Assistant/Associate Professor of Human Physiology, Glia and Neurovascular focus

Assistant/Associate Professor of Human Physiology, Glia and Neurovascular focus

Job no: 535560
Work type: Faculty - Tenure Track
Location: Eugene, OR
Categories: Biology/Life Sciences, Research/Scientific/Grants, Human Physiology, Neuroscience
Department:Arts & Sciences, College of

Department: Human Physiology
Rank: Assistant/Associate Professor
Annual Basis: 9 Month

Application Deadline

November 21, 2025; position open until filled

Required Application Materials

Apply at

For consideration, applicants must submit each of the documents described below. Letters of reference will be requested from shortlist candidates. We strongly encourage applicants to use the rubrics to guide construction of the documents and encourage applicants to take note of differing criteria for the Assistant and Associate Professor ranks.

A. Letter of Interest (2 page maximum)

This letter should focus on knowledge, experience and plans related to the tenure-track faculty position. Candidates should briefly describe how their past, present, and future research interests align with glia and neurovascular coupling, the department of Human Physiology, and the University of Oregon. It should also address how their experience with successful mentoring, teaching or outreach aimed at reducing barriers for underrepresented groups, and specific plans for how they could contribute to our department’s goal to create an inclusive community through current campus programs or new activities, or through national or off-campus organizations. Candidates should include examples of how they supported or led activities promoting interest and retention in the sciences by individuals from underrepresented groups and/or their future plans to do so. Additionally, candidates are encouraged to provide information on how their research agenda addresses or incorporates issues that involve or affect underrepresented populations.

B. Curriculum vitae (CV)

We encourage applicants to submit their CV using the provided template. Applicants will be screened for minimum requirements using information provided in the CV. The template outlines the details of the required information for the minimum criteria.

C. Three statements (rubrics for evaluation are linked):

1. Research accomplishments and future plans
• 2 page maximum, not including references
• This statement should describe previous research accomplishments, outline future, independent research plans related to glia and/or neurovascular coupling, and how their research bridges gaps to other research in the department and throughout campus, particularly the Institute of Neuroscience.
•

2. Impact statement summarizing the most significant research contributions to the field of glia or neurovascular coupling
• 500 words maximum using the provided form.
• This statement should be succinct and accessible to non-experts in the field and address their contributions and plans related to glial biology and/or neurovascular coupling.
•

3. Teaching philosophy
• 2 page maximum
• This statement should describe the candidate’s evidence-based teaching strategies, learning goals, reflective teaching practice, and how they create a supportive learning environment.
•

Questions about the application process should be addressed to Dr. Adrianne Huxtable, Chair, Human Physiology Glia and Neurovascular Coupling Faculty Search (). To ensure full consideration, please submit application materials by November 21, 2025. The position will remain open until filled. Applications are encouraged from women and members of other underrepresented groups.

Position Announcement

The Department of Human Physiology at the University of Oregon invites applications for a tenure track position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor to begin Fall 2026. Candidates for the position should have a glia and/or neurovascular coupling research focus with relevance to human health or disease. The department welcomes all areas and specializations within glia and neurovascular coupling, including research using either model organisms (e.g., mice, rats, zebrafish, etc.) or humans. Women, members of underrepresented and underserved groups, and scientists at early or more senior stages in their academic career are strongly encouraged to apply. The position includes a competitive start-up package, research-appropriate laboratory space within a collaborative research environment. Additionally, excellent benefits and a safe, friendly, and inclusive work environment make the University of Oregon an outstanding place to work. Candidates will contribute to teaching and mentoring at the undergraduate and graduate levels. We particularly welcome applicants who bring current funding and demonstrate a clear plan for sustained extramural support, and current funding is a requirement for senior-level applicants. Applicants will also have the opportunity to become members of the Institute of Neuroscience and benefit from full participation in the institute.

