Assistant Professor (Tenure-Track) Faculty Position

University of MI- College of Pharmacy; Ann Arbor (MI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Michigan College of Pharmacy seeks an innovative researcher for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The successful candidate will establish an externally funded program and contribute to teaching and service across graduate, PharmD, and undergraduate education.

The role offers 75% protected research time for the first five years, with collaboration across AI, data-driven pharma, and biomedical informatics resources, and

Qualifications

• Ph.D. (or equivalent terminal degree) in pharmaceutical sciences or closely related field.
• Meet the NIH definition of Early Stage Investigator (ESI) at the start date (anticipated July 2027).
• Have never had a tenure-track faculty appointment.
• Have an outstanding research record and strong potential to establish an innovative, externally funded program.
• Demonstrate commitment to promoting health equity in research, teaching, and service.

Responsibilities

• Develop an independent, externally funded research program.
• Contribute to graduate, professional (PharmD), and undergraduate teaching.
• Engage in collaborative, interdisciplinary research across campus.
• Promote health equity through teaching, mentoring, and service.

Education

Ph.D. (or equivalent terminal degree) in pharmaceutical sciences or closely related field

Job description

Assistant Professor (Tenure-Track) Faculty Position Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences College of Pharmacy University of Michigan

The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the University of Michigan (UM) College of Pharmacy seeks outstanding candidates for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor. We are seeking an innovative scientist who will establish a nationally recognized, externally funded research program that complements and expands the department's strengths in pharmaceutical sciences.

As part of a new faculty cluster hire, this position is supported in partnership with the Michigan Program for Advancing Cultural Transformation (M-PACT), which seeks to build a sustainable scientific community that strengthens the capacity of those who serve as catalysts for change in academic and healthcare environments. M-PACT is funded in part by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. M-PACT is a state-of-the-art faculty development program for new tenure-track faculty with a demonstrated and ongoing commitment to advancing issues of diversity, equity, access, and inclusion in the health sciences.

The successful candidate will have 75% protected research time for their first 5 years and will be expected to build an independent, externally funded research program. Teaching and service expectations will be defined in collaboration with the Department Chair. Candidates should demonstrate the potential for or experience with leadership in research and professional activities, including publication, research funding, participation in collaborative and interdisciplinary initiatives, and service to the College, University, and broader academic community. They must be able to articulate how their research, teaching, and/or service activities will support the College’s mission.

The University of Michigan offers an exceptional environment for computational and data-driven pharmaceutical sciences. Faculty benefit from world-class resources in artificial intelligence, machine learning, high-performance computing, and biomedical informatics, including the Great Lakes and ARMIS high-performance computing cluster and expanding AI computing infrastructure. Collaborative opportunities span the College of Pharmacy, Michigan Medicine, the Medical School, College of Engineering, School of Public Health, and campus-wide initiatives in AI and Precision Health. Investigators have access to extensive clinical, genomic, imaging, and real-world health datasets, enabling interdisciplinary research in computational biology, drug discovery, translational science, and precision therapeutics.

Areas of Research

We invite applications from exceptional investigators whose research advances pharmaceutical sciences through computational, quantitative, and data-driven approaches. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Computational (AI, machine learning) approaches to drug discovery, engineering, and development. Small-molecule therapeutics. Peptides and protein therapeutics. Nucleic acid medicine. Cell & gene therapies, and other next-generation therapeutics.
• Computational approaches to the development of drug formulations and delivery systems. Drug formulations and drug delivery systems: AI- and machine learning-enabled design of formulations and drug delivery systems for small molecules, biologics, nucleic acids, and advanced therapeutics. Biopharmaceutical performance: Mechanistic and data-driven modeling of drug release, transport, absorption, biodistribution, and pharmacokinetics. Digital pharmaceutics: AI, digital twins, and model-informed approaches for formulation development, manufacturing, and quality by design (QbD).
• Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modeling and simulation. PK/PD modeling and simulation for drug development and precision dosing. Quantitative analysis of exposure-response relationships and therapeutic optimization. Model-informed strategies integrating preclinical and clinical data for translational medicine.
• Pharmacometrics, quantitative systems pharmacology, and model-informed drug development (MIDD).

