Assistant Professor - Cosmetic Science

Position Information

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United Statesat the time of hire and must maintain authorization throughout employment. This position is not eligible for sponsorship. This position is contingent upon the availability of sufficient funding.

Assistant Professor - Cosmetic Science

Fall 2027

Spelman College seeks teacher/scholars dedicated to excellence in teaching and to the continued enhancement of the academic environment for students and colleagues. Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a private four-year liberal arts college located in Atlanta, GA. The oldest historically Black college for women in the United States, Spelman is a member of the Atlanta University Center Consortium and Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education.

The Spelman College Cosmetic Science Program is an innovative, interdisciplinary academic program designed to prepare students to be STEM experts in the cosmetics and personal care industry. Launched in 2024, the program offers rigorous scientific training focused on cosmetic ingredients, formulation, product performance, and safety for textured hair and melanated skinscience. The curriculum draws upon expertise across naturalsciences, mathematics, and other disciplines to provide students with a distinctive educational experience that connects fundamentalscience with real-world applications.

The program is entering an important period of growth and curricular expansion. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to help shape the future direction of Cosmetic Scienceat Spelman, providing intellectual leadership in developinglectures, instructional laboratories, and research-based experiences. We are particularly interested in candidates who can translate their scientific expertise into a rigorous, laboratory-and research-based curricula that respond to advances in cosmeticscience.

The Spelman College Cosmetic Science Program seeks to invite applicants for a tenure-track professorship starting Fall
2027.

The successful candidate will establish an innovative, externallyfundable research program that advances the scientific understanding of cosmetic ingredients, formulations, finished products, and/or their interactions with biological systems. The research program should provide meaningful opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in discovery, develop technical expertise, and contribute to scholarly outcomes.

We particularly welcome candidates whose research uses instrumental and analytical approaches to investigate questions related toproduct safety, performance, efficacy, formulation, hair and skinscience, ingredient characterization, or other areas relevant tocosmetic and personal care science. Candidates whosecurrent research could expand into cosmetic science applications are strongly encouraged to apply.

The successful candidate will contribute to both the Chemistry and Cosmetic Science curricula
. Within Chemistry, teaching responsibilities may include foundational and advanced courses and laboratories. The candidate will also have the opportunity to shapethe expanding cosmetic science curriculum and related co-curricular activities. While prior teaching experience in cosmeticscience is not required, candidates must demonstrate the capacity to teach and develop innovative cosmetic science courses and laboratory experiences.

The successful candidate will join a growing community of faculty,students, and external partners committed to expanding Spelman’scapacity in cosmetic science. In line with this, the position offers a unique opportunity for a faculty member who is excited notsimply to teach within an established program,…