Assistant Professor in Neuroscience - Department of Biology

The Department of Biology at West Virginia University invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track appointment in the area of neuroscience at the Assistant Professor rank. The preferred start date is August 2026.

The Department of Biology, in collaboration with the Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience, offers a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience, which has grown to approximately 150 majors in 5 years. The Department of Biology also oversees the interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry degree program and offers two other degrees, the Bachelor of Science in Biology and the Bachelor of Science in Biology Pre-medical. The Department maintains approximately 600 majors annually, and we offer students areas of emphasis in Cellular and Molecular Biology; Ecology, Ecosystems, and Global Change; Global and Human Health; and Integrative Biology. Recent additions to our curriculum include inquiry driven undergraduate laboratory courses across all four years of study which are co-taught by teaching and research faculty members and are aligned with the Department's research foci. There are also several course-based and independent research opportunities for undergraduates at all levels. The Department has over 40 graduate students in M.S. and Ph.D. programs with a strong track record of students receiving prestigious Department of Education, National Institutes of Health, and National Science Foundation fellowships as well as several WVU graduate fellowships. We are also home to a shared advanced microscopic imaging facility, several research animal housing spaces, spatial transcriptomics tools, and the WVU Genomics and Bioinformatics Core Facility. Across the university there are over 40 basic and clinical neuroscience labs within the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute and the Eye Institute, which foster interdisciplinary collaborative research and funding opportunities. The Department of Biology is housed in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences (ECAS) and is supported by the ECAS and University research offices.

Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will contribute to both the research and teaching missions of the Department. They will establish an independent and fully staffed research laboratory that expands the Department's existing neuroscience research, including behavioral genetics, neurodevelopment, molecular genetics, and neural circuitry structure/function analyses. Areas of neuroscience such as genetics, development, behavior, evolution, systems, and cellular focused research will be considered. The candidate's research should integrate with a Department that focuses on invertebrates, non-mammalian vertebrates, or cell culture-based model systems.

The typical teaching load is 2 courses per year plus contributions to instruction through the undergraduate and graduate research training programs. The successful candidate is expected to teach classes at the undergraduate and graduate levels that complement the Department of Biology's current neuroscience and/or molecular genetics offerings.

Professional Qualifications:

The successful candidate must have: 1) a PhD or equivalent degree in biology, neuroscience, or a related field; 2) a strong record of scholarly publications including at the graduate and postdoctoral levels; 3) demonstrated ability to develop an externally funded, independent research program; 4) openness to collaborative research; 5) strong potential for outstanding contribution to the Department's undergraduate and graduate teaching and research missions; 6) excellent written and oral communication skills. Researchers using big data approaches, cutting-edge quantitative tools, and research in sensory or sensory-motor integration and/or neural plasticity are of high interest.

Application: To apply, please visit https://careers.wvu.edu/career-opportunities and upload (1) a cover letter addressed to the Department of Biology Neuroscience Search Committee, (2) a curriculum vitae including a complete list of publications and relevant teaching experience, (3) a research plan for the first five years, and (4) a teaching and mentoring philosophy statement. Reference letters may be requested further along in the search process. Review of applications will begin September 30th and will continue until the position is filled. For additional information please contact (Eric Horstick, eric.horstick@mail.wvu.edu).

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