Associate/Full Professor of Genetics/Genomics

Associate/Full Professor of Genetics/Genomics

Department: Biology

Rank: Associate/Full Professor

Annual Basis: 9 month

Application Deadline

November 30, 2026

Required Application Materials

A complete application must include:

• A letter of interest that outlines your qualifications for the

role and that highlights your track record in growing and
strengthening community through collaborative efforts and
coalition-building. Please include a Google Scholar link.

• CV outlining work history and professional qualifications

relevant to this position.

• Statement of current and future research interests and

plans.

• Statement describing experience with inclusive teaching and

mentoring practices that promote students' success.

• Names and contact information for three professional

references.

Position Announcement

The University of Oregon invites applications for a Philip H.
Knight Chair in Biology, a tenured faculty position at the rank of
Professor. The position will be based at the University of Oregon's
main campus in Eugene, Oregon, with a primary appointment in the
College of Arts and Sciences Department of Biology and
opportunities for affiliation and leadership across the
university's research institutes, centers, and academic
programs.

The Philip H. Knight Chair, which is among the highest honors
bestowed by the university, recognizes exceptional scholarly
achievement and provides support for the successful candidate's
continued leadership in research, education, and the development of
a new genome science and biotechnology major at the University of
Oregon.

We seek an internationally recognized scholar whose work addresses
important questions in genome science and related fields. The
scientific area is intentionally broad. Relevant areas may include,
but are not limited to:

• computational genomics and bioinformatics;
• genome engineering and synthetic biology;
• evolutionary and population genomics;
• genome structure, function, and regulation;
• developmental and cellular genomics;
• ecological and environmental genomics;
• microbial and host-associated genomics;
• quantitative, complex-trait, or statistical genomics;
• single-cell, spatial, or multi-omic approaches;
• artificial intelligence and machine learning for genomic

discovery; and

• development of new genomic methods, technologies, software, or

community resources.

The successful candidate will have an outstanding record of
influential scholarship, sustained extramural research support, and
national and international leadership in their field. The candidate
will be expected to maintain an ambitious and externally funded
research program and to provide intellectual leadership that
strengthens genomics across the University of Oregon, including
helping the university fulfill its mission to engage in research
and scholarship that contributes meaningfully to the public
good.

We are particularly interested in candidates whose work creates
connections across biological scales, organisms, methods, or
disciplines. The successful candidate's expertise should complement
and advance research in the Department of Biology and contribute
broadly to the university's strengths in areas such as ecology and
evolution, molecular and cellular biology, neuroscience, marine
biology, data science, bioengineering, and the study of
host-microbe systems.

The successful candidate will also demonstrate a strong commitment
to the educational mission of a public research university. The
candidate will contribute to undergraduate and graduate curricula
in genomics and related areas; mentor undergraduate students,
graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars; and help shape
emerging educational and research initiatives in genome science,
biotechnology, and computational biology.

A central educational responsibility of the position will be to
contribute to the vision, development, and success of the
University of Oregon's new undergraduate major in Genome Science
and Biotechnology, designed to connect fundamental genome science
with biotechnology, data science, computation, professional
development, and hands-on research and laboratory training. The
successful candidate will be expected to participate in curriculum
development, contribute courses within the major, support
experiential and research-based learning, and help establish a
forward-looking undergraduate program that integrates genomics,
biotechnology, computation, and the broader biological
sciences.

As a senior faculty member and holder of the Philip H. Knight
Chair, the successful candidate will be expected to contribute
leadership to the university's genomics community. Possible
contributions include building interdisciplinary research programs,
strengthening shared infrastructure, developing collaborative
research and training initiatives, recruiting and mentoring
faculty, creating connections among existing centers and
institutes, and helping define a broad institutional vision for
genomics.

The University of Oregon values a healthy, respectful, and
intellectually ambitious academic community. The successful
candidate will have a record of constructive leadership and will
contribute to excellence across research, teaching, mentoring, and
service.

Department or Program Summary

The Department of Biology consists of approximately 50 research and
teaching faculty. Research faculty are affiliated with one or more
of four institutes: the Institute of Ecology and Evolution, the
Institute of Molecular Biology, the Institute of Neuroscience, and
the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology. Faculty contribute to
doctoral programs and interdisciplinary training opportunities
spanning the life sciences, quantitative sciences, and
engineering.

