excellent quality of living and a vibrant arts and entertainment scene propelled by a growing economy. Houston has a broad industrial base in Energy, Chemicals, Materials, Aeronautics, and Medical Technologies offering additional opportunities for collaborative research.
A complete application consists of: (1) a cover letter; (2) Curriculum Vitae; (3) a detailed description of research interests (not to exceed 5 pages); (4) a statement of education, discussing teaching interests and experience, and mentoring experience (not to exceed 2 pages); (5) three representative publications; and (6) the name and contact information (email address and phone number) of three professional references whom we may contact. Review of applications will begin by November 15, 2024, and applications will continue to be reviewed until the position is filled. The position is available effective September 1, 2025.
The University of Houston is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Minorities, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Additionally, the University prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. The University of Houston is responsive to the needs of dual-career couples.
For more information please contact:
Professor Navin Varadarajan
Faculty Search Committee Chair
E-mail: chbefacultysearch [at] egr.uh.edu (chbefacultysearch[at]egr[dot]uh[dot]edu)
A link for uploading application materials will be posted here: https://www.chee.uh.edu/about/open-positions
Department Highlights
- Omar Abdelrahman joined the ChBE faculty as Associate Professor.
- Sri Bala Gorugantu and Lawrence Dooling will join the ChBE faculty as Assistant Professors (1/25).
- Jeremy Palmer was promoted to Professor.
- Katerina Kourentzi was promoted to Research Full Professor.
- Praveen Bollini was promoted to Associate Professor.
- Welch Foundation funded two Catalyst for Discovery Centers:
- Center for Advanced Bioactive Materials Crystallization (PI: Jeffrey Rimer).
- Center for Polymer Upcycling (PI: Megan Robertson).
- Jerrod Henderson received the 2024 UH Undergraduate Research Mentor Award.
- Omar Abdelrahman was recognized in AIChE's 35 Under 35.
- Vincent Donnelly was elected Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.