Applicants whose research integrates computational methods with experimental, translational, or clinical pharmaceutical sciences are particularly encouraged to apply. Candidates are expected to develop innovative methodologies that accelerate therapeutic discovery, optimize drug development, improve regulatory decision-making, and ultimately enhance patient outcomes.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop an internationally recognized, independent, externally funded research program while contributing to the educational mission of the Department through graduate, professional (PharmD), and undergraduate teaching and mentoring. We are seeking someone who brings diverse experiences, perspectives, and/or ideas and is interested in addressing health equity through inclusive excellence in the UM community via research, teaching, and/or service activities. The successful applicant is also expected to participate actively in interdisciplinary collaborations across the College of Pharmacy, Michigan Medicine, the broader UM community, and external partners.

Candidates should demonstrate strong potential for leadership in research and professional activities, including publication, extramural funding, mentoring, collaborative scholarship, and service to the department, college, university, and profession. Applicants should also articulate how their research, teaching, mentoring, and service align with the mission of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the College of Pharmacy.

Eligibility

• A Ph.D. (or equivalent terminal degree) in pharmaceutical sciences, biomedical engineering, chemistry, chemical engineering, pharmacology, molecular biology, biotechnology, or a closely related field.
• Meet the NIH definition of Early Stage Investigator (ESI) at the start date of their appointment (anticipated July 2027). Unless extended, this means that the above terminal degree was or will be conferred between June 30th, 2017, and July 1, 2027.
• Have never had a tenure-track faculty appointment in an institution of higher education.
• Have an outstanding research record and strong potential to establish an innovative, externally funded research program.
• A demonstrated track record of promoting health equity within their field of study through their own research, teaching/mentoring, and/or service activities as well as a commitment to continue to promote health equity in the future through these and/or other activities.
• A demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching and mentoring students at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels.
• A commitment to fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and supportive academic environment.
• Is currently and will continue to be eligible for NIH funding throughout their time in the program.

Review of applications will begin immediately after the application deadline.

Questions regarding this position may be directed to the Chair of the Search Committee. We highly encourage you to direct inquiries about this position to the chair of our faculty search committee, Dr. Guizhi (Julian) Zhu ([e-mail]).

About the M-PACT Statement

M-PACT is a federally funded, university-wide faculty initiative. It aims to drive transformative research, life-changing teaching, and accessible clinical care that will support the health of ALL, including a strong commitment to communities who have been underserved. By partnering with faculty throughout their careers, M-PACT strengthens the capacity of those who serve as catalysts for change in academic and healthcare environments.

In order to ensure that the strongest candidates for the program are selected,please submita statement of no more than 3 pages as a single .pdf document. This statement describes your record of past experiences and accomplishments related to addressing issues related to inequities in health outcomes including risk, disease progression, outcomes, and service as well as your future plans to address health equity issues through your scholarship/research, teaching/mentoring, and/or service/engagement throughout your career. To the best of your ability, please briefly describe how you plan to work towards greater health equity in your research, teaching, and/or service activities specifically at the UM. All selections will be made solely on the basis of applicants’ professional experiences, qualifications, and demonstrated achievements. In keeping with federal and university policy, personal identity characteristics- such as race, gender, national origin, or sexual orientation will not be considered at any stage of the hiring or selection process.

About the UM College of Pharmacy

Established in 1876, the UM College of Pharmacy is the first college of pharmacy created within a state-supported university. In addition to the Pharm.D. program, the College has a B.S. in pharmaceutical sciences, M.S. in Integrated Pharmaceutical Sciences, and three Ph.D. programs (Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry, and Clinical Pharmacy). The College of Pharmacy was recently named one of America's top colleges by US News and World Report (currently ranked #2). Faculty benefit from exceptional research infrastructure and numerous opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration across the UM, including Michigan Medicine, the Life Sciences Institute, Rogel Cancer Center, Biointerfaces Institute, Precision Health, and other research centers. For more information about UM-CoP, please visit: https://pharmacy.umich.edu/.

UM Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement

The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the College of Pharmacy, and the UM are committed to recruiting and retaining an outstanding and diverse faculty. The UM is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all faculty, staff, and students. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.