Assistant Professor (Biology)

Position Title: Assistant Professor (Biology)

Department: Biology

Campus Location: Washburn University

The screening committee will review all eligible applications, with preference given to those received by November 15, 2024, and will continue reviewing until a final decision is made.

Position Summary: Washburn University's Department of Biology invites applications for a 9-month, tenure track faculty position in Biology at the Assistant Professor level (Physiologist) to begin August 1, 2025. The selected candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to pursuing teaching excellence at Washburn University, including a dedication to developing inclusive teaching practices that engage students from all backgrounds.

The Washburn Biology Department offers degrees in the following majors: general biology, environmental biology, forensic biology, molecular biology & biotechnology, and biology secondary education. In addition, the department teaches several service courses that support programs in Nursing, Kinesiology, and Allied Health, among others. The successful candidate will be expected to collaborate pedagogically with a cohesive physiology team in addition to working with students on research projects. In addition to being a requirement for tenure and promotion purposes, research is a requirement of all biology students, and these experiences increase our graduates’ competitiveness in professional programs, graduate school, or the workplace.

Washburn University is a student-centered public institution with a diverse population. Washburn is a 2024 best college to work for, according to the Great Colleges to Work For® program. Located in the heart of Topeka, we are proud to be a cornerstone of the community. Our mission is to provide opportunities for our students to realize their full potential; we can’t do it without our dedicated faculty and staff. Join us at Washburn, and you will be part of a long tradition of excellence.

Washburn employs more than one thousand faculty and staff on our campuses throughout Topeka. We strive to offer competitive wages, an excellent benefits program, a supportive culture and a healthy work/life balance. Washburn seeks to create an environment that reflects our core values for creating positive IMPACT: inclusion, modernization, partnership, achievement, community and transformation.

Essential Functions:
• Fulfill teaching expectations associated with tenure-track appointment. Teach 12-faculty load hours per semester (either in-person or online, according to departmental needs) or equivalent full workload as outlined in the faculty handbook.
• Teach and develop undergraduate classes and seminars as assigned and as dependent upon department needs, which will include Human Physiology and may include Introductory Biology, General Cellular Biology, Anatomy, and Upper Division Physiology or some combination of classes consistent with the candidate’s training and interests.
• Fulfill service expectations associated with tenure-track appointment by engaging in service activities in the department, university, and profession.
• Fulfill scholarship expectations associated with a tenure-track appointment.
• Establish a research program involving undergraduates, potentially collaborating with faculty in Biology, Kinesiology, Nursing, Allied Health, or other areas.
• Mentor and advise students interested in pursuing careers in health-related fields.
• Perform additional job-related duties as assigned or as appropriate.

Required Qualifications:
• Doctoral degree in Physiology, Biology, or a closely related field. ABD applicants will be considered, with completion of the doctorate by August 1, 2026.
• Demonstrated dedication to developing inclusive teaching practices that engage students from all backgrounds.
• Official transcripts are required once hired.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience teaching at the university level.
• Physiology teaching experience and course development (preference for Human Physiology).
• Experience or potential for research in a field of physiology or related discipline.
• Experience or potential to involve undergraduate students in research projects.

Special Instructions to Applicants:
• Please upload the following items as .pdf files to the “additional documents” fields via the electronic application: a letter of interest, statement of teaching philosophy with inclusive teaching practices, evidence of teaching effectiveness (such as student or peer evaluations), and an outline of research plans – especially those involving undergraduates. Please also include contact information for three current professional references.
• If you have questions about the position, please contact Dr. Tracy Wagner, Chair, Physiology Search Committee tracy.wagner@washburn.edu. Please add PHYSIOLOGY SEARCH in the email subject line.

Background Check Required