Assistant/Associate Professor of Microbiology

About Us

The University of North Texas System includes the University of North Texas in Denton and Frisco, the University of North Texas at Dallas and UNT Dallas College of Law, and University of North Texas Health Fort Worth. We are the only university system based exclusively in the robust Dallas-Fort Worth region. We are one team comprised of individuals who are committed to excellence, curiosity and innovation. We champion a people-first values-based culture where We Care about each other and those we serve. We believe that we are Better Together because we foster an environment of respect, belonging, and access for all. We demonstrate Courageous Integrity through setting exceptional standards and acting in the best interest of our communities. We are encouraged to Be Curious about opportunities for learning, creating, discovering, and innovating.

Department Summary

The Department of Biological Sciences, one of four departments in the College of Science, has over 50 faculty, 3,000 undergraduate and 125 graduate students, and 30 postdoctoral fellows and research scientists. Our faculty is a community of scholars dedicated to research and teaching in Ecology, Environmental Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Physiology, Neuroscience, Cancer Biology, Plant Biology, and Organismal-environment interactions. We offer Bachelor's degrees in Biology, Biochemistry, Ecology, Medical Laboratory Science, and Forensic Science, and Master's and Ph.D. degrees in Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Environmental Science. UNT has a highly diverse campus with a wide range of languages spoken in addition to English. We welcome candidates who have experience with HSI/MSIs and/or who speak Spanish, Vietnamese, American Sign Language, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin and other variations), Arabic, Tagalog, Farsi, French, or/and Yoruba.

Position Overview

The Department of Biological Sciences at the University of North Texas (UNT), a Hispanic-Serving Institution and Carnegie R1 Research University, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Microbiology, with an emphasis on microbiome research as it pertains to organism health and interactions with the environment. The faculty member will contribute to and collaborate with ongoing basic and applied research programs within the Department, as well as the College of Science's Health Sciences cluster-hire initiative. Exceptional candidates with significant experience at the Assistant Professor level, or equivalent, may be considered for hire at the Associate Professor level.

Responsibilities

• Obtain external funding to support a vibrant research program
• Participate in growing undergraduate and graduate degree programs
• Mentor undergraduate and graduate research to foster student growth
• Effectively teach courses in area of expertise
• Contribute to interdisciplinary and collaborative research by interacting with diverse faculty, staff, and students within and between departments and institutes, including members from the Advanced Environmental Research Institute (AERI) and the BioDiscovery Institute (BDI)
• Complement recent hires in microbiology, biochemistry, environmental science, and health-related fields in the Department of Biological Sciences

Minimum Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Biology, Microbiology or a related field
• Postdoctoral or equivalent experience in microbiome research

Preferred Qualifications

• At least 3-year postdoctoral or equivalent experience in microbiome research
• Proven record of or propensity to obtain external funding to support an active research program
• Growing record of scholarship and publication in high-impact journals appropriate to the applicant's field of study
• Academic record demonstrating the potential for excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching

Application Instructions

Applications should include a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, copies of 3 - 5 sample publications, a list of names and contact information of 3 references, a statement of current research interests and future trajectories (2-page limit), and a statement on teaching philosophy and engagement of students (1 page limit). Review of applications will begin November 1, 2026, and continue until posting is filled. If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Dr. Mauricio Antunes (Mauricio.Antunes@unt.edu), search committee chair.