Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics - University of Florida

Assistant Professor

The University of Florida (UF), the flagship university in the state of Florida, is a top-tier research institution with a long history of training outstanding undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. UF is currently ranked #6 among U.S. public universities (U.S. News and World Report) and #2 in the Nation for Pharmacology (Blue Ridge ranking). UF’s academic health center, is the country’s only academic health center with six health-related colleges located on a single, contiguous campus. The colleges, major research centers and institutes, and clinical enterprise focus on building collaborative, specialized clinical services centered on quality and innovation. Its current enrollment is 58,000 students, 17,000 of whom are in graduate or professional programs. UF has annual research funding of more than 1.2 billion dollars, two-thirds of which is awarded to components of the Health Sciences Center.  It is thus not surprising that UF provides fertile ground for diverse and innovative research.

The Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics within the University of Florida’s College of Medicine invites applications for a tenure-track faculty at the rank of Assistant Professor. This position is part of a strategic hiring effort that will support the continued growth of the Department and our commitment to excellence. The successful applicant must be outstanding and creative, and will join a collegial department with significant research strengths in the areas of neuropharmacology, muscle therapeutics, and immunopharmacology.

The selected candidate will receive support in establishing an extramurally-funded research program, engage in collaborative research, and will be supported as they recruit excellent individuals into their research program.

Key responsibilities include:

-Establish and/or maintain a nationally/internationally recognized extramurally-funded research program that is highly collaborative.

-Promote and contribute to the core values of the Department.

-Recruit and mentor outstanding trainees.

The Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics

The Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the University of Florida College of Medicine faculty and staff are highly interactive and engaged leaders in the basic science fields of neuro-pharmacology and addiction sciences, cancer pharmacology, sensory biology, muscle biology, cardiovascular pharmacology, inflammation, aging, and gene therapy. The department is highly ranked 6^th among Pharmacology departments within public institutions and 12^th nationally.  We are composed of talented faculty, postdoctoral associates, graduate and undergraduate students, technical support staff, and administrative personnel who are committed to excellence in research and teaching while building a family friendly environment. We strive to promote career development of the department members at every level. This includes providing dedicated mentorship support for the growth of junior faculty and facilitating leadership opportunities at midcareer and senior levels. In addition, there are a number of jointly appointed faculty representing other departments in the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, Dentistry, Engineering, Arts and Sciences, the Veterans Medical Center, and the Whitney Marine Laboratory. Joint faculty bring additional research expertise and teaching experience to the department for mutual benefit. The Department offers a highly collegial and collaborative environment and interactions with numerous Colleges (Agriculture, Engineering, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Medicine, Public Health and Health Professions), Institutes (Myology, Emerging Pathogens, Chemical Senses, McKnight Brain) and Centers (Cancer, Addiction, Pain, Inflammation & Mucosal Immunology, and more) that foster interdisciplinary research at UF.

The faculty in the department have diverse, yet interrelated, research interests. This unique mixture facilitates a stimulating environment for discovery and provides students and other trainees with ample opportunity to expand their knowledge base and develop interdisciplinary research skills. A number of the faculty are also involved in the process of drug development. This process includes biological target selection and validation, chemical-lead development and optimization, and disease model testing.

Research Facilities

The Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics is located in the Academic Research Building within the Health Science Center. Because the Health Science Center is part of the main University of Florida campus, the department enjoys strong ties with other aspects of the university through its faculty and students. The relationships to chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, agriculture, and social sciences are of particular importance.

The department provides individual and multi-user research laboratories, faculty and administrative offices, small and large conference rooms, and common equipment rooms. The department hosts a well-equipped state-of-the-art microscopy facility, and many other pieces of modern common equipment. Advanced multidisciplinary research requires up-to-date equipment and facilities; our department is well-equipped for these needs.

A number of research institutes and centers have been constructed to enhance multidisciplinary and interdepartmental research interactions among the faculty and students. These centers and institutes provide core research facilities, seminar programs, and additional training opportunities for the faculty and students. For example, the Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research (ICBR) provides core facilities for bioinformatics, flow cytometry, protein chemistry, genomics and next generation sequencing and electron microscopy to name a few.

The University of Florida’s College of Medicine

The University of Florida’s College of Medicine (COM) is the largest among the six academic health centers within UF Health. Boasting just over 1,500 faculty members, COM is paving the way to improve healthcare in Florida, the nation and the world through excellence and leadership in education, clinical care, discovery, and service.

With $220 million in total research funding, the COM strives to improve our understanding of human health and disease through groundbreaking research and to translate these discoveries into new solutions that improve health outcomes and quality of care.

The City of Gainesville

Gainesville (http://cityofgainesville.org/) is home to Florida's largest and oldest university, and so is one of the state's centers of education, medicine, cultural events and athletics. The University of Florida and UF Health Shands Hospital are the leading employers in Gainesville and provide jobs for many residents of surrounding counties. Gainesville is also the largest city in Alachua County, with approximately 269,000 residents county-wide. It serves as the cultural, educational, and commercial center for the north central Florida region.

The city provides a full range of municipal services, including cultural and natural/parks services and necessary administrative services to support these activities. Additionally, the city owns a regional transit system, a regional airport, and a 72-par championship golf course. Known for its preservation of historic buildings and the beauty of its natural surroundings, Gainesville's numerous parks, museums and lakes provide entertainment to thousands of visitors. Because of its beautiful landscape and urban "forest", Gainesville is one of the most attractive cities in Florida. The city is in a central location to both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, providing easy access within a day’s drive to beaches, nature preserves, and water-based activities. 

Our Community

Being part of the UF College of Medicine means joining a community that fosters the personal and professional goals and achievements of its employees. UF and COM offer a variety of tools, resources, and training to help you learn and grow. When you rise, we do too – and we welcome applications from individuals who can contribute to the university’s vision and mission, including the strategic plan of the College of Medicine.

To learn more about the College of Medicine's strategic plan "Engage, Innovate, Excel 2026," please visit: https://med.ufl.edu/about/strategic-plan/. 

Commensurate with Qualifications and Experience

• Must hold a Ph.D. and/or M.D. degree (or equivalent); and at least two years of postdoctoral training

• Possess a strong record of innovative and rigorous science

The successful candidate should possess a strong record of creative innovative science, particularly in research areas complementary to the mission of the Department, including immunopharmacology, cardiovascular therapeutics, neuropharmacology, and therapeutic delivery systems.  

Nominations and applications are invited for the position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, reporting to the Chair of the Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics.

Candidates must apply online and must include a current curriculum vitae, a cover letter stating your interests in this position, and a 2 page description of your proposed research program/plans. Priority consideration will be given to complete applications received by Oct 1st, 2024; with a final deadline of November 12th, 2024. Inquiries and nominations can be sent to admin@pharmacology.ufl.edu.

If accommodations due to a disability are needed to apply for this position, please call (352) 392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at (800) 955-8771 (TDD). Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. Searches are conducted in accordance with Florida’s Sunshine Law.