Assistant Professor (Organismal Biologist)

Department : Biology - 318200

Posting Open Date : 10 / 08 / 2025

Application Deadline :

11 / 10 / 2025

Open Until Filled : No

Position Type : Permanent Faculty

Working Title :

Assistant Professor (Organismal Biologist)

Appointment Type :

Tenured / Tenure Track

Vacancy ID : FAC0005686

Full-time / Part-time :

Full-Time Permanent

Hours per week : 40

FTE : Position Location :

North Carolina, US

Hiring Range :

Dependent on Qualifications and / or Experience

Proposed Start Date :

07 / 01 / 2026

Be a Tar Heel! :

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 :

The Department of Biology at UNC-Chapel Hill is dedicated to the discovery and dissemination of new and existing knowledge in the broad discipline of Biology by maintaining a high-quality faculty who integrate cutting-edge research and student-focused teaching.

We are one of the largest academic departments in the College of Arts and Sciences. We have over 3,450 majors and we enroll undergraduate students in over 7,870 seats in our classes each semester. Each fall or spring semester, we offer 52 classes (70 sections) and 13 lab courses (93 sections). Our average total annual expenditure exceeds $24 million, with nearly half of that coming from grant sponsored research. Our department has nearly $70 million in active grants to support our twin missions of research and teaching. Our large research base spans many areas of biology and supports several outstanding graduate programs. We consist of 48 tenure-track faculty, 11 teaching faculty, 5 research faculty, and numerous active adjunct and emeritus faculty who are engaged in basic and interdisciplinary research and teaching, both within the department and between other departments and schools at UNC.

We currently have 50 graduate students and 30 post-docs and employ approximately 85 additional graduate and undergraduate students from across the university to assist in our teaching and research missions. Further, we are supported by an administrative staff of 20, with an additional 20 staff directly supporting research.

Position Summary :

The Department of Biology at UNC Chapel Hill will employ a tenure-track position in Organismal Biology at the Assistant Professor level.

The Assistant Professor studies resilience using the organism as a focal unit of inquiry using an integrative approach. Possible research topics include (but are not limited to) : how organisms resist or recover from stress or environmental perturbation; mechanisms of plasticity; the role of behavior in fostering resilience; the impacts of organismal resilience scale across levels of biological organization; the role species interactions play in resilience; how resilience mechanisms enable organisms, populations, and communities to respond adaptively to human-induced changes; and how resilience mechanisms evolve and how they impact evolution. Studies in organisms may include animals, plants, and microbes.

The Assistant Professor will teach one course each semester. They are responsible for building and maintaining an active research portfolio and securing funding from various external sponsors. They will actively participate in the scientific community (internal and external) at UNC-CH and engage in service activities that advance the institution’s work and role in supporting North Carolina.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements :

All candidates must have earned a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in Biology, Ecology, or related field, must be committed to teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and must be capable of building an active research group, secure competitive external funding, and participate actively in the scientific community at UNC-CH.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience :

Preference will be given to candidates whose work complements UNC-CH’s strengths in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology.

In addition to creativity and excellence in research, successful candidates should demonstrate a desire to teach undergraduate and graduate students as well as a commitment to academic excellence and upholding the shared missions of the Department, College, and the University.

Special Physical / Mental Requirements :

For tenure-track faculty, physical requirements often include : extended periods of sitting, standing or walking for prolonged periods, the ability to move / lift up to 25 pounds occasionally, sufficient mobility to navigate classroom and office environments and the manual dexterity for computer work. The position also requires creativity and original thinking, pedagogical adaptability, organizational skills, resilience, perseverance, patience, and communication skills.

Campus Security Authority Responsibilities :

Not Applicable.

Special Instructions :

Applicants will need to submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a research statement (less than or equal to 3 pages), teaching and mentoring statement (less than or equal to 1 page uploaded as ’Teaching Philosophy / evaluations"), and 3 representative publications (uploaded as “Other Document”, “Other Document 2” and “Other Document 3”). In addition, please provide the names and contact information for four references in the cover letter. The online application will prompt applicants for referee names and email addresses. If added to the application, referees may receive automated emails with instructions for submitting letters of recommendation to the recruitment system at a future phase in the selection process. Review of applications will begin November 3, 2025. The position will be effective on or after July 1, 2026. For further details contact biolsearch@unc.edu.