Assistant Research Professor

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This is a term position; length of the term will be discussed during the interview process. Continuation past the term length discussed will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding.

POSITION SPECIFICS

Assistant Research Professor

Mycobacterial & Zoonotic Disease Research

Kapur Laboratory  ·  Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences  ·  The Pennsylvania State University

Position

Assistant Research Professor (non-tenure track, full-time)

Department

Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences

Location

University Park, PA, with periodic international travel

Funding

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and NIH (multi-year)

Duration

Annual appointment, renewable based on performance and funding availability

About the Position

The Kapur Laboratory works on bovine tuberculosis and related zoonotic diseases in low- and middle-income countries, where conventional test-and-slaughter control is not viable. The program develops and validates diagnostics, vaccines, and surveillance tools intended for national deployment, working in close partnership with government, academic, and commercial institutions in India, Ethiopia, and several high-income countries.

We seek an experienced research scientist to provide scientific and operational leadership across the program. This is a critical non-tenure-track, 48 week research faculty position with substantial scientific independence and direct engagement with international policy and regulatory processes.

This position will be hired at the rank of Assistant Research Professor.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific oversight across the program portfolio, spanning diagnostics, vaccines, surveillance, and antimicrobial work.

• Lead experimental design, analysis, and interpretation across multi-site studies.

• Coordinate consortium activities, support funder reporting, and contribute to subaward and regulatory management.

• Develop and submit competitive grant applications to NIH, the Gates Foundation, and other agencies.

• Lead manuscript preparation and contribute to international guideline and regulatory engagement (WOAH and equivalents).

• Mentor postdocs and trainees, and develop training and capacity-building activities at partner institutions.

• Travel internationally as required.

Qualifications

Required

• PhD in veterinary science, microbiology, immunology, infectious diseases, epidemiology, or a related field.

• Three to five or more years of post-PhD research experience.

• Independent research record with first- or senior-author publications in peer-reviewed journals.

• Demonstrated experience managing multi-partner, multi-site research programs, ideally with international scope.

• Deep expertise in at least one of: mycobacterial diagnostics, vaccine immunology and field trials, antimicrobial resistance, or molecular epidemiology of zoonotic disease.

• Strong communication skills across institutional and cultural settings; experience with regulatory documents, grant reports, and scientific manuscripts.

• Willingness to travel internationally, including to India and Ethiopia.

Preferred

• Experience with large foundation-funded programs and their reporting frameworks.

• BSL-3 experience with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex.

• Familiarity with WOAH, USDA-APHIS, or equivalent diagnostic or vaccine regulatory frameworks.

• Track record of mentoring postdocs or graduate students.

About the Laboratory

The Kapur Laboratory at Penn State works on the genomics, pathogenesis, diagnostics, and control of mycobacterial and other zoonotic diseases, with a long-standing focus on low- and middle-income country settings. The lab leads an international consortium with partners across India, Ethiopia, the UK, Canada, and the US, and its work has been published in Science, The Lancet Microbe, The Lancet Infectious Diseases, and other leading journals.

The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences provide interdisciplinary research infrastructure across genomics, proteomics, imaging, and bioinformatics.

How to Apply

Submit a single PDF containing:

• Cover letter (maximum 3 pages) describing your research accomplishments, program management experience, and vision for the role.

• CV with full publication list, funded grants, and mentoring activities.

• Research statement (1 to 2 pages) outlining scientific priorities and approach to translating research into policy-relevant impact.

• Names and contact information for three professional references.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

BENEFITS

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional wellbeing. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children.

For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page. (Note: For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.)

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