Work type: Teaching & Research Faculty
Senior management: College of Science
Department: Dean of Science
Location: Blacksburg Area
Categories: Instructional / Teaching Faculty
Job Description
The College of Science at Virginia Tech (https://www.science.vt.edu/) invites applications for a Collegiate Assistant Professor (non tenure-track) in the area of molecular modeling of proteins and nucleic acids. This new faculty member is expected to contribute to a vibrant and growing undergraduate Nanoscience Degree Program (majors in Nanoscience and Nanomedicine) in the Academy of Integrated Science. The successful candidate will play a role in developing and delivering new instructional material to undergraduate students majoring in Nanomedicine. The Nanomedicine major is part of the Nanoscience program in the Academy of Integrated Science at Virginia Tech (https://www.ais.science.vt.edu/academics/nanomedicine.html). The program’s instructional activities will be primarily situated in the main campus in Blacksburg at Virginia Tech.
The Collegiate Faculty position is a non tenure-track position at the Assistant Collegiate Professor level offers a 3-year renewable appointment. This position offers a clear path to promotion with increasingly longer contracts and promotion criteria clearly defined by College of Science and University guidelines. Collegiate Faculty participate in the College’s missions for excellence in education, scholarship, service, and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. For details on this track, see https://www.provost.vt.edu/faculty_affairs/faculty_handbook/chapter05/chapter05.html. A substantial portion of the Collegiate Faculty position will be dedicated to the creation, delivery, and oversight of core courses in the program curriculum, as well as the opportunity to develop unique courses based on the applicant's specific areas of expertise. The successful candidate for this position will also focus on creating, delivering, and overseeing innovative experiential learning opportunities in research in the area of nanomedicine on campus. The candidate’s research program may be scholarship on teaching and learning, and/or on disciplinary topics, and must produce findings that are presented in professional venues including conferences and journal publications. There is, however, no expectation of a research program so extensive as to be appropriate for a tenure-track faculty appointment and thus, research development should align with the department’s expectations for the faculty member’s appointment.
Responsibilities of this Collegiate Faculty position will include (1) teaching and/or overseeing courses in the undergraduate Nanomedicine major in the Nanoscience Degree Program; (2) curriculum development; (3) coordinating undergraduate research experiences for nanomedicine majors. Teaching areas will range from introductory to advanced material pertinent to the Nanomedicine major. Coursework developed by the candidate will cultivate scientific communication, ethics, and experimental design. Successful applicants will also have the opportunity to develop innovative elective courses in computational molecular modeling involving, for example, drug design, delivery, and/or virtual drug screening that are pertinent to objectives of the undergraduate nanomedicine curriculum.
Required Qualifications
A successful candidate for this position will have a Ph.D. in biochemistry, molecular biology, bioengineering or biophysics and will be passionate about teaching undergraduate students in an inclusive and integrated environment.
Preferred Qualifications
Desirable characteristics we seek include a record of pedagogical achievement and vision, creativity, and leadership skills relevant to instruction. In addition, we seek candidates with experience in the following areas: structure-based drug design methods (e.g., virtual screening, molecular dynamics simulations) and software (e.g., UCSF DOCK, Autodock or similar), molecular modeling and assessment of protein design, use of molecular visualization/simulation software (e.g., PyMOL, Rosetta, MOE), in-depth understanding of protein and DNA bioinformatic database resources, and knowledge of biochemical and biophysical techniques used to characterize protein-ligand binding interactions.
Appointment Type
Regular
Salary Information
Commensurate with experience
Review Date
October 15, 2021
Additional Information
The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Amanda Shepheard at [email protected] during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
Advertised: September 1, 2021
Applications close: