Assistant Professor of Structural Biology and Quantum Biochemistry

Position Details

Position Information

Announcement Number FAC - VA - 27014

For questions regarding this position, please contact:

Kimberly Hilmer

Business Operations Manager

[email protected]

Classification Title

Working Title Assistant Professor of Structural Biology and Quantum Biochemistry

Brief Position Overview

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Montana State University invites applications for two tenure-track faculty positions in biochemistry (structural biology and quantum biochemistry)

Faculty Tenure Track Yes

Faculty Rank Assistant Professor

Position Number 4A3167 and 4A4086

Department Chemistry

Division College of Letters & Science

Appointment Type Faculty

Contract Term Academic Year

Semester

If other, specify From date

If other, specify End date

Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining

FTE 1.0

Benefits Eligible Eligible

Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications

Contract Type MUS

If other, please specify

Recruitment Type Open

Position Details

General Statement

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Montana State University invites applications for two tenure-track faculty positions in biochemistry. The first position is for applicants with interest and expertise in structural biology who will leverage the department’s state-of-the-art NMR , Cryo-EM or mass spectrometry facilities to advance their research goals. The second position in quantum biochemistry is for applicants who seek to advance, elucidate, and exploit quantum effects in biological processes such as photochemistry, magnetic sensing, electron and proton transport, biocatalysis, or other research fields associated with molecular biophysics. Research programs that take advantage of innovative new approaches for probing nuclear or electronic spin states to provide new biochemical insight are also of interest. Applicants should indicate in their cover letter the position to which they are applying.

Appointments will be considered at the Assistant Professor level, although appointments at the Associate Professor level will be possible in exceptional circumstances.

Duties and Responsibilities

As a tenure-track faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, the successful candidate will conduct research activities in Biochemistry and establish an independent, productive, externally funded, nationally competitive research program. Duties also include teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels in areas of chemistry that are of mutual interest to the Department and the candidate, advising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, participating in appropriate departmental and university service functions, and collaborating with other faculty and departments to enhance scholarship and pedagogy at Montana State University.

We hope to attract applicants who can teach in a university community and have demonstrated ability in helping students from all backgrounds to succeed.

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• Ph.D. in Chemistry or a related area by start date.

• Potential to establish an internationally recognized and externally funded independent research program.

• Potential to effectively teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students.

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• Postdoctoral experience.

• Interest in and ability to establish multidisciplinary collaborative research.

• Demonstrated excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching and research.

The Successful Candidate Will

• Be a dynamic, committed, and visionary scientist and educator who will advance MSU’s goals of outstanding research, teaching, and service.

• Have excellent communication skills.

• Have an appreciation for all constituencies and continuously support, promote, and build a whole community that includes people of all backgrounds.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Physical Demands

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

The Program

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is one of Montana State University’s premier departments. We continually strive for excellence in all of MSU’s core values. We are a vibrant, cohesive community with faculty, staff, and students who are dedicated to teaching, research, and service.

The department has identified three primary areas of research emphasis. These three themes are energy conversion, supramolecular/mesoscale materials, and research at the chemistry/biology interface. The Department is uniquely positioned to perform energy conversion research across a wide range of material substrates using highly sophisticated instrumentation and methods. We are also well placed to perform supramolecular/mesoscale research on a breadth of sample types including synthetic materials, protein networks, and viruses. Finally, we are able to provide new chemical insights into biology using a vast array of methods that have been developed or enhanced within the Department. Fundamental research programs in additional areas of chemistry and biochemistry are also important for the development of these research themes. State-of-the-art instrumentation and shared instrumentation facilities are essential infrastructure for all of the research themes.

Our Department is a University Flagship, and our faculty members play leading roles in multi-disciplinary research programs that integrate efforts across the College of Letters and Science, across Montana State University, and with other academic institutions and industrial partners both locally and more widely. We leverage our research activities to provide outstanding opportunities for our students, post-doctoral associates, and staff scientists. After earning their degrees, our Ph.D. graduates have taken positions in universities, industry, and government labs. These graduates are highly sought after because of their excellent training and demonstrated records of accomplishment.

As an integral part of our scientific lives, we are committed to excellence in training the next generation of scientists. Our faculty, staff, and students share a common vision of maintaining a collegial environment in which the professional, intellectual, and personal growth of each individual is nurtured. We strive to stimulate all of our students to learn, to imagine, and to discover. We strive to equip them with every tool that they need to flourish in their own exciting and rewarding careers.

The Department

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Montana State University ( MSU ) is a vigorous, research-active department with strong interdisciplinary collaborations. Research thrusts of the Department and University include structural biology, biophysics, bioinorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, nanomaterials, optical spectroscopy, and energy research. The Department is composed of 17 tenure-track faculty, several research faculty and approximately 90 graduate students. The Department grants Ph.D. degrees in both Chemistry and Biochemistry and also has a strong tradition of undergraduate participation in research. The Department’s research building (built in 2008) houses shared instrumentation including a new macromolecular X-ray diffractometer, NMR and Mass spectrometry facilities, high-field and pulsed EPR , CD, femtosecond laser spectrometers, microscopes, FTIR spectrometers, steady-state and time-resolved emission laser spectrometers, molecular graphics, and parallel computing with a 90-processor heterogeneous Linux cluster. We have also recently installed a cryo-electron microscope, the only instrument of its kind within the greater 5-state, Northern Plains and Northern Rockies region. Other instruments, including SEM , TEM , confocal microscopy, scanning Auger, and scanning probe techniques, are available in shared user facilities at MSU . MSU is connected to the very broadband network system (vBNS) that provides fast Internet access and facilitates remote computing at national supercomputer sites.

The College

The College of Letters and Science ( CLS ), the largest center for learning, teaching and research at Montana State University, offers students an excellent liberal arts and sciences education in nearly 50 majors, 25 minors and over 25 graduate degrees within the four areas of the humanities, social sciences, natural and physical sciences, and mathematical sciences.

Building on the great strength of our traditional disciplines, the college provides exciting opportunities for faculty and students at the cutting edge of interdisciplinary inquiry. CLS is dedicated to supporting student success, discovering and disseminating new knowledge, and providing an atmosphere in which discovery and learning are integrated and valued. CLS is at the confluence of intellectual tradition, discovery, and innovation.

Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies 2

Desired Start Date August 2027

Position End Date (if temporary)

Open Date

Close Date

Applications will be:

Screening of applications will begin on October 23, 2026; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.

Special Instructions

As part of your application, please upload the following required documents:

• Curriculum Vitae

• Cover Letter addressing the Required and Preferred Qualifications

• Research Statement (maximum 4 pages)

• Teaching Statement (maximum 3 pages)

Letters of Recommendation and Reference Calls: All applicants will be required to provide a minimum of three references during the application process. After initial screenings, references for top applicants will be contacted by email to request a letter of recommendation, due within one week of email notification (please notify your references in advance). References for finalist(s) will also be contacted by phone during the finalist stage.

EEO Statement

Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.

In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.