Assistant Professor Biomedical Engineering

University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Wisconsin–Madison invites applications for up to two tenure-track Assistant Professor positions in Computational Biomedical Engineering, emphasizing AI/ML, mathematical modeling, and data-driven approaches to understand, predict, and engineer biological systems.

Successful candidates will build independent computational research programs, teach undergrad and graduate courses, mentor students, and seek external funding, with strong collaboration across engineering, medicine,

Qualifications

• Strong record of research with peer-reviewed publications
• Expertise in computational methods including AI/ML and mathematical modeling
• Ability to develop innovative computational methodologies for biomedical engineering
• Potential to establish an externally funded research program
• Commitment to excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentoring
• Interest in interdisciplinary collaboration across UW–Madison strengths

Responsibilities

• Teach and develop inclusive undergraduate and graduate courses
• Mentor graduate students and supervise research
• Develop and direct an extramurally funded research program
• Participate in departmental and university governance and service
• Collaborate across campus to integrate computation with experimental and clinical research

Skills

AI/ML

Computational methods

Mathematical modeling

Computational systems biology

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

PhD in Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computational Biology, Physics, or related field

Job description

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Job Category: Faculty

Employment Type: Regular

Job Profile: Assistant Professor

Job Summary

The Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison invites applications for up to two tenure-track Assistant Professor positions in the broad area of Computational Biomedical Engineering. We seek outstanding researchers developing computational, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and mathematical modeling approaches to address fundamental challenges in biomedical engineering and human health. We are particularly interested in candidates developing innovative computational methods and models that advance our ability to understand, predict, and engineer biological systems. These hires represent a strategic investment in expanding computational biomedical engineering at UW–Madison, with the goal of integrating advanced computational methodologies with the department's established strengths in experimental and translational biomedical engineering. Candidates whose research advances AI-enabled precision therapies, including the prediction, design, optimization, or personalization of therapeutic interventions, are particularly encouraged to apply. However, outstanding candidates working in other areas of computational biomedical engineering that complement and extend the department's existing research strengths will receive full consideration.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• AI-enabled therapeutic discovery and engineering: Computational approaches to the discovery, design, and optimization of drugs, biologics, engineered cells, biomaterials, and other therapeutic modalities.
• Computational systems biology and medicine: Mechanistic, network-based, and data-driven approaches to understanding biological systems, disease mechanisms, therapeutic responses, and resistance.
• Multiscale modeling and digital twins: Computational approaches integrating molecular, cellular, tissue, and physiological processes to model biological function, disease progression, and therapeutic outcomes.
• Computational precision medicine: AI/ML and quantitative modeling approaches integrating multimodal biological, imaging, and clinical data to improve disease characterization, prediction, and clinical decision-making.
• Computational approaches to biomedical engineering: Novel computational methods addressing challenges in areas such as tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, neuroengineering, biomechanics, biomedical imaging, and biomedical microtechnologies.

Successful candidates will develop independent, predominantly computational research programs that complement and extend existing departmental capabilities and foster interdisciplinary collaborations across the university. These positions are specifically intended for faculty whose research programs do not require dedicated wet-laboratory facilities. Experimental and clinical collaborations are strongly encouraged, and candidates will have opportunities to work with researchers throughout the College of Engineering, School of Medicine and Public Health, School of Pharmacy, School of Veterinary Medicine, and UW–Madison's broader interdisciplinary research community.

Successful candidates will be expected to establish and sustain innovative, externally funded research programs in computational biomedical engineering; teach and develop undergraduate and graduate courses in biomedical engineering; mentor undergraduate and graduate students and supervise their research; participate in interdisciplinary research collaborations; and contribute to departmental and university service, faculty governance, and professional activities.

Candidates will be encouraged to develop collaborative research programs that integrate computational methodologies with experimental and clinical research across UW–Madison.

Additional Information

The Department of Biomedical Engineering in the College of Engineering at UW–Madison is rapidly expanding with growing student enrollment and new faculty hires. It is a highly collaborative research and educational community with established strengths spanning cellular and tissue engineering, biomaterials, biomechanics, neuroengineering, biomedical imaging, systems biology, and biomedical microtechnologies.

The department is committed to expanding its capabilities in computational biomedical engineering and strengthening the integration of computation, artificial intelligence, and predictive modeling with its established research strengths. These faculty hires will play an important role in shaping the department's future research directions and advancing computational approaches to biomedical discovery, engineering, and translation.

UW–Madison provides an exceptional interdisciplinary environment for this work, with opportunities for collaboration across the College of Engineering, School of Medicine and Public Health, School of Pharmacy, School of Veterinary Medicine and other schools, colleges, and research centers. These include the Carbone Cancer Center, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, Cardiovascular Research Center, and other interdisciplinary research initiatives. In addition, the Center for High Throughput Computing (CHTC) provides world-class resources for data-intensive and computationally demanding research. Researchers have access to over 40,000 CPU cores, 250+ GPUs, and over 5 PB of storage to support large-scale analysis, simulation, and machine learning workloads.

Successful candidates will have opportunities to leverage campus computational research resources and develop collaborations with experimental and clinical investigators, enabling computational innovations to be translated into advances in biomedical science and human health.

Candidates for this position may be eligible for participation in the Excellence in Mentoring Initiative. The Excellence in Mentoring Initiative aims to recruit outstanding faculty who, in addition to their demonstrated excellence or strong potential in research and teaching, are strongly committed to developing, implementing, and promoting effective practices for mentoring undergraduate students, graduate students, and other trainees within their scholarly disciplines. In this case, the faculty member will join a cohort of Excellence in Mentoring Initiative faculty across campus and become part of a growing community of scholars dedicated to inclusive mentorship and student success.

Key Job Responsibilities

Teaching and developing inclusive undergraduate and graduate courses for a diverse student body in the Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and Engineering Mechanics degree programs, mentoring graduate students and supervising their research; developing and directing a successful, extramurally funded research program; participating in departmental and university faculty governance; and contributing to professional and public service.

Department

College of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering

Compensation

Negotiable – 9 months / ongoing / renewable

Required Qualifications

• A strong record of research accomplishment, demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications and other scholarly contributions.
• Expertise in computational methods, including AI/ML, mathematical modeling, computational systems biology, or related quantitative approaches.
• Demonstrated potential to develop innovative computational methodologies or models addressing significant challenges in biomedical engineering.
• Potential to establish a competitive, externally funded research program.
• A commitment to excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentoring.
• Interest in interdisciplinary collaboration and the ability to complement and extend existing departmental research strengths.

Education

Required: PhD in Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computational Biology, Physics, or a closely related field.

Institutional Statement on Diversity

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

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