Professor (all ranks) in Synthetic Biology and AI-Enabled Biodesign
Arizona State University
Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering
Professor (all ranks) in Synthetic Biology and AI-Enabled Biodesign
Tempe Campus
The Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University (ASU) and the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering seek applicants for a tenure-track or tenured faculty position in the area of AI-enabled Synthetic Biology, with emphasis on integrating artificial intelligence, mammalian synthetic biology, and genetic circuit design to advance biomanufacturing and biomedical applications. The School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering (https://sbhse.engineering.asu.edu/), one of the eight Fulton Schools, houses a vibrant multidisciplinary bioengineering research community (learn more at https://research.engineering.asu.edu/). We seek applicants who can enhance our abilities in these areas as part of a community of experts. Particular areas of interest include but are not limited to AI-assisted genetic circuit design; mammalian synthetic biology; RNA and protein engineering; metabolic pathway engineering and biomanufacturing; biosensors and point-of-care diagnostics; living therapeutics; and integrative approaches that combine computation, automation, and synthetic biology to advance therapeutic, diagnostic, and manufacturing applications.
We search for applicants who will contribute to our academic programs, promote transdisciplinary teaching and research, and help the university to achieve its aspirations, including enabling student success, transforming society, valuing entrepreneurship, and conducting use-inspired research. Faculty members in the Fulton Schools are expected to develop an internationally recognized and externally funded research program, adopt effective pedagogical practices in the development and delivery of undergraduate and graduate courses, advise both undergraduate and graduate student research and projects, and undertake service activities.
ASU has rich partnerships and collaborations with our health partners in the local area, including the Mayo Clinic (www.mayoclinic.org), Translational Genomics Institute (www.tgen.org), Barrow Neurological Institute (www.barrowneuro.org), Banner Health (www.bannerhealth.com), and Phoenix Children's Hospital (www.phoenixchildrens.org). This search also builds on ASU's recent initiative to establish the School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering, where medical students will earn an MS in medical engineering. Additionally, SBHSE has an alliance with Mayo Clinic Arizona to support a joint Biomedical Engineering (BME) PhD program. This faculty search will further strengthen these bold initiatives for BME at ASU.
ASU serves more than 80,000 immersion students across five campuses and has a rapidly growing digital immersion population. SBHSE is located on ASU's Tempe campus and currently trains ~1000 students in our BME programs (BS, MS, PhD, and BS online). Tempe is part of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, where demographic change, cultural inclusiveness, and socio-economic disparities demand new models of higher education and engineering innovation, which are highly relevant to ASU's Charter. ASU is also designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), further demonstrating commitment to the ASU Charter.
Appointment will be at the Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or (full) Professor rank, commensurate with the candidate's experience and accomplishments, beginning August 2026.
Essential Functions
Contribute to curriculum development.
Deliver instruction in-person and/or online.
Supervise honors, master's, and doctoral students.
Conduct research publishable in top-tier journals and/or conferences in the discipline.
Develop grant proposals for external funding as PI or co-PI.
Participate in professional and internal service.
Required qualifications
Earned a doctorate in bioengineering or related discipline by the time of appointment.
Evidence of excellence in research, as appropriate to the candidate's rank.
Evidence of excellence in teaching, as appropriate to the candidate's rank.
Desired qualifications
Demonstrated commitment to a collaborative, transdisciplinary approach to research and teaching.
Commitment to inclusive research and teaching practices.
Application Instructions
The application deadline is November 24, 2025. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool. Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled. To apply, visit https://hiring.engineering.asu.edu/ and select "apply now" next to the corresponding position.Candidates will be asked to create or use an existing Interfolio Dossier to submit the following:
Cover letter
Curriculum Vitae
Statement describing research interests (two pages maximum)
Statement describing teaching interests and philosophy (two pages maximum)
Contact information for three references
The ASU Charter states, "ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves." The Fulton Schools of Engineering are dedicated to cultivating excellence, delivering innovation that matters, encouraging bold thinking, fostering a community of learning and collaboration, and building a foundation for all to be successful. Applicants are encouraged to address how their past, current, and future activities align with the ASU Charter and Fulton Schools of Engineering values in their application materials.
For additional information regarding position specifics, please contact the search committee chair, Associate Professor Xiaojun Tian via email at Xiaojun.Tian@asu.edu.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
A background check is required for employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.
See https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.htmlandhttps://www.asu.edu/titleIX/.
In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources.ASU's Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf.You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456.
To apply, visit: https://hiring.engineering.asu.edu/
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