Assistant Professor - Fixed Term

ASCB; East Lansing (MI); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Michigan State University invites applications for a full-time, 9-month fixed-term Assistant Professor in the Human Biology (HBIO) Program. The start date is August 16, 2027. Responsibilities include teaching HBIO 410: Cellular Basis of Disease and contributing to the HBIO core curriculum.

The role involves curriculum development and service within a collaborative teaching team. The candidate should hold a doctoral degree in cell biology, biomedical sciences, molecular biology, or related field,

Qualifications

• PhD in cell biology, biomedical sciences, molecular biology, developmental biology, or related field.
• Experience teaching at college level as instructor of record or graduate teaching assistant.
• Commitment to evidence-based teaching methods and inclusive learning environments.

Responsibilities

• Teach HBIO 410: Cellular Basis of Disease (2–3 sections per semester).
• Contribute to HBIO core curriculum including HBIO 295 and HBIO 495.
• Engage in curriculum development and service activities.
• Collaborate with faculty, graduate assistants, and teaching staff to enhance learning outcomes.

Skills

Teaching

Curriculum development

Collaborative work

Communication skills

Evidence-based teaching

Education

Doctoral degree in cell biology / biomedical sciences / molecular biology

Job description

The Human Biology (HBIO) Program in the College of Natural Science at Michigan State University invites applications for a full-time, 9-month, fixed-term Assistant Professor. The start date is August 16, 2027. The initial appointment is for one year; reappointment is expected subject to program need, funding, and satisfactory performance.

Human Biology is an interdepartmental undergraduate major that serves a large and diverse population of students interested in careers in medicine, health sciences, and biomedical sciences. The successful candidate will join a dedicated and collaborative teaching team that is developing and implementing an innovative core curriculum focused on biology, health, and society. We welcome applications from candidates with experiences and disciplinary backgrounds related to cell biology, biomedical science, molecular biology, developmental biology, or a similar field.

The primary responsibilities of the successful candidate will be to collaboratively teach HBIO 410: Cellular Basis of Disease, a course in which students explore human cell biology concepts through the study of human disease. The course emphasizes scientific reasoning and provides students with opportunities to build and interpret models, understand methods used to study cell biology, analyze scientific literature, and communicate complex scientific information to a wide variety of audiences. The successful candidate will also be expected to contribute to at least one other course in the HBIO core curriculum. These courses include HBIO295: Human Biology and Society, an introductory course that focuses on societal impacts on disease and on health information literacy, and HBIO495: Capstone in Human Biology, an upper-level course that focuses on science writing and communication. The typical teaching load will be 2-3 course sections per semester. Other responsibilities will include curriculum development and service.

The successful candidate will have demonstrated:

• Strong knowledge and understanding of cell biology concepts and laboratory methods.
• Knowledge and use of evidence-based teaching methods.
• Commitment to or experience with cultivating inviting and welcoming teaching and learning environments in which everyone feels valued and supported.
• Ability to solve problems creatively and work independently.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues as part of a teaching team that includes other faculty, graduate teaching assistants, undergraduate learning assistants, and assistant instructors.
• Commitment to continued professional development.
• Effective and professional written and oral communication skills.

Minimum Requirements

• A doctoral degree in cell biology, biomedical sciences, molecular biology, developmental biology, or a related field.
• At least one year of experience as a college-level instructor of record or graduate teaching assistant in the biological sciences.

Desired Qualifications

• Multiple years of experience as a college-level instructor of record or graduate teaching assistant, particularly in cell and molecular biology or related courses.
• Experience teaching or coordinating high-enrollment courses in the biological sciences, particularly in courses that implement active-learning and evidence-based approaches.
• Experience with discipline-based education research, scholarship of teaching and learning, and/or scholarly approaches to curriculum development.
• Experience with writing pedagogy and/or with scientific writing.
• Professional experience developing and/or disseminating knowledge in a relevant field through research, outreach, publications, or presentations