Assistant Research Professor, Biomedical Engineering

University of Memphis•Memphis, TN

16h

About The Position

The Herff College of Engineering at The University of Memphis invites applications for a dynamic, highly collaborative Assistant Research Professor (ARP). This specialized, non-tenure-track faculty position serves as the vital technical and intellectual bridge across three core departments: Biomedical Engineering (BME), Civil Engineering (CIVL), and Mechanical Engineering (MECH). The successful candidate will manage a Shared Materials Lab environment and establish a central "Fabrication-to-Function" nexus. The primary focus of this role is to accelerate interdisciplinary research, generate critical preliminary data for federal grants, and pioneer the development of sustainable, bio-inspired materials alongside advanced additive manufacturing techniques. The ARP will center their research, fabrication efforts, and grant writing around four core thematic pillars: Bio-regenerative scaffolds for tissue engineering. Sustainable "Green" composites for civil infrastructure applications. Multi-scale fabrication of highly functional materials. Multi-scale mechanical characterization of hybrid materials. The ARP will work with a robust, pre-established cohort of materials science and engineering experts, including but not limited to: Biomedical Engineering: Dr. Amber Jennings (Lead Mentor, Infection/Biomaterials), Dr. Joel Bumgardner (Dental Regeneration), Dr. Gary Bowlin (Tissue Templates/Electrospinning), and Dr. Hayden Carlton (Thermal Therapy). Civil Engineering: Dr. Farhad Jazei (Co-Lead, Sustainable Infrastructure) and Dr. Yuankai Huang (Sensors & Functionalized Materials). Mechanical Engineering: Dr. Yuan Gao (Technical Lead, Microfluidics/MPS), Dr. Gladius Lewis (Bone Cement/Stents), and Dr. Ranganathan Gopalakrishnan (Aerosol Delivery & Processes). External Synergy: Potential to facilitate broader inter-college collaborations with faculty in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.
Proven track record in advanced additive manufacturing, multi-scale material fabrication, and mechanical characterization protocols.
Demonstrated ability to write and submit competitive federal grant proposals (NIH, NSF, USDA).
Strong cross-disciplinary communication skills, with the agility to interface between micro-biological and macro-structural application spaces.
Experience managing shared laboratory spaces and mentoring student researchers.

Responsibilities

Serve as a primary driver for an aggressive external proposal pipeline, aiming for at least five external submissions per year targeting the NSF, NIH, and USDA.
Co-author multi-departmental, multi-investigator grant proposals (e.g., NSF GCR, NIH P01) to bridge BME, CIVL, and MECH expertise.
Drive the strategic target of securing over $2.5M in requested funds over 24 months, with an expectation to secure at least one major award exceeding $300,000 by the end of Year 2.
Actively manage the position's funding transition from 100% institutional support to 50% external grant funding by Month 12, and 100% by Month 24.
Pivot efficiently between the microscopic demands of drug delivery systems/biomaterials and the macroscopic requirements of civil infrastructure to provide high-quality preliminary data for faculty submissions.
Manage the daily operations of the Shared Materials Lab environment.
Convene and facilitate weekly "sandpit" meetings for BME, CIVL, and MECH students and faculty to brainstorm fabrication-application fits and streamline characterization protocols.
If federal timelines experience delays, pivot strategically toward generating industry-sponsored research contracts by providing fee-for-service medical device testing and validation for private sector partners.
Disseminate research by maintaining a steady publication record of at least three peer-reviewed articles per year in premier journals (e.g., Biomaterials, Acta Materialia, Advanced Functional Materials).
Present pioneering fabrication methodologies and findings at prestigious national and international venues, such as the Society for Biomaterials, Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS), and Materials Research Society (MRS).
Serve as a technical mentor for both undergraduate and graduate student-led research initiatives across diverse engineering backgrounds.