Assistant Professor of Computational Biology

Position Announcement

The Department of Biological Sciences at Utah Tech University
invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant
Professor position in Computational Biology, with a primary focus
on Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) algorithms and their
pedagogical application at both the undergraduate and graduate
levels. This position is part of a two-position hire supporting the
department's expanding programs in bioinformatics and
genomics.

The successful candidate will be an expert in NGS algorithms and
pipeline development, capable of translating complex computational
concepts for students at varying levels of experience. The position
will provide instruction for an existing Bachelor of Science in
Bioinformatics and Master of Science in Genomics with a
Bioinformatics emphasis.

The Biological Sciences department houses degree programs in
Bioinformatics, Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Natural
Sciences, and Biology Secondary Education. Additional program
information is available at https://biology.utahtech.edu/
.

Responsibilities

Teaching and Curriculum

• Teach 24 credit hours of lower and/or upper-division courses

per academic year across undergraduate and graduate levels.

• Deliver upper-division and master's-level courses in NGS

algorithms, bioinformatics pipeline design, computational genomics,
and related topics, with the ability to adapt instruction to
students from both computational and life science backgrounds.

• Teach core NGS topics including short- and long-read sequencing

platforms, read alignment algorithms (e.g., BWA, STAR, minimap2),
variant calling, de novo assembly, transcriptomics, and epigenomics
analysis.

• Develop and teach additional courses as needed, which may

include Principles of Genetics, Introduction to Programming for
Biologists, or Statistical Genomics, depending on departmental need
and applicant expertise.

• Create innovative upper-level elective courses that reflect

emerging areas of NGS technology and computational biology,
complementing and diversifying the department's current
offerings.

• Design and deliver instruction in multiple modalities including

face-to-face, flipped classroom, hybrid, and fully online formats;
willingness to teach evening and summer courses when needed.

Research and Mentorship

• Mentor master's students in functional genomics and NGS-focused

research projects, guiding them from data generation through
computational analysis and interpretation.

• Supervise undergraduate research in computational biology,

providing hands-on experience with NGS datasets and bioinformatics
workflows.

• Maintain an active scholarly profile consistent with the

teacher-scholar model, including publications, presentations, or
collaborative research appropriate to a primarily undergraduate and
master's serving institution.

• Assist in mentoring and supervising part-time instructors

teaching in the bioinformatics program.

Service and Institutional Contribution

• Collaborate with the Department Chair, Dean, and faculty

colleagues on curriculum development, program assessment, and
strategic planning for both the Bioinformatics B.S. and Genomics
M.S. programs.

• Perform campus-wide service duties including holding regular

office hours, attending department and division meetings, serving
on university and college committees, and participating in outreach
and recruitment activities.

• Contribute to interdisciplinary curricular and scholarly

activities within the Department, the College of Science,
Engineering & Technology, and the University.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required

• PhD in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Genomics,

Computer Science with a biological application focus, or a closely
related field.

• Demonstrated expertise in NGS algorithms and the analysis of

high-throughput sequencing data, with proficiency in at least one
scripting/programming language (Python, R, Bash, or equivalent) and
familiarity with bioinformatics tools and workflow management
systems (e.g., Snakemake, Nextflow).

• Successful teaching experience at the college or university

level, with evidence of effective instruction of NGS and
computational biology topics to students from diverse disciplinary
backgrounds.

• Demonstrated ability to design and deliver innovative

curriculum using a variety of instructional approaches, including
active learning, project-based learning, and computational lab
environments.

• Commitment to inclusive excellence: ability to work

respectfully and collaboratively with students and colleagues from
all backgrounds, and demonstrated advocacy for women, people of
color, first-generation students, and other groups underrepresented
in computational sciences.

• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the

ability to explain complex algorithmic concepts clearly to
non-expert audiences.

• Demonstrated capacity for continuous professional development,

including staying current with rapidly evolving NGS technologies,
tools, and best practices.

Preferred

• Postdoctoral or industry experience applying NGS methods in a

research context.

• Experience teaching or mentoring in a bioinformatics, genomics,

or data science program at the graduate level.

• Familiarity with cloud computing environments (AWS, Google

Cloud, or equivalent) and high-performance computing clusters for
large-scale genomics analyses and workflow management tools
(Nextflow, Snakemake).

• Experience developing online or hybrid bioinformatics courses,

including the design of computational lab modules and auto-graded
assessments.

• Track record of interdisciplinary collaboration bridging

computational and experimental biology.

• Strong commitment to the teacher-scholar model at a primarily

undergraduate institution (PUI).