Assistant Professor (Tenure-Stream) Faculty in Drug Discovery

Posted on: September 8, 2026

About the role

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Michigan State University (MSU) invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor. We seek an innovative scientist who will establish an outstanding, independent research program in drug discovery, focusing on assessing, understanding, predicting and/or modeling the action of drugs in the body. Both computational and experimental researchers are encouraged to apply. Areas of interest include but are not limited to: in silico drug development, novel therapeutic target classes and mechanisms, emerging drug modalities, high-throughput screening, and drug delivery. The successful candidate will have a strong commitment to research excellence, teaching, and mentoring. The ideal candidate will also contribute to the mission of the Drug Discovery Program housed in the Pharmacology and Toxicology Department. This program has been developed to be a strong partner across the MSU ecosystem by connecting research communities and enabling faculty to turn their research insights into real-world medicines that shape the future of human and animal health. The Drug Discovery Program has built expertise in Medicinal Chemistry and in translational sciences, particularly in areas to understand absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties of small molecule therapeutics as well as pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) properties that give insights into what the body does to the drug (PK) and what the drug does to the body (PD). The program also has a strong in vitro and high-throughput screening center with many types of technology formats to offer. Candidates should also leverage the strengths of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, which has strong research programs across computational biology, structural biology, molecular plant sciences, cancer biology and neurodegenerative diseases. This position is supported through Michigan State University’s Global Impact Initiative, designed to address global grand challenges and national priorities through the creation of over 100 new faculty positions in some of the most promising – and critical – fields of research. Please note that this is a union position represented by the Union of Tenure System Faculty (UTSF). The university is working with the union to establish a collective bargaining agreement.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain an independent, externally funded research program.