Assistant Professor of Biology

About the Job

Biology Faculty (Tenure-track, Assistant Professor) at the Center for Learning Innovation (CLI), an interdisciplinary department focused on health sciences at the University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR). The position is a full-time tenure-line faculty role beginning fall semester 2026. The appointment will be 100% over the nine-month academic year with responsibilities in research at 45%, teaching at 40%, and service at 15%.

Successful applicants will develop an active research line in the fields of scholarship of teaching and learning and/or a discipline-based education research. The required research productivity is outlined in Section 7.12 of the Regents Policy on Faculty Tenure.

We are seeking applicants who have significant interest in supporting student learning in a high-contact, in‑person teaching model. This faculty member will work collaboratively and creatively with an established faculty team, teaching biology courses including but not limited to Anatomy and Physiology, Introductory Biology, Microbiology, or additional biology areas intended for health‑science undergraduate students. The successful applicant will have experience supporting a diverse student body population as UMR has growing populations of students of color and first‑generation college students.

The new biology faculty member will join colleagues in the Center for Learning Innovation (CLI), an interdisciplinary department that focuses on undergraduate education in health sciences and engages students as participants in research on learning. The CLI is a learning‑centered faculty community in which ongoing assessment guides practice and is the basis for research on teaching and learning. Faculty take a team‑based, collaborative approach to teaching and research.

While some engage in the scholarship of teaching and learning across the integrated curriculum, others approach their research from a disciplinary education perspective. The CLI promotes a learner‑centered, technology‑enhanced, concept‑driven, and community‑integrated learning environment. Through ongoing assessment of student achievement, the CLI aspires to personalize education and continuously improve the educational experience for our students. As a tenure‑line position in the CLI, the successful candidate will contribute to the Center's engagement in scholarship of teaching and learning as their primary area of scholarship (see: (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).).

This position works in person in Rochester, MN. This role is not eligible for H-1B or Green Card sponsorship.

Candidates must have the following minimum qualifications:

• A terminal degree (i.e., PhD) in Biology, Biology Education Research, or closely related field
• Demonstrated experience and/or commitment to develop an active research program in the field of scholarship of teaching and learning and/or disciplinary based education
• Demonstrated experience and/or commitment to teaching and student learning of undergraduate students using evidence‑based practices.

Preferred qualifications:

• Show experience effectively designing and teaching courses at the undergraduate level with evidence‑based practices.
• Demonstrate familiarity with undergraduate health science education and/or expertise in a related area.
• Work well in interdisciplinary teams.
• Embody a highly innovative and collaborative approach to teaching and learning in an interdisciplinary setting.
• Have knowledge, experience and ongoing commitment to working with underrepresented and diverse students, including:
  People of color; new immigrant populations;
  Native Americans; people with both visible and invisible disabilities; women; people of various gender and sexual identities and expressions; first‑generation students; and/or students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR), located in downtown Rochester, serves nearly 1,200 students and recently welcomed its largest class ever in fall 2025. Faculty and staff are dedicated to innovative education, student development and applying research to enhance learning every day. With a strong…