Assistant Professor | School of Biological Sciences (Pullman, WA)

Job Description

Online applications must be received before 11:59pm on:
September 20, 2026
If a date is not listed above, review the Applicant Instructions below for more details.
Available Title(s):
270-NN_FACULTY - Assistant Professor, 395-NN_FACULTY - New Tenure-Track - Pre-Academic Year
Business Title:
Assistant Professor | School of Biological Sciences (Pullman, WA)
Employee Type:
Faculty
Position Term:
9 Month
Position Details:
The
School of Biological Sciences
at Washington State University invites applications for a permanent, full-time, 9-month, tenure-track
Assistant Professor
position in Pullman, WA, with a specialty in
Vertebrate Evolutionary Genomics
. We seek to hire a creative and engaging scholar whose research leverages modern genomic tools to gain fundamental or applied insights into evolutionary processes. We seek candidates working on functional and/or evolutionary genomics in vertebrate systems, broadly defined. We are especially interested in candidates who link variation in genome organization and function to evolutionary outcomes by studying themes that include but are not limited to mutation, recombination, gene duplication and loss, structural variation (e.g., inversions, translocations, copy number variation), transposable elements, gene expression and regulatory evolution, and epigenetic modification.
Ideal candidates will apply integrative and innovative analytical approaches to inform the relationship between genome and phenome, other aspects of genome architecture, or between genomic variation and evolutionary processes such as hybridization, adaptation, introgression, or speciation. The successful candidate will contribute to training the next generation of biology students in skills such as bioinformatics, genomics, and the analysis of large datasets.
Additional Information:
This is a
full-time
(100% FTE)
, permanent, 9-month, tenure-track
faculty position.
This position is

NOT eligible for overtime
.
This position works
on-site/in-person at the WSU campus in Pullman, WA.
9-Month Academic Salary:

$80,000.00 to $95,000.00
|
Commensurate with experience and qualifications
In accordance with
RCW 49.58.110
, the above salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the range is based on the candidate's current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position. Successful candidates typically begin up to mid-point of the salary range.
Benefits:
WSU offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes paid sick and vacation leave; paid holidays; medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents; retirement; deferred compensation, optional supplemental retirement accounts. For additional information, please review the
detailed Summary of Benefits offered by WSU for Faculty
and
Total Compensation
.
Required Qualifications:
Earned Ph.D. in biology or related discipline and at least 6 months of postdoctoral research experience prior to the anticipated start date.
Record of research accomplishment in vertebrate evolutionary genomics, as demonstrated by publications and presentations at scientific meetings.
Effective communication skills with both students and colleagues.
Demonstrated record of or potential to engage in productive collaborations.
Demonstrated record of supporting, or potential to support, access and opportunity in research, teaching, and service in alignment with WSU's land grant mission.
Record indicating past teaching effectiveness or evidence of the potential for effective teaching of undergraduate and graduate courses in biology.
Demonstrated record or potential to teach comparative vertebrate anatomy or vertebrate taxon-focused courses, as well as one or more of the following courses: evolutionary biology, genome biology, contemporary genetics, or evolutionary medicine.
Experience with or potential for quality mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students undertaking independent research projects.
Evidence of seeking or being awarded intramural or extramural funding, with levels of activity commensurate with opportunities at the candidate's career stage
Position Sponsorship Eligibility:
May be eligible for work visa sponsorship
About Department
-
School of Biological Sciences

https://sbs.wsu.edu/
About the College
-
College of Arts & Sciences

https://cas.wsu.edu/
Location: Pullman, WA
About

WSU
, Pullman, CAS,

and

School of Biological Sciences
:

Washington

State University

is

a land grant, multiple-campus Research 1 institution
.

This position will serve on the Pullman campus, which has an enrollment of

around

20,000 students

and

is located in

Southeastern Washington

on the homelands of the

Nimíipuu

(
Nez Perce) Tribe and Palus

people
.

