Biomedical Engineering Assistant/Associate Professor, Fall 2027, 2 positions available

wellness to expand high-demand educational opportunities. The new faculty hires will directly contribute to the college's goals in student enrollment, research innovation, workforce development, and external partnerships. We seek candidates whose research complements and expands BME and UTK's current strengths in biomechanics, imaging, prosthetics, cardiovascular and neurological diseases, biomaterials, and robotics. Areas of interest include all aspects of biomedical engineering, including but not limited to drug delivery, advanced biomanufacturing, and new approach methodologies (NAMs). Preferred candidates should have a strong record of research accomplishment, a clear vision for building collaborative and interdisciplinary research programs, and a commitment to excellence in both undergraduate and graduate education.

Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering or a closely related field. Candidates should demonstrate excellence in research through a strong publication record and show potential for leadership in their area of study. All candidates are expected to have strong communication skills and the potential to engage in multidisciplinary and collaborative research. All candidates must also demonstrate eligibility to work in the United States.

About the Department

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) has made biomedical research and human health a core institutional priority, supported through strong partnerships with the University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC). This collaboration provides a rich environment for translational research, where engineering innovation connects directly with clinical expertise to advance diagnostics, therapeutics, medical devices, and healthcare technologies. The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine offers additional collaboration opportunities and support for translational biomedical research through access to modernized animal housing facilities and histopathology services. Faculty in Biomedical Engineering will also benefit from access to UTK's Clinical Core Facility Program and the Center for Precision Health (CPH), which provide state-of-the-art resources and infrastructure to support interdisciplinary research and accelerate the translation of discoveries from the laboratory to patient care. UTK is also a key partner in the Neuroscience Network of East Tennessee, NeuroNET, which fosters and supports cutting-edge research and training in brain sciences in collaboration with the UT Medical Center and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. These shared facilities and programs foster collaboration across engineering, medicine, and public health, offering faculty unique opportunities to expand their research impact. BME at UTK benefits from strong institutional support, including new faculty hires and ongoing updates to the curriculum and facilities. The 2025–26 academic year marked BME's first year as an independent department. For the prior 15 years, biomedical engineering had been administratively grouped with Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. As BME enters its second year as a standalone department, it has experienced record growth, including an all-time-high freshman class of 165 students enrolled for fall 2026. The department recently welcomed three new faculty members engaged in high-impact research and is on track to nearly double its faculty size over the next three years. Faculty hired through these new positions will play an important role in shaping the trajectory of this young department and advancing BME at UTK toward becoming a prominent biomedical engineering program.

About UT Knoxville and Tickle College of Engineering (TCE)

The Tickle College of Engineering (TCE) is in the midst of an unprecedented period of growth and success, including adding over 30 new faculty at all levels to the college over 4 years as part of ambitious hiring campaigns led by Chancellor Donde Plowman and Dean Matthew Mench. The college has set records in research expenditures, enrollment, incoming student GPA, intellectual property development, and USNWR rank in the past three years. Key partnerships with Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) through the University of Tennessee Oak Ridge Innovation Institute (UTORII) and Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS) that manages the Y-12 National Security Complex have created an expanded opportunity space for faculty and students in the region. New facilities include the state-of-the art Zeanah Engineering Complex, the University of Tennessee Manufacturing and Design Enterprise (TN-MADE) facility, and the Innovation South building that houses UTK's Fibers and Composites Manufacturing Facility (FCMF), a National Prototype Research Center (NSPC) as part of a partnership with CNS Y-12 under construction, and new facilities for the Biomedical Engineering department and a quantum foundry in planning stages.

TCE currently has 213 tenured/tenure track and over 80 non-tenure track faculty in its nine academic departments and offers 11 undergraduate, 16 MS, and 15 PhD/DE degree programs. Affiliated with TCE and located in Tullahoma, Tennessee, the UT Space Institute is a hub of aerospace and defense research. The college is also home to eight research centers and three interdisciplinary institutes. With approximately 4,800 undergraduate and 1,500 graduate students, the college sits 28th among public universities in the most recent U.S. News and World Report graduate rankings. Faculty in the college have won 33 early career awards (NSF, DOE, DARPA, AFOSR, AHA, and Sloan) since 2016. In FY25, the college had annual research expenditures of $113.9M.

Knoxville, TN is a vibrant city with a beautiful and walkable downtown, active neighborhoods, an effervescent nightlife that includes numerous theaters and museums, a rich live music scene across all genres, and eclectic restaurants. Knoxville is nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, surrounded by lakes and the Tennessee River, providing amazing access to various outdoor activities. Knoxville is within easy driving distance of four major metropolitan areas that regularly host larger cultural and entertainment events.

Qualifications:

For the Assistant Professor position, the successful candidate will be expected to establish and maintain a vigorous, externally funded research program in their area of expertise. Additional responsibilities include teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, mentoring students in research, and contributing to departmental, university, and professional service activities.

For the Associate Professor position, primary consideration will be given to applicants who have established a nationally recognized research program, demonstrated success in teaching and mentoring students, and articulated a compelling vision for future research at UTK. Candidates should also have a record of publishing in high-impact journals, securing and managing externally funded research from federal and/or industrial sponsors, and engaging in meaningful service to their professional community.

Application Instructions:

Applications should include:

1. a cover letter articulating the applicant's interest in and qualifications for this position,
2. a curriculum vitae,
3. a research statement outlining previous work and future directions, up to three pages
4. a teaching and mentoring statement, up to two pages
5. up to three representative publications, and
6. the names of three to five references.

Evaluation of applications will begin November 1, 2026 and continue on a rolling basis. Any questions should be sent to Dr. Jindong Tan (search committee chair) at bmeadmin@utk.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university.

Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at Equal Opportunity and Accessibility, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to eoa@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-2498. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Investigation and Resolution, 216 Business Incubator Building, E J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to investigations@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-0717.