Assistant Professor in Medical and Pharmaceutical Packaging

The American Ceramic Society; Blacksburg (VA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an Assistant Professor in Medical and Pharmaceutical Packaging. This tenure-track position emphasizes research and teaching, focusing on innovative packaging solutions for medical devices and pharmaceuticals. The role offers an exciting opportunity to lead cutting-edge research and collaborate across disciplines within a supportive academic environment. Ideal candidates will have a PhD in relevant fields and a strong track record in securing research funding. Join a vibrant community dedicated to advancing knowledge and technology in sustainable packaging.

Qualifications

• PhD required in relevant fields such as Packaging Science or Biomedical Engineering.
• Ability to secure research funding and teach university-level courses.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain a distinguished research program in medical packaging.
• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses related to medical packaging.

Skills

Research Funding Acquisition

Teaching Excellence

Packaging Science

Biomedical Engineering

Collaboration with Industry

Education

PhD in Packaging Science

PhD in Biomedical Engineering

PhD in Material Science and Engineering

Job description

The Department of Sustainable Biomaterials (SBIO) at Virginia Tech invites applications for an Assistant Professor in Medical and Pharmaceutical Packaging. This is a 9-month, tenure-track faculty position with 65% research, 30% teaching, and 5% service responsibilities. The department’s Packaging Systems and Design degree, ranked #5 in the United States, focuses on developing future leaders in development and use of sustainable packaging materials. Virginia Tech is committed to fostering a welcoming and supportive environment where all people can succeed and thrive.

The successful candidate will be expected to establish and maintain a distinguished, well-funded research program at the cutting edge of medical and pharmaceutical packaging. Areas of focus may include sterile medical device packaging, pharmaceutical delivery systems, active packaging for shelf-life extension, smart health packaging, combination products, digital traceability, tamper-evident packaging, and packaging manufactured from sustainable materials. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to secure external research funding - both through partnerships with packaging manufacturers and suppliers, and through collaborative grant proposals aimed at advancing biomedical technologies, supported by agencies such as the NIH, NSF, DoD, as well as foundations and industry partners.

The candidate must display teaching excellence through innovative teaching methods. Teaching responsibilities will include one undergraduate, and one graduate course related to medical and pharmaceutical packaging.

Application Process

Application materials should include the following information:

• a one-page cover letter including a statement of interest in the position
• a curriculum vitae
• a teaching philosophy statement of up to three pages
• a research philosophy statement of up to three pages
• names, titles, and complete contact information for three references

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check and driving check.

Inquiries should be directed to Dr. Laszlo Horvath, Chair, Search Committee: Department of Sustainable Biomaterials, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Virginia Tech, 1650 Research Center Dr, Blacksburg, VA 24061. Phone: [phone] or email: [e-mail] .

As a world leader in polymers, biomedical research, and health sciences, Virginia Tech has state of the art facilities that support the design, development, testing, and optimization of packaging for medical devices, pharmaceutical products, and drug delivery systems. This position will enhance interdisciplinary collaborations across the university, including with the Department of Food Science, Carilion School of Medicine, Macromolecules Innovation Institute, Veterinary Medicine, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program on Infectious Diseases, and the Institute for Critical Technologies and Applied Sciences (ICTAS).

The successful candidate will be expected to collaborate effectively with colleagues within the department, within other units at Virginia Tech, and with partners from other universities, regulatory agencies, and industry, both domestically and internationally. In addition, the candidate is expected to serve on departmental, college, and university committees.

Required Qualifications

1. PhD degree in Packaging Science, Material Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Microbiology, Health Science, Chemistry, or other relevant engineering or science fields.
2. Ability to develop and teach university-level lectures and laboratories.
3. Ability to secure research funding to support an active program and graduate students.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Expertise in sterilization methods and materials, specifically ISO 11607; Packaging for terminally sterilized medical devices and EN 868-1; Packaging Materials and systems for medical devices which are to be sterilized.
2. Industrial and/or research experience in medical and/or pharmaceutical packaging.
3. Experience with packaging science used for medical devices, pharmaceutical products, drug delivery systems, and any goods used in the healthcare industry.
4. Demonstrated ability to collaborate with faculty, private industry, and federal agencies.