Professor of Practice - Biotechnology

About the role

The University of Houston’s Biotechnology Program seeks an experienced Professor of Practice to lead hands‑on instruction, manage BTEC laboratory courses, and support core facility instrument operations. This faculty position emphasizes laboratory teaching excellence, operational leadership of analytical platforms, curriculum development, industry partnership, and student mentorship. Department: Engineering Technology.

Responsibilities

• Lead and teach undergraduate and graduate biotechnology laboratory courses (wet lab and instrumentation), delivering contemporary, competency‑based instruction.
• Manage daily logistics, operations, safety, scheduling, and QA/QC of BTEC teaching labs.
• Oversee or actively participate in a central/core facility: Bioreactor (1–5 L) operation, operate and maintain instruments (LC‑MS, GC‑MS, HPLC, FPLC, ion chromatography, FT‑IR, UV/Vis and other spectroscopy, qRT‑PCR machines), manage workflows, and train users.
• Develop and update laboratory curricula, SOPs, assessment rubrics, and experiential learning modules aligned with industry standards.
• Supervise and train teaching staff, student assistants, and facility users in best practices, instrument use, data quality, and safety.
• Engage with industry and research partners to build internships, capstone projects, and workforce development opportunities.
• Contribute to program assessment, accreditation reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Mentor students in careers, laboratory skills, and professional development.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Biotechnology, Biology, Molecular Biology, Biomedical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• More than 5 years’ hands‑on experience managing and operating BTEC or Biology laboratory courses or equivalent instructional lab programs.
• Demonstrated operational experience running core facility instruments: LC‑MS, GC‑MS, HPLC, Cytiva FPLC, ion chromatography, FT‑IR and related spectrometers, qRT‑PCR platforms, and associated sample‑prep workflows.
• Experience with Unicorn 7 software is preferred.
• A minimum of 3 years of teaching experience delivering biotechnology or related laboratory courses at the undergraduate/graduate level.
• Experience in operating and troubleshooting bioreactors is preferred.
• Proven record of training others on instrumentation, lab safety, and data quality control.
• Proficient in recombinant DNA manipulation, protein expression and purification.
• Strong organizational, communication, and team leadership skills.

Appointment

Non‑tenure‑track Professor of Practice. Salary is commensurate with educational background, relevant professional experience, competitive with market, and determined at hire. Employees are expected to have a home address in the state of Texas for the duration of their appointments. Official transcripts are required for a faculty appointment and will be requested upon selection of the final candidates. All positions at the University of Houston‑System are security sensitive and will require a criminal history check.