Faculty also participate extensively in related centers and
interdisciplinary initiatives, including the Center for Genome
Function, the META Center for Host-Microbe Systems Biology, the
Center for Computational Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence,
the Center for Translational Neuroscience, the Materials Science
Institute, and the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating
Scientific Impact.

The University of Oregon supports genomics research through
extensive shared infrastructure, including the Genomics and Cell
Characterization Core Facility, Research Advanced Computing
Services, the Imaging Microscopy Core, the Center for Advanced
Materials Characterization, greenhouse facilities, and terrestrial
and aquatic animal facilities. Additional opportunities arise
through collaborations with the Knight Campus, Oregon Health &
Science University, and other regional, national, and international
partners.

Minimum Requirements

• PhD or equivalent terminal degree in genomics, biology,

computational biology, bioinformatics, genetics, or another
relevant field.

• Academic record appropriate for appointment with tenure at the

rank of Professor at the University of Oregon.

• Internationally recognized record of significant and influential

research accomplishments commensurate with appointment as a Knight
Chair.

• Sustained record of extramural research support appropriate to

the applicant's field.

• Demonstrated excellence in teaching, mentoring, and research

training.

• Demonstrated record of academic, scientific, or professional

leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with research programs that establishes new

connections or capabilities across multiple areas of
genomics.

• A record of leading successful interdisciplinary or

multi-investigator research efforts.

• Experience building research programs, shared resources, training

programs, institutes, centers, or other collaborative scientific
enterprises.

• Experience developing undergraduate or graduate curricula in

genomics, biotechnology, computational biology, or a related
area.

• A strong record of mentoring graduate students, postdoctoral

scholars, junior faculty, or other researchers.

• Contributions to widely used datasets, technologies, analytical

methods, software, model systems, or community resources.

• Evidence of effective and inclusive professional practices in

research, teaching, mentoring, leadership, and service.

• A compelling vision for advancing genomics research and education

across the University of Oregon, including the new undergraduate
major in Genome Science and Biotechnology.

About the University

The University of Oregon is one of only two Pacific Northwest
members of the Association of American Universities and holds the
distinction of a "very high research activity" ranking in the
Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The
university enrolls ~20,000 undergraduate and 3,600 graduate
students representing all 50 states the District of Columbia, two
US territories, and 94 countries. The 295-acre campus features
state-of-the art facilities in an arboretum-like setting. The
university is located in Eugene, a vibrant city of 157,000 within
easy driving distance of the Pacific Coast, the Cascade Mountains,
and Portland.

The University of Oregon is building a faculty committed to meeting
the needs of our changing student body and creating essential
knowledge for society. We encourage applications from individuals
who want to join an institution committed to addressing complex
problems at all scales, and critical thinking and
cross-disciplinary dialogue. We believe the way to create the
faculty we need is to develop the most inclusive applicant pool.
Our 2024 strategic plan, titled Oregon Rising https://oregonrising.uoregon.edu/,
reinforces the importance of shared commitment to a thriving
community.

All offers of employment are contingent upon successful
completion of a background check.

The University of Oregon is proud to offer a robust benefits
package to eligible employees, including health insurance,
retirement plans, and paid time off. For more information about
benefits, visit our
website.

The University of Oregon is an equal-opportunity institution
committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the Americans
with Disabilities Act. The University encourages all qualified
individuals to apply and does not discriminate on the basis of any
protected status, including veteran and disability status. The
University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to
applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an
accommodation in connection with the application process, please
email us or call
541-346-5112.

UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion,
national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender
expression, pregnancy (including pregnancy-related conditions),
age, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including
family medical history), ancestry, familial status, citizenship,
service in the uniformed services (as defined in federal and state
law), veteran status, expunged juvenile record, and/or the use of
leave protected by state or federal law in all programs, activities
and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable
laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by UO policy.
Questions may be referred to the Office of Equal Opportunity and
Access. Contact information, related policies, and complaint
procedures are listed here.

In compliance with federal law, the University of Oregon prepares
an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and
services. The Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report is
available
online.

To apply, visit https://careers.uoregon.edu/en-us/job/536865

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