Description

External Retirement Plan TRS or ORP Employment Type Employee Benefits Eligibility Benefits Eligible Underutilization Advertised Salary Commensurate with Experience Anticipated Start Date 08/01/2026 Effective End Date (for Limited-Term postings) Job Posting Date 01/12/2026 Job Closing Date Open until filled Yes Special Instructions to Applicants
Applicants are asked to submit the following information along with their application:

• A cover letter (not to exceed two pages) addressing the candidate's experience relative to the responsibilities of the position.

• A detailed curriculum vita.

• A teaching statement not to exceed 2 pages.

• A research plan not to exceed three pages.

• The names, titles, and contact information for three professional references.

Questions related to the position may be directed to the Search Committee members Dr. Anumantha Kanthasamy (anumantha.kanthasamy@uga.edu) and Dr. Mark Eiteman (nametie@uga.edu). Applications will be reviewed upon receipt. Full consideration will be given to applications received before 15 February; however, the position will remain open until filled.

The start date is August 1, 2026.
Location of Vacancy Athens Area EEO Statement
The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).
USG Core Values Statement
The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning, as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

Position Details

Position Information

Classification Title Assistant Professor FLSA Faculty Rank Assistant Professor Contract Type Academic (9 mo.) Tenure Status Tenure Track Minimum Qualifications

• A Ph.D. in biomedical sciences including pharmacology, physiology, neuroscience, pathology, synthetic biology and other related fields.

Position Summary
The University of Georgia invites applications for a 9-month, tenure-track faculty position in the interdisciplinary area of Translational Neuropharmacologist in Metabolic Engineering, as part of the 2025-2026 Presidential Strategic Faculty Hiring Initiative (PHI). This position represents a collaborative recruitment effort between the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology in the College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering (CMBE) in the College of Engineering and the Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research (ICNDR).

The successful candidate will be expected to accelerate the development of metabolite-producing cell systems and advance preclinical and clinical testing for neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. Parkinson's and Alzheimer's), and specifically:

1. Establish an outstanding, internationally recognized translational drug discovery research program at intersection of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology.
2. Foster and establish interdisciplinary collaborations between the Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research and the School of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering.
3. Compete successfully for extramural funding including NIH, DOD, NSF and pharmaceutical partners to sustain cutting-edge research and to support an integrated graduate and postdoctoral training program.

Additional Requirements
Candidates must also have a documented research background appropriate for the appointment rank, as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications, extramural funding, and mentorship of undergraduate and doctoral students. For information about the requirements for each faculty rank, please see the UGA Guidelines for Appointment, Promotion and Tenure.
Relevant/Preferred Education, Experience, Licensure, and/or Certification

• Translational research evidence related to neurodegenerative diseases
• Evidence of research productivity in translational research

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies
We seek candidates whose work bridges neuropharmacology, metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, gut-brain physiology, and translational neuroscience to advance therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and related disorders. Areas of interest include (but are not limited to):

• Translational neuropharmacology and biotherapeutic discovery including the use of computational and experimental approaches to identify and engineer genetic elements encoding, for example, metabolic pathways and enzymes leading to development of new cell- and microbial-biotherapeutic agents for preclinical evaluation in cell-based and animal models of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases among other related neurological disorders.
• Neurobiological mechanisms of gut microbiome-brain axis in pathogenesis neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative conditions, and identification of novel biotherapeutic targets for neuroprotection, neurorestoration, and neuromodulation.
• Precision medicine approaches integrating metabolomic, genomic and phenomics datasets to understand and predict pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and toxicity of cell-based biotherapeutics
• Designing, manufacturing and scaling bioengineered biotherapeutics to optimize stability, delivery, efficacy and safety across various model systems, as required for IND enabling studies.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching excellence at both undergraduate and graduate levels, with particular focus on biomedical physiology and translational pharmacology.
• Demonstrated excellence-or strong potential-in areas relevant to biotherapeutic preclinical evaluation of bioengineered neural therapeutics.
• Knowledge in advancing biotherapeutics from preclinical to clinical commercialization.
• A record of interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Commitment to teaching excellence and student mentoring.
• Display a strong integration of engineering methods with biological or biomedical applications.
• Competitive applicants will have a strong record of innovative research bridging neuropharmacology, neuroscience and metabolic engineering with relevance to translational applications.

Physical Demands
Sit and stand for long periods. Physical demands are associated with laboratory work and may include:

• Occasionally required to remain seated in a normal position for long periods
• Regularly required to walk about
• Regularly required to maintain balance while walking, standing, crouching, or running
• Routinely required to reach up and out with hands and arms Regularly required to talk and hear; verbally express information or instructions
• Regularly required to use hands to grasp objects, type, pick up objects, move objects, or hold objects
• Routinely required to stoop, kneel, crouch, and/or crawl Regularly required to climb stairs and/or ladders
• Occasionally required to lift up to 50 pounds and carry a distance of 10 feet
• Occasionally required to push and/or pull up to 50 pounds at a distance of 10 feet
• Routinely required to stand for long periods Close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less)
• Depth perception and the ability to judge distances and spatial relationships
• Adjustable focus

Is this a Position of Trust? Yes Does this position have operation, access, or control of financial resources? No Does this position require a P-Card? No Is having a P-Card an essential function of this position? No Is driving a responsibility of this position? No Does this position have direct interaction or care of children under the age of 18 or direct patient care? No Does this position have Security Access (e.g., public safety, IT security, personnel records, patient records, or access to chemicals and medications) Yes Credit and P-Card policy
Be advised a credit check will be required for all positions with financial responsibilities. For additional information about the credit check criteria, visit the UGA Credit Background Check website.
Background Investigation Policy
Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a background investigation including, a criminal background check demonstrating your eligibility for employment with the University of Georgia; confirmation of the credentials and employment history reflected in your application materials (including reference checks) as they relate to the job-based requirements of the position applied for; and, if applicable, a satisfactory credit check. You may also be subject to a pre-employment drug test for positions with high-risk responsibilities, if applicable. Please visit the UGA Background Check website.

Duties/Responsibilities

Duties/Responsibilities

• Candidates will be expected to establish a dynamic and externally funded research program as well as contribute significantly to the Department's teaching mission, specifically in the Biomedical Physiology undergraduate major. Candidates will mentor graduate and undergraduate students as well as postdoctoral research associates. Duties will also include teaching in undergraduate, graduate or professional DVM courses.

Percentage Of Time 100

Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

1. Resume/CV
2. Cover Letter
3. List of References with Contact Information
4. Teaching Portfolio/Philosophy
5. Research Portfolio/Philosophy

Optional Documents

1. Portfolio
2. Media Portfolio
3. Writing Sample
4. Sample Publications
5. Unofficial Transcripts
6. Other Documents #1
7. Other Documents #2
8. Certification
9. Unofficial Letters of Recommendation
10. Public Svc/Extension Philosophy