Assistant Professor of Biology - Neurobiology

Job Family Group:
Faculty Time Type:
Full time Department/Office:
Biology Exemption Status:
Exempt

The Department of Biology at Trinity University is excited to invite applications for a tenure-track assistant professor in Neurobiology beginning August 2027. This position will also support the interdisciplinary Neuroscience major. Candidates must have a Ph.D. (or equivalent terminal degree) in neurobiology, neuroscience, or biology with a concentration in neuroscience (or a related field). Postdoctoral research experience (or equivalent) is preferred.

Teaching responsibilities will include Neurobiology and contributing to labs and/or lectures in the Biology core sequence. Neurobiology, the final core course for the Neuroscience major and a Biology upper division elective, is team-taught as an integrated lecture and lab course focused on cellular and molecular understanding of the nervous system using structural and functional experimental approaches. The Biology core sequence consists of three semesters of lecture‑lab combinations which are team‑taught.

Additional teaching opportunities are available in upper division Biology/Neuroscience electives of the candidate’s choosing and general courses in the University curriculum. The candidate is expected to build a sustainable neuroscience research program actively involving undergraduates in obtaining, presenting, and publishing data. Our current faculty employ model systems using lizards, birds, rodents, and non‑human primates with emphasis in behavioral research. We therefore aim to hire a faculty member who will broaden experiences available to students in the areas of cellular and molecular research using aquatic vertebrate (e.g. Zebrafish, Xenopus, etc.),

invertebrate, cellular, or computational model systems. This research program is core to the mission of the University to provide experiential learning. The candidate’s research and teaching goals should align and demonstrate a commitment to the teacher‑scholar model, excelling in both. The candidate must also demonstrate an ability to positively interact with and contribute to the Department and University.

Trinity University is a secular, independent, private institution, founded in 1869. Trinity offers high‑quality science, liberal arts, and pre‑professional programs as represented by the four schools (STEM, Arts & Humanities, Social Science and Civic Engagement, and Business) to approximately 2,500 undergraduate students from the U.S. and more than 45 countries. The attractive campus overlooks downtown San Antonio, a city rich in heritage and ethnic diversity.

Additional information can be found on the Resource Guide to Trinity & San Antonio. Teaching excellence is promoted through the Collaborative for Learning and Teaching, which provides pedagogical and professional development opportunities to all disciplines. Research excellence is supported by a generous startup package, equipment and facilities often found at R1 institutions, such as a confocal imaging center, a pre‑tenure one semester leave (provided three years teaching and successful reappointment) and eager and capable undergraduate students.

Additionally, departments are rebalancing faculty time from a 9/9‑contact hours per year, to 6/9 contact hours per year, with opportunity for a course reduction stemming from acquisition of a national grant. Lecture and laboratory teaching are equally weighted as teaching time. While many students work in the lab during the semester, there is a robust and well‑supported, 10‑week undergraduate summer research program employing over 200 undergraduates across campus.

All biology faculty are expected to contribute, with summer compensation secured by the faculty member through a combination of internal and external sources. The Department of Biology is one of eight departments in the

D. R. Semmes School of Science, endowed with a gift of $26 million that in part supports student research and faculty development. The

D. R. Semmes School of Science is housed in the Center for the Sciences and Innovation, an innovative and collaborative hub for interdisciplinary…