"Empire Innovation Professor (Associate Professor) - Sustainable Biopolymers for Biomedical and Advanced Materials Applications - Department of Material Science & Chemical Engineering"

The Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering at Stony Brook University invites applications for the Empire Innovation Associate Professor position, anticipated to begin in Fall 2026. We seek an innovative and collaborative researcher who applies chemical engineering principles to advance biomaterials synthesis, design, and applications. Areas of interest include:

• Molecular and process design of bio-derived and synthetic polymers for tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery.
• Scalable, sustainable manufacturing and reaction engineering for biopolymer systems.
• Transport, kinetics, and interfacial phenomena in engineered platforms such as organ-on-a-chip.
• Synthetic biology and metabolic engineering for sustainable production of biopolymer products and precursors.
• Integration of process design, safety, technoeconomic, and life cycle assessments for clinical biomaterials.
• Translation of chemical engineering approaches into preclinical and clinical applications with medical and industrial partners.

Our department offers robust curricula in Materials Science and Engineering and Chemical and Molecular Engineering, supported by major research centers including the EFRC on Energy Storage, the Center for Mesoscale Transport Properties, the Garcia Polymer Center, and the Center for Thermal Spray Technologies and the Onsemi Center for Wideband gap materials. This environment fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.

The successful candidate will enhance CME teaching and research, cultivate a vibrant, independent, and collaborative research program

Required Qualifications:

Ph.D. (or foreign equivalent) in Chemical Engineering or a closely related discipline. Possess a strong publication record. A sustained record of peer-reviewed publications and demonstrated potential to lead an independent, high impact research program. A demonstrated record of securing external research funding. A record of excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentoring within the Chemical and Molecular Engineering Program. Demonstrated commitment in interdisciplinary collaboration and service.

Preferred Qualifications:

Candidates with a proven track record of excellence in teaching and research in the areas of sustainable biomaterials and bioengineering with emphasis on process design and manufacturing of biopolymers, as well as life cycle assessment and technoeconomic analysis of sustainable biopolymer systems.

Candidates must meet the criteria for appointment at the rank of Associate Professor at Stony Brook University and may be eligible for designation as a SUNY Empire Innovation Professor, subject to SUNY approval.

Applications received prior to January 15, 2026 will receive full consideration. Candidates who apply on or after January 15, 2026 will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.The below documents are required and must be submitted through Interfolio.

1. Cover Letter: Introduce yourself and describe how you foster teamwork and mutual respect, encourage open communication and constructive feedback, value differing viewpoints, and uphold integrity, fairness, and transparency in your work.
2. Curriculum Vitae,
3. Research statement (3 pages maximum),
4. Sponsored-Research-Funding List,
5. Teaching statement (3 pages maximum),
6. Teaching evaluations (if available may be uploaded to ?other materials?),
7. Names and contact information of three references.

All application materials must be submitted online. Please use the Apply Now button to begin your application. For technical support, please visit Interfolio's Support Site (https://support.interfolio.com/) or reach out to their Scholar Service Team at help@interfollio.com or (877) 997-8807.

For questions regarding this position, please contact search chair, Tadanori Koga at Tadanori.Koga@stonybrook.edu

Department description: The Materials Science and Chemical Engineering department is part of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS), which consists of nine academic departments, as well as the Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology (CEWIT) and the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC). The department has been successful in obtaining more than $16 million in external funding for research and currently has the highest per capita faculty funding within the University that tops the list for research funding in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. We also benefit from having a close connection with Brookhaven National Labs, with a number of affiliated faculty, and students that utilize BNL facilities for their research Located 20 miles from Stony Brook, BNL is a multidisciplinary research laboratory supporting world-class scientific programs utilizing state-of-the-art facilities such as the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, the National Synchrotron Light Source, and the Center for Functional Nanomaterials, and the NewYorkBlue IBM BG/L P supercomputer. As such, many opportunities exist for collaborative research, and, in some cases, joint appointments can be arranged.

Anticipated Start Date: Fall 2026

This is a tenure-track position. FLSA Exempt position, not eligible for overtime. In addition to base salary, this position is eligible for $4,000 UUP annual location pay, paid biweekly. Internal and external search to occur simultaneously.