"Research Assistant Professor FRI Biofilms"

Job Description

The First-year Research Immersion (FRI) program at Binghamton University invites applications for a three-year renewable, full time Research Assistant Professor (also known as the Research Educator) position, to begin January 2026 (preferred) or August 2026. This is a 10-month, non-tenure track faculty position that uniquely combines teaching and research to empower faculty to grow as research educators, leaders, mentors, and higher education professionals. This position is for Microbial Biofilms in Human Health research stream (open to individuals with a microbiology background). Candidates must have completed a terminal degree (PhD) before starting.

For the FRI Microbial Biofilms in Human Health, the Research Educator's background will help shape the research theme. The research should align with an overall theme of microbial biofilms. Past research projects in this stream have focused on bacterial biofilm (a) development, (b) virulence and pathogenesis, and (c) antimicrobial resistance mechanisms for important biofilm-forming pathogens. The Research Educator must be proficient with basic microbiology and molecular biology approaches (such as cloning, transformation, transfection, tissue culture, microscopy, protein purification, SDS PAGE, DNA electrophoresis, etc.). Additional expertise in biofilm-specific approaches is preferred (continuous culture biofilm growth, semi-batch biofilm growth, crystal violet attachment assays, flow-cell microscopy, matrix assays, etc.).

Research Educators are responsible for guiding first- and second-year student cohorts (~30 per cohort) through authentic research experiences and, in doing so, help students develop the professional skills desired by graduate schools and employers. The Research Educator is responsible for designing and implementing the course curriculum for the stream by integrating the general FRI program framework with discipline-specific content and employing student-centered, active learning and open-source educational approaches. Alongside faculty stream collaborators from the Binghamton Biofilm Research Center, a multidisciplinary State University of New York Organized Research Center (https://www.binghamton.edu/centers/biofilm-research/index.html), the Research Educator maintains and/or expands their own research program. More detail about the FRI program is available at our website: www.binghamton.edu/fri

Responsibilities

• Teaching & Mentorship: Serve as instructor for stream FRI courses (Fall, 6 credits: FRI Semester 1 & 3 courses; Spring, 4 credits: FRI Semester 2 course) and hold weekly lab hours to mentor teams in research. Continually develop, maintain and revise stream curriculum. Supervise, train & manage undergraduate peer mentors (UGPMs).
• Research: Maintain research lab & budget. Perform research in conjunction with students. Collaborate with faculty and relevant collaborators on research projects. Disseminate results.
• Service: Participate in FRI program events & committees. Support students in continuing efforts and activities post-FRI experience.
• General: Attend and actively participate in FRI faculty/staff meetings. Facilitate assessments of the research stream and FRI students.
• Professional Development: Actively participate in research and educational professional development.

Requirements

• PhD in microbiology or other related fields (such as molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, immunology, etc.) by August 1, 2026.
• Demonstrated expertise in one or more disciplines that align with the Biofilms theme (microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, immunology, etc.).
• Advanced experimental design and technical skills that align with the research stream.
• Effective communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities and timelines simultaneously with a high degree of organization, accuracy and efficiency.
• Ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively.
• Effective professional and organizational skills.
• Ability to problem solve, prioritize, and manage multiple tasks.
• Ability to analyze and organize information and materials for a variety of research projects.

Preferred

• PhD in microbiology or other related fields by January 1, 2026.
• Minimum of two years of teaching experience in higher education (can be as a teaching assistant).
• Experience mentoring undergraduate researchers.
• Experience supervising undergraduate and/or graduate teaching assistants.
• Experience managing a research laboratory.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.