The University of California Santa Barbara invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant Professor Level. The position is a part of a multi-year, multi-departmental initiative to establish an interdisciplinary research effort and graduate training program in the area of Quantitative Biosciences, emphasizing experimentation, computational and theoretical approaches to the study of living systems, on scales from molecules to entire organisms. Subjects of interest include, but are not limited to:
· biophysical mechanisms underlying emerging properties in living matter;
· chemical approaches (e.g., proteomic, spectroscopy, …) to elucidating biological phenomena;
· organizational principles of subcellular and subnuclear dynamics;
· quantitative studies of development and tissue mechanics;
· metabolism and energetics of biological processes;
· neural computation for sensation and behavioral control.
We are especially interested in experimental scientists who combine modern tools from multiple disciplines to understand biological organization and function on multiple scales. Candidates who focus on theoretical aspects may be considered, but a demonstrated record of effective interactions and collaborations with experimentalist is expected.
The successful candidate's faculty appointment will be split between the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomolecular Science and Engineering and the academic department(s) most closely corresponding to the candidate’s research focus and teaching qualifications, including, but not limited to Chemistry & Biochemistry; Ecology, Evolution & Marine Biology; Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology and Physics. Preference will be given to candidates with broad scientific interests, a record of research excellence and creativity, and a strong commitment to undergraduate and graduate teaching. Interdisciplinary educational background combining biology with physical and mathematical sciences and/or a strong record of active interdisciplinary collaboration will also be valued.
Responsibilities of faculty members generally include the development of an actively funded research program of the highest quality, teaching at undergraduate and/or graduate levels, recruitment, supervision, and mentorship of graduate students, and participation in university service and professional activities.
The University is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through research, teaching and service as appropriate to the position. In 2023-24, UC Santa Barbara departments are partnering with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to launch a special faculty recruitment initiative named after Benjamin Banneker, the 18th-century African American mathematician, astronomer, antiracist, engineer, ecologist, and peace advocate. Funded by an Advancing Faculty Diversity grant from the UC Office of the President, the Banneker Initiative proposes to hire scientists, engineers and interdisciplinary scholars as UCSB faculty, whose disciplinary and interdisciplinary work shares Banneker’s concerns as an African American scientist, especially his desire to advance scientific and engineering knowledge for the public good. With the goal of creating a diverse community around such concerns, applicants may be eligible to be fellows in the Benjamin Banneker Initiative. The community of Banneker Fellows will receive funding for cohort building and professional development activities, including enrollment in the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity Faculty Success Program, proposal writing training, and seed grants.