The Department of Human Physiology has a range of research strengths in both clinical and preclinical models in areas of neuroscience, cardiovascular, respiratory and muscle physiology, cell signaling and metabolism, and biomechanics. The candidate will have a primary appointment in the department of Human Physiology, but they will also benefit from additional expertise and a collaborative research environment within the Institute of Neuroscience (ION) (which includes faculty from Biology, Psychology, Human Physiology, and Math), the Center for Translational Neuroscience, and the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact. Further, this hire will benefit from other ongoing searches in ION/Biology and the Knight Campus focused on Developmental Neuroscience and Neuroengineering, respectively, highlighting the UO desire to forward a strong research environment in Neuroscience.

The Department of Human Physiology is dedicated to building a diverse community that is committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment. The department has an active Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, that establishes yearly goals related to improving climate and experiences for faculty, staff, and students. The candidate is expected to be an active participant in the department, college and university’s inclusive initiatives, which include creation of inclusive research communities, research exploring underrepresented populations, and inclusive and evidence-based teaching practices.

Department or Program Summary

The Department of Human Physiology is home to undergraduate, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows, who desire strong training in human physiology and anatomy that will prepare them for careers in biomedical research, medicine, and allied health professions. The department is strongly committed to inclusive and evidence-based teaching practices.

Human Physiology has strong connections with the Institute of Neuroscience, the Neuroscience Major, the Data Science Initiative, the Institute for Molecular Biology, the Lewis Center for Neuroimaging, the Prevention Science Institute, the Bowerman Sports Science Center, the Center for Translational Neuroscience, and the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact. It is also a part of the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance and has strong partnerships with university athletics.

Minimum Requirements

Assistant Professor
• PhD in Physiology, Biology, Biochemistry, Neuroscience, or related field
• 2 years postdoctoral research experience or equivalent research experience
• 2 first author publications in a peer-reviewed journal

Associate Professor
• PhD in Physiology, Biology, Biochemistry, Neuroscience, or related field
• 2 years postdoctoral research experience or equivalent research experience
• 2 last author publications in a peer-reviewed journal
• 6 years of research experience in a tenure track position or equivalent independent position

Preferred Qualifications

• Current funding
• Clear plan for sustained extramural support
• Experience employing inclusive and varied pedagogical practices in teaching at the university-level

About the University

The University of Oregon (UO) is located on Kalapuya Ilihi, the traditional indigenous homeland of the Kalapuya people. Following treaties between 1851 and 1855, Kalapuya people were dispossessed of their indigenous homeland by the United States government and forcibly removed to the Coast Reservation in Western Oregon. Today, descendants are citizens of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon, and continue to make important contributions in their communities, at UO, and across the land we now refer to as Oregon.
The UO Libraries has operations and repositories at various locations in Oregon and wishes to acknowledge the traditional homelands of the Kalapuya peoples of the Willamette Valley of Eugene; Chinook, Clackamas, Kalapuya, Kathlamet, Molalla, Multnomah, Tualatin, and other tribes and bands (Portland area); and the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw (Charleston area).

We express our respect for all federally recognized Tribal Nations of Oregon. This includes the Burns Paiute Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, the Coquille Indian Tribe, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, and the Klamath Tribes. We also express our respect for all other displaced Indigenous peoples who call Oregon home.

The University of Oregon is one of only two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities and holds the distinction of a “very high research activity” ranking in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The university enrolls ~20,000 undergraduate and 3,600 graduate students representing all 50 states the District of Columbia, two US territories, and 94 countries. The 295-acre campus features state-of-the art facilities in an arboretum-like setting. The university is located in Eugene, a vibrant city of 157,000 within easy driving distance of the Pacific Coast, the Cascade Mountains, and Portland. The UO campus has state-of-the-art Core Facilities including the Genomics and Cell Characterization Core Facility, the Imaging Microscopy Core, the Center for Advanced Materials Characterization (that houses high resolution electron microscopy and microanalysis), and the Research Advanced Computing Services (with large-scale computing resources, performant storage, high-speed data transfer capabilities). The UO is also committed to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus (details regarding the UOs commitment can be found here.) Lastly, the close proximity to Portland allows for clinical collaborations with Oregon Health Sciences University.