Located 80 miles south of metropolitan Spokane, Pullman is also a quick drive away from the scenic Idaho panhandle and Moscow Mountain. The rolling hills of the Palouse offer a wide range of activities and a true four-season climate. The area

provides

ample opportunity

to enjoy the cultural and academic hub of both Washington State University and the University of Idaho, in the neighboring town of Moscow, Idaho.

For more information about the region, please

see

https://pullmanchamber.com.

Encompassing

more than

19 departments, schools, and programs, and 19 centers, institutes, museums, and research stations across five campuses

statewide,

the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) is the heart of WSU. Together over 700 CAS faculty and staff deliver more than 50% of WSU's total undergraduate and graduate instruction, including the vast majority of WSU's core curriculum. We drive disciplinary and transdisciplinary research, scholarship, and creative activities across the arts, humanities, social sciences,

sciences

and mathematics. The College of Arts & Sciences

seeks

to lead a reimagining of WSU's land-grant mission for the 21
st

century, expanding the boundaries of creativity and discovery while simultaneously recognizing more

completely our obligations to the State and the communities we serve.  For more about the College of Arts & Sciences at WSU, please see
https://cas.wsu.edu
.

At the School of Biological Sciences, we are shaping the future of biological discovery, from molecular biology to ecosystem dynamics. Through
cutting-edge
research, hands-on training, and interdisciplinary collaboration, our students and faculty are tackling today's most pressing scientific challenges. From unlocking the secrets of DNA to preserving biodiversity, our students and faculty are shaping the future of biological sciences. For more information about the School of Biological Sciences at WSU, please see
https://sbs.wsu.edu.

WSU acknowledges that its locations statewide are on the homelands of Native American peoples, who have lived in this region and have been caretakers of the land from time immemorial. The Morrill Act of 1862

established

our land-grant institution by providing public and federal lands that are traced back to the dispossession of Indigenous lands, often taken by coercive and violent acts, and the disregard of treaties. For that, we extend our deepest apologies. We owe our deepest gratitude to the Native

peoples

of this region and

maintain

our commitment towards reconciliation. And as a land-grant institution, WSU is deeply committed to the land-grant mission, its Memorandums of Understanding with Native tribes in the region, and a tradition of service to society.

To read the full WSU land acknowledgement, please

see https://wsu.edu/about/wsu-land-acknowledgement
/
.

Application Instructions:
Applicants must upload the following required documents to their online application. Application materials should clearly communicate how the applicant meets all required qualifications and additional requirements.
A cover letter
addressing qualifications for this position

as well as a response to the following prompt:

As a land-grant university, we have a

commitment to ensur
e

access and opportunity

in

all aspects of our wor
k
. T
he successful candidate for this faculty position will have the

experiences
,

knowledge, and skills to build their research
/scholarship/creative practice
, pedagogy, curriculum, and service in ways that reflect and enhance this commitment. Using the job announcement for this position, please list

and explain

up to

three areas of responsibility you see as related to fulfilling this

mission
.

Curriculum vitae

One-page Teaching statement
that describes your teaching experience and philosophy, which may incorporate experience from formal or informal teaching and mentoring opportunities.

Two-page Research/Scholarship/Creative Activity statement
that outlines your scholarly work and includes your
future plans
.

Names, addresses, and contact information of at least three references
who can

address your history of and potential for excellence in research, teaching, and service (letters will be requested

at a later time
).

Inquiries should be directed to

Dr. Jeremiah Busch at

sbs.search@wsu.edu
.

External candidates
, upload all documents in the "Application Document" section of your application.
Current WSU Employees (internal candidates)
, before starting your Workday application,
please use these instructions to update your education and experience in your worker profile in Workday
. Internal candidates, upload all documents in the "Resume/Cover Letter" section of your application.
Documents may be submitted as one file or separate files. Applicants are encouraged to upload as a PDF, if possible.
Reference contact information will be requested later in the recruitment process through Workday.
Background Check:
This position has been designated by the department to require a background check because it requires access to children or vulnerable adults as defined by
RCW 74.34
, engages in law enforcement, requires security clearance, interacts with WSU students in a counselin