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.
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