About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Description

The Department of Biology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor position in developmental cell biology. This is an academic-year appointment at the level of Assistant Professor. The successful candidate will be expected to establish a vibrant, externally funded research program, effectively teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students, and contribute to service in support of the department and college. Of particular importance, the successful candidate will have a demonstrated understanding of the strength that is brought to science through diversity, equity, inclusivity, and accessibility.

We seek to hire a faculty member whose research program focuses on examining the cellular mechanisms of development, such as cell signaling, differentiation, proliferation, motility/migration, cell death, and/or cellular mechanisms driving developmental evolution (Cellular Evo/Devo). The research organism used is open and could include animal, plant, or fungal species, as well as emerging model systems. The successful candidate would be joining a department with strengths in cytoskeletal and nuclear cell biology, developmental biology of plants and fishes, and organismal evolutionary biology. With recent and ongoing hiring in Biology, the successful candidate will join a new junior faculty cohort in neurobiology, genetics, and plant biology. Faculty members train graduate students through interdepartmental graduate programs in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Neuroscience and Behavior, Plant Biology, and Organismic and Evolutionary Biology.

Requirements

Candidates must have a Ph.D. or equivalent in Biology or a related field with relevant post-doctoral experience. We are seeking talented applicants qualified for an assistant professor position. Under exceptional circumstances, highly qualified candidates at other ranks may receive consideration.

Additional Information

This position could begin as soon as September 1, 2025 with an alternative start date of January 2026.

Application Instructions

Along with the application, please submit a (1) cover letter, (2) curriculum vitae, (3) Research Statement, (4) Teaching Statement, (5) Contributions to Inclusive Excellence Statement (see below), and (6) contact information for three [3] professional references. Evaluation of applications will begin on October 15, 2024, and will continue until a suitable candidate pool has been identified.

Questions pertaining to this position can be directed to the search committee chair, Dr. Lillian Fritz-Laylin at DevCellSearch@groups.umass.edu.

At UMass Amherst and in CNS, we strive to be a community where every individual feels a sense of belonging, where every individual is included, and where every individual is valued. The successful candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to diversity and will be an individual who understands and embraces university initiatives and aspirations directed toward all members of campus. You can find these values and goals here. For this reason, your statement should address how you see yourself contributing to our community and/or our shared goals of building a more inclusive, equitable, and diverse community. This should identify past accomplishments and future goals; these include contributions from experiences, scholarships, mentoring, teaching, and outreach activities.

The University is committed to active recruitment of a diverse faculty and student body. The University of Massachusetts Amherst is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer of women, minorities, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities and encourages applications from these and other protected group members. Because broad diversity is essential to an inclusive climate and critical to the University’s goals of achieving excellence in all areas, we will holistically assess the many qualifications of each applicant and favorably consider an individual’s record working with students and colleagues with broadly diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds in educational, research or other work activities. We will also favorably consider experience overcoming or helping others overcome barriers to an academic career and degree.