Assistant professor of engineering

Assistant Professor of Biopolymer Engineering

Department Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering (FABE) College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

The Ohio State University

Position Overview

• Distribution of Effort: 65% Research / 25% Teaching / 10% Service
• Position Track: Tenure-Track
• Location: The Ohio State University, CFAES Wooster Campus

Position Description
FABE seeks a tenure-track faculty member with expertise in the area of biopolymer engineering. Research areas of high priority include synthesis and analysis of renewable biopolymers, including alternative sources of natural rubber. The position is partially funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center for Transformation of American Rubber through Domestic Innovation for Supply Security (TARDISS). FABE is fully committed to Ohio State’s Shared Values, which include bolstering Innovation.

Performance Objectives

Develop and/or expand an independent research program in biopolymer engineering including presenting research results at national and international meetings, securing extramural funding, and producing impactful publications. Advise graduate and undergraduate students, including FABE and honors students. Demonstrate an ability to cultivate positive learning environments. Teach one course per year in the FABE undergraduate and graduate engineering programs. Work collaboratively with university faculty and staff, FABE, and/or OSU extension, government agencies, non-government organizations, and/or community groups to advance the land grant mission of the college and university. Actively serve FABE, university, and professional communities through faculty governance, committee participation and other appropriate activities.

Education and Experience Requirements

Required:

• Earned Ph.D. in Polymer, Chemical and/or Biological Engineering or a closely related discipline (e.g. chemistry or materials science) with at least one degree in engineering.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Desired:

• Registration as, or eligibility to become, a Professional Engineer.
• Experience developing and working in multi-University interdisciplinary research teams.

Ohio State provides access to a depth and breadth of opportunities and resources. Starting your first day, Ohio State offers you a comprehensive benefits package

How to Apply

To be considered, please submit your application electronically via Application materials must include:

• Cover letter describing your qualifications, areas of expertise, career goals, and alignment with desired qualifications and preferred qualifications where applicable.
• Curriculum Vita (CV).
• Statement of Research that addresses goals for establishing and growing a research program in the area of biopolymer engineering (two-page limit).
• Statement of Teaching and Mentoring that addresses philosophy of teaching, approaches and experiences in working with students from diverse backgrounds,
• Name and contact details of three references.

Initial consideration will be given to applications received by January 12, 2026. Review of applications will continue until the position has been filled. We welcome informal inquiries, which can be made by contacting Search Committee Chair, Dr. Frederick Michel at [email protected].

The Department

FABE is located on two campuses: Wooster and Columbus. It includes a diverse faculty of 26 tenure-track professors, with eight members holding joint appointments with other academic units. FABE offers undergraduate and graduate programs in Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering as well as undergraduate programs in Agricultural Systems Management and Construction Systems Management.

Total enrollment in FABE exceeds 470 students. U.S. News and World Reports ranks FABE’s undergraduate program 8th and graduate program 10th, nationally. Research areas include bio-based materials, renewable energy, urban and agricultural water management, food processing and safety, digital agriculture, remote sensing, controlled environment agriculture, indoor air quality, waste valorization, and agricultural health and safety. FABE faculty are highly regarded for their teaching, research and extension and outreach programs. Annual grant and contract expenditures for the academic unit exceed $6M.

The College

The mission statement of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) is: We Sustain Life. Faculty, staff and students alike contribute to this mission in a variety of ways. Our Strategic Alignment outlines the colleges values: Land-Grant Scholarship; Lifespan Learning; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Integrity and Accountability; and Permeable Borders. These values, which align with the university’s Shared Values, shape our goals of our Strategic Alignment. We are committed to scholarship across three mission areas (teaching, research, Extension) with a commitment to serving our state, country and world. As a land grant, we are part of a cooperative structure that includes key partners all dedicated to integrating research, education, and Extension to improve the food and agricultural sectors, the environment, and the quality of people’s lives. We educate not just undergraduate and graduate students but learners across their lifespan. We work to ensure that groundbreaking scientific discoveries are brought out of the laboratory and into the hands of those who can put them to use.

CFAES houses 11 departments/schools with over 20 undergraduate majors and 9 graduate programs, including 3 interdisciplinary programs affiliated with multiple Ohio State colleges. We also administer OSU Extension, which provides robust and relevant programming to Ohioans and beyond in the areas of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H Youth Development, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Community Development. We are one college spanning three campuses: Columbus, CFAES Wooster, and Statewide. Our CFAES Wooster campus includes a large research station as well as Ohio State’s only two- year academic unit, Ohio State ATI. The Statewide campus includes 11 research stations and county Extension offices in all of Ohio’s 88 counties. Our At a Glance provides additional information regarding our size, capacity, and impact as a college.

The University

Ohio State is a top-20 public university, and its Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is one of America’s leading academic health centers. Eligible Ohio State employees receive comprehensive benefits packages, including medical, dental and vision insurance, tuition assistance for employees and their dependents, and state or alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions.

Grounded in Ohio State University’s Shared Values, our university community welcomes differences, encourages open-minded exploration and courageous thinking, and upholds freedom of expression.

Ohio State is a dynamic state-wide community where opportunity thrives, and individuals transform themselves and their world. Positions are available in countless fields and specialties. Become a Buckeye and contribute to an incredible legacy that serves to guide our future and shape a better tomorrow.

The Ohio State University is committed to enhancing academic excellence. Recruiting, supporting, and retaining faculty of the highest caliber is a core component of this commitment. The Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) has established central resources to focus on offering support to new and prospective faculty and their loved ones. Service offerings include dual career partner consultation, potential employer and/or employment opportunity identification, consultation and resources related to relocation, as well as identifying opportunities to engage on campus and in the surrounding community. While employment opportunities are not guaranteed, resources and consultation are available. More information about dual career and faculty recruitment can be found here.

Located in Wooster, the CFAES Wooster Campus, is a critical component of our state-wide research enterprise – the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC); housing several CFAES departments including FABE, state-of-the-art research equipment and facilities, and Ohio State ATI. Wooster offers a wide range of affordable housing, with many cultural and recreational opportunities, a thriving downtown, excellent schools, the College of Wooster, and a strong economy. In addition to its Wooster campus, Ohio State has its main campus in the Columbus area and four regional campuses including Ohio State Lima, Ohio State Mansfield, Ohio State Marion, and Ohio State Newark.

As required by Ohio Revised Code section 3345.0216, Ohio State will: educate students by means of free, open and rigorous intellectual inquiry to seek the truth; equip students with the opportunity to develop intellectual skills to reach their own, informed conclusions; not require, favor, disfavor or prohibit speech or lawful assembly; create a community dedicated to an ethic of civil and free inquiry, which respects the autonomy of each member, supports individual capacities for growth and tolerates differences in opinion; treat all faculty, staff and students as individuals, hold them to equal standards and provide equality of opportunity with regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. Additionally, there may be further requirements specific to the college or unit, which could include drug and health screenings, as well as faculty misconduct checks depending on the rank of the position.