Director of the Center for Diagnostics, Design, Devices, & Biomechanics and Associate/Full Professor of Practice of Biomedical Engineering

University of Mississippi • Lexington, MS

35d

About The Position

The School of Engineering at the University of Mississippi is seeking an experienced researcher, administrator, and faculty member for the position of Director of the Center for Diagnostics, Design, Devices, and Biomechanics (D3B) and Professor of Practice faculty position in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. The faculty appointment will be at a rank commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Mississippi is dedicated to advancing human health through interdisciplinary education, research, and innovation at the intersection of engineering and medicine. Established to meet the growing demand for engineers trained in life sciences and healthcare applications, the department offers a dynamic and student-focused environment that blends rigorous engineering principles with cutting-edge biomedical science. The Department of Biomedical Engineering comprises nine tenure/tenure-track faculty and one instructional faculty. Undergraduate emphasis areas include Biodevices, Biomolecular Engineering, Bioinformatics, and pre-med/pre-dental. Faculty within the Department of Biomedical Engineering actively collaborate on interdisciplinary projects with faculty in the University of Mississippi’s world-class School of Pharmacy and the College of Liberal Arts. Collaborative opportunities also exist with the National Center for Physical Acoustics and the National Center for Natural Products Research on-campus and with the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.

The mission of D3B is twofold: (1) to translate basic discoveries in biomechanics to novel medical devices and (2) to serve as a contract testing partner for the regional medical device industry. Since 2023, university, state, and federal funders have invested approximately $10M to establish D3B and ensure its success and growth. D3B occupies approximately 3,200 sq ft. of newly renovated state-of-the-art space at Insight Park, a 19-acre research and business park situated at the western edge of campus. The Center houses advanced equipment that will enable groundbreaking research and facilitate commercialization efforts. Equipment includes a custom-fabricated six degree-of-freedom (6DOF) multi-axial testing frame (MTS), three MTS single-axis testing frames with movement modules, and a lead-lined room for X-ray imaging. Motion capture equipment includes a Vicon motion capture suite with 14 Valkyrie cameras, 10 AMTI force plates, a Delsys EMG system, EEG equipment and fully instrumented AMTI treadmill. The Center also has and access to an ultrasonic spray coater for coating implants and a Stratasys J5 and F370 3D printers. Expansion space is available to house new equipment purchased by the incoming director.

The School of Engineering at the University of Mississippi was established in 1900, making it the oldest engineering school in Mississippi. Over the decades, the school has grown to 10 undergraduate programs, 15 master’s programs, and 14 doctoral programs, comprising a diverse faculty and student body, and alumni excelling in public and private fields. The School of Engineering had a Fall 2024 undergraduate enrollment of 1,287 students and graduate enrollment of 151 students.

Requirements

• A master’s degree and 12 years of related experience
• Experience bringing medical devices or diagnostics to market, either through translating academic discoveries or employment in the medical device industry, validating product claims or findings, or prototyping new device designs
• A history of securing extramural funding from public and private sponsors
• The ability to manage multiple, large, and complex research projects
• Record of collaboration with a wide range of constituents (e.g. faculty, staff, students; industry and government officials; and/or private, state, and federal sponsors)
• Experience supervising, mentoring, and empowering staff
• A clear vision for advancing the center

Responsibilities

• Establish private-sector relationships and network to identify and support medical device and technology projects
• Translate university research findings into tangible products and services to bridge the gap between academic research and practical applications
• Create and foster companies to commercialize technology that will capitalize on private sector customer needs

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Mid Level