Scientific Director (Research Assistant Professor)

University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill; Elkins Hills (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Professional training opportunities

Discounts on campus events

Job summary

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill seeks a Scientific Director (Research Assistant Professor) for the Juliano Research Group in Infectious Diseases. You will lead a multidisciplinary team focused on malaria biology, genomics, bioinformatics, and translational studies with global health impact.

The successful candidate will expand an established research enterprise, develop an independent program, and collaborate with international partners.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Genomics, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, or a closely related field.
• Postdoctoral or equivalent research experience in genomics, molecular epidemiology, infectious diseases, or a related discipline.
• Expertise in the analysis and interpretation of DNA and RNA sequencing data, including development and implementation of bioinformatic workflows and pipelines.
• Experience leading and coordinating multidisciplinary research teams, including supervision of research staff, trainees, and/or technical personnel.
• Experience in research design, project management, data analysis, and interpretation of complex biological datasets.

Responsibilities

• Oversee laboratory and analytical personnel and coordinate multidisciplinary research activities.
• Contribute to grant development and scientific publications.
• Foster innovation across projects focusing on malaria pathogenesis, immunity, genomics, and surveillance.
• Lead development of an independent research program and trajectory toward independence.
• Collaborate with international partners; travel may be required.

Skills

Leadership

Data analysis

Team coordination

Written & oral communication

Bioinformatics workflows

Education

Ph.D. in Bioinformatics or related field

Tools

High-performance computing

Cloud computing

Bioinformatic pipelines

Job description

Posting Information

• Department: Med-Infectious Diseases - 411460
• Posting Open Date: 07/29/2026
• Application Deadline:
• Open Until Filled: Yes
• Position Type: Permanent Faculty
• Working Title: Scientific Director (Research Assistant Professor)
• Appointment Type: Fixed Term Faculty
• Vacancy ID: FAC0006034
• Full-time/Part-time: Full-Time Permanent
• Hours per week: 40
• FTE: 1
• Position Location: North Carolina, US
• Hiring Range:
• Proposed Start Date: 10/01/2026

Position Information

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education and research.

Patient care: We promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond.

Education: We prepare tomorrow`s healthcare professionals and biomedical researchers from all backgrounds by facilitating learning within innovative and integrated curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education to ensure a highly skilled workforce.

Research: We develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers and resources. We provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our university to support outstanding research. We foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic and population research.

Position Summary

The Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases is seeking an Assistant Professor. The successful applicant will serve as Scientific Director of the Juliano Research Group and will lead a multidisciplinary team focused on molecular biology, genomics, bioinformatics, and translational research related to malaria and other infectious diseases of global health importance. The position includes full support to direct and expand an established, internationally recognized research enterprise, with the expectation that the successful candidate will progressively develop an independent research program and establish a trajectory toward research independence.

This position requires expertise in original scholarship, research design, implementation of research procedures, project leadership, data analysis, and interpretation of results. A substantial component of the role involves the analysis and integration of high-dimensional genomic and transcriptomic datasets, including DNA and RNA sequencing data, from primary data processing through biological interpretation. Additional expertise in metabolomics, lipidomics, or other systems biology approaches is highly desirable.

The successful applicant will oversee laboratory and analytical personnel, coordinate multidisciplinary research activities, contribute to grant development and scientific publications, and foster innovation across a diverse portfolio of projects. Research activities will primarily focus on malaria pathogenesis, immunity, genomics, molecular epidemiology, and surveillance, while also contributing to studies of other pathogens and diseases of global health significance.

The position is embedded within the collaborative environment of the Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Ecology Laboratory (IDEEL), providing opportunities to engage with investigators across clinical, epidemiologic, laboratory, computational, and implementation science disciplines. Strong interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills are essential, as the successful applicant will work closely with trainees, staff, faculty collaborators, and international research partners. Collaboration with international partners may require travel to sites.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

• Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Genomics, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, or a closely related field.
• Postdoctoral or equivalent research experience in genomics, molecular epidemiology, infectious diseases, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated expertise in the analysis and interpretation of DNA and RNA sequencing data, including development and implementation of bioinformatic workflows and pipelines.
• Experience leading and coordinating multidisciplinary research teams, including supervision of research staff, trainees, and/or technical personnel.
• Experience in research design, project management, data analysis, and interpretation of complex biological datasets.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

• Expertise in malaria biology, molecular epidemiology, genomics, immunology, or global infectious diseases.
• Experience integrating multi-omic datasets, including transcriptomics, metabolomics, lipidomics, proteomics, or related systems biology approaches.
• Experience contributing to grant writing, scientific reporting, and development of externally funded research programs.
• Experience mentoring trainees, junior scientists, and research staff.
• Experience working with international research partners and multidisciplinary collaborative networks.
• Demonstrated potential to establish and sustain an independent research program.
• Experience utilizing high-performance computing or cloud-based environments for large-scale biological data analysis.
• Demonstrated record of original scholarship, including peer-reviewed publications and scientific dissemination.
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a collaborative, team-science environment and to foster productive scientific collaborations.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

Campus Security Authority Responsibilities

Not Applicable.

Quick Link

https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/323093

Department Contact Information

• Department Contact Name and Title: Rhonda Nord
• Department Contact Telephone or Email: [e-mail]
• If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the University's Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost office at (919)-962-1091 or send an email to [e-mail]. Please note: The Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost office will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status. If you have any questions about the job requirements or the hiring department notify the Department Contact.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.