Research Assistant Professor (Appointment Stream)

The Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering (https://engineering.pitt.edu/bioengineering) is seeking a Research Assistant Professor (Appointment Stream). Incumbent must possess a PhD in Bioengineering, Neuroscience, Neurobiology, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Optics, Materials Science, Molecular or Cellular Biology, or a closely related STEM discipline. Applicants should have demonstrated expertise in chronic in vivo multiphoton imaging of mouse visual cortex, including stereotaxic surgery, chronic cranial window preparation, AAV-mediated GCaMP expression, and longitudinal multi-week imaging schedules, direct ICMS experience, including multi-frequency stimulation paradigms (10 to 500 Hz), waveform design, and quantitative analysis of stimulation-evoked neural and hemodynamic responses, strong peer-reviewed publication record as first or co-first author, with manuscripts in journals such as Journal of Neural Engineering, Biomaterials, Brain Stimulation, or equivalent, proficiency in signal processing and quantitative analysis in MATLAB and Python, with shared code or analysis pipeline, and demonstrated readiness to lead independent research, mentor trainees, collaborate across engineering and clinical teams, and competitively pursue NIH R01-level funding. The position will lead a chronic mouse visual cortex platform that resolves the cellular and circuit mechanisms by which intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) and next-generation photoresponsive diamond microelectrodes evoke specific percepts, operating at the intersection of two grant-aligned research threads. The Research Assistant Professor duties include designing and executing chronic in vivo and ex vivo experiments that quantify how stimulation parameters (waveform, frequency, pulse width, irradiance) map onto Ca²⁺ activation, neuropil versus somatic recruitment, neurovascular coupling, and epileptiform susceptibility across acute and chronic phases, with the experimental platform tuned for cross-species comparison to NHP and human datasets.

Located in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh is ranked top-ten in securing NIH funding and provides a rich environment for interdisciplinary research, strengthened through its affiliation with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). The Department of Bioengineering, consistently ranked among the top programs in the country, has outstanding research and educational programs, offering undergraduate (303 students, sophomore-to-senior years) and graduate (178 PhD, MD/PhD, and DPT/PhD students; and 54 MS students) degrees. The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine (https://mirm-pitt.net/), Computational and Systems Biology (https://www.csb.pitt.edu/), the Vascular Medicine Institute (https://vmi.pitt.edu/), the Brain Institute (https://www.lrdc.pitt.edu/research/LRDC-and-the-brain-institute), Starzl Transplantation Institute (https://stiresearch.health.pitt.edu/), and the Organ Pathology and Therapeutics Institute (https://optin.pitt.edu) offer many collaborative research opportunities. The Center for Medical Innovation (https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/CMI), the Coulter Translational Partnership II Program (https://ctsi.pitt.edu/) and the Center for Commercial Applications of Healthcare Data (https://enterprises.upmc.com/phda/) provide biomedical innovation and translation opportunities.

Interested applicants should apply to requisition number 26003839 at Pitt Talent Center by visiting https://www.join.pitt.edu.

The following materials should be submitted with application:

1. Cover letter
2. Complete CV
3. Research statement
4. Three representative publications
5. Names and complete contact information of at least four references

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and therefore, early submission is highly encouraged. We intend to conclude this recruitment by July 31, 2026.

The following materials should be submitted with application: Cover letter, complete CV, research statement, three representative publications, and names and complete contact information of at least four references.

The University of Pittsburgh is an equal opportunity employer / disability / veteran.