Assistant Research Professor, Biomedical Engineering

Position Overview

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.

Core Strategic Themes

The ARP will center their research fabrication efforts and grant writing around four core thematic pillars:

1. Bio-regenerative scaffolds for tissue engineering.
2. Sustainable Green composites for civil infrastructure applications.
3. Multi-scale fabrication of highly functional materials.
4. Multi-scale mechanical characterization of hybrid materials.
   

Key Collaborations

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.
  

Candidates must submit their application through. Click on the full-time faculty menu to find the Biomedical Engineering posting. Applications must include a cover letter a comprehensive curriculum vitae the full names and contact information (address phone number and e-mail address) of three professional references and a statement on research philosophy. Screening of applications will begin in August 2026 and will continue until the position is filled.

1. Proposal Development & Financial Sustainability

• High-Frequency Grant Writing: 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.
• Interdisciplinary Team Building: Co-author multi-departmental multi-investigator grant proposals (e.g. NSF GCR NIH P01) to bridge BME CIVL and MECH expertise.
• Targeted Funding Goals: 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 $300000 by the end of Year 2.
• Transition to Independence: Actively manage the positions funding transition from 100% institutional support to 50% external grant funding by Month 12 and 100% by Month 24.
  

2. Research Fabrication & Lab Management

• Rapid Preliminary Data Generation: 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.
• Shared Materials Lab Supervision: Manage the daily operations of the Shared Materials Lab environment.
• Interdisciplinary Cross-Pollination: Convene and facilitate weekly sandpit meetings for BME CIVL and MECH students and faculty to brainstorm fabrication-application fits and streamline characterization protocols.
• Contingency & Industry Liaison: 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.
  

3. Scholarly Output & Mentorship

• High-Impact Publications: 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).
• Conference Presentations: 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).
• Student Mentorship: Serve as a technical mentor for both undergraduate and graduate student-led research initiatives across diverse engineering backgrounds.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Ph.D. in Materials Science Biomedical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Civil Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.
• Experience: Proven track record in advanced additive manufacturing multi-scale material fabrication and mechanical characterization protocols.
• Skills: 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.