Assistant or Associate Professor Space Biology / Astrobiology

Assistant or Associate Professor Space Biology / Astrobiology

Job No: 539530

Work Type: Full Time

Location: Brevard

Categories: Biology/Life Science, Agricultural Sciences, Physical/Mathematical Sciences

Department: 60100000 - AG-MICROBIOLOGY - CELL SCI

Job Description

Classification Title:

Ast/Aso Prof

Classification Minimum Requirements:

Candidates for this rank shall hold the highest degree appropriate to their field. A candidate shall be expected to demonstrate successful experience pertinent to the position they are being recommended and have demonstrated qualities relevant to the goals of the academic unit in which they will be employed.

Job Description:

The http://ifas.ufl.edu is creating an environment that affirms community across all dimensions. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit https://hr.ufl.edu/manager-resources/recruitment-staffing/institutional-equity-diversity/ada-and-accessibility-services-for-uf-employees-and-job-applicants/ .

This is a 9-month tenure-accruing position that will be 30% teaching (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences) and 70% research available in the Microbiology and Cell Science Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (Space Life Sciences Laboratory, Merritt Island FL). Duties will include teaching a 3-credit course in space life sciences to students at the undergraduate and graduate levels annually, training PhD students, and contributing to the graduate curriculum. The incumbent will also assist with curriculum development for new BS, MS, and PhD programs in space sciences currently being formed across campus and teach courses within these programs. Research related to the fields of space biology, space biomanufacturing, and/or astrobiology (e.g. extremophile research) are of particular interest. Tenure will accrue in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science. The faculty member will seek contract and grant funding actively to support their program, with federal competitive grant support being particularly important. The faculty member will engage in extension activities in their program area.

The successful candidate will engage in scholarly activities related to instruction, including teaching undergraduate and/or graduate courses, advising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, participating in curriculum revision and enhancement, seeking funding for the teaching program, supervising undergraduate and graduate research and creative work, publishing teaching-related scholarship, producing learning tools, and engaging in professional development activities related to teaching and advising. Faculty are encouraged to support and participate in the CALS Honors Program, distance education, and international education.

Because of the IFAS land-grant mission, all faculty are expected to be supportive of and engaged in all three mission areas—research, teaching and extension—regardless of the assignment split specified in the position description.

Background Information:

The http://www.ufl.edu/ is a Land-Grant, Sea-Grant, and Space-Grant institution, encompassing virtually all academic and professional disciplines, with an enrollment of more than 56,000 students. UF is a member of The Association of American Universities. The University of Florida is home to https://www.rc.ufl.edu/about/hipergator/, one of the most powerful supercomputers available to a University in the world. It includes 49,920 AMD cores for traditional computing and 608 NVIDIA GPUs for artificial intelligence analyses.

The University of Florida Genetics Institute is an interdisciplinary institute that seeks to promote excellence in the areas of genetics and genomics through research, education, and outreach. There are over 220 faculty who are members of UFGI and are from multiple colleges at UF including the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, Liberal Arts & Sciences, Engineering as well as from IFAS. UFGI also administers the Genetics & Genomics Ph.D. program.

The Microbiology and Cell Science Department has 29 tenured or tenure-track faculty, 7 lecturers, 79 PhD students, 700 MS students, and 1,000 undergraduate students. We pride ourselves in our commitment to computational and bioinformatics training that is crucial for our graduates to be blue chip recruits for positions in the life sciences. NASA is currently the largest external funding source for Microbiology and Cell Science, and Florida's aerospace sector—centered around Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island—is experiencing rapid growth. The incumbent will be well positioned to establish a research program that takes full advantage of local momentum in the space sciences and astrobiology.

The http://ifas.ufl.edu includes the http://cals.ufl.edu/, the http://research.ifas.ufl.edu/, the https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/, the http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu/, the http://www.flseagrant.org/ program, and encompasses 16 on-campus academic departments and schools, 12 Research and Educational Centers (REC) located throughout the state, 6 Research sites/demonstration units administered by RECs or academic departments, and Florida Cooperative Extension Service offices in all 67 counties (counties operate and maintain). The School of Natural Resources and Environment is an interdisciplinary unit housed in IFAS and managed by several colleges on campus. UF/IFAS employs nearly 4,500 people, which includes approximately 990 salaried faculty and 1,400 permanent support personnel located in Gainesville and throughout the state. IFAS, one of the nation's largest agricultural and natural resources research and education organizations, is administered by a Senior Vice President and four deans: the Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Dean for Extension and Director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the Dean for Research and Director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Dean for the College of Veterinary Medicine. UF/IFAS also engages in cooperative work with Florida A&M University in Tallahassee.

Expected Salary:

Commensurate with Education and Experience

Required Qualifications:

A doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in the life sciences with a strong background and experience in any aspect of space biology and/or astrobiology is required. Candidates should have demonstrated skills in verbal/written communication and procurement of extramural funding. Candidates must be supportive of the mission of the Land-Grant system. Candidates must also have a commitment to https://www.ufl.edu/about/core-values/. Experience in publishing peer-reviewed papers as first authors is essential.

Preferred:

Postdoctoral experience is desirable. Successful grantsmanship is preferred.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

For full consideration, candidates should apply and submit materials by August 23, 2026. The position will remain open until a viable applicant pool is determined.

Employment Conditions

This position is available January 2027 and will be filled as soon thereafter as an acceptable applicant is identified. Compensation is commensurate with the education, experience, and qualifications of the selected applicant.

Nominations

Nominations are welcome. Nominations need to include the complete name and address of the nominee. This information should be sent to:

Please refer to Requisition # 539530

Dr. Brent C. Christner, Professor

Chair, Search and Screen Committee

University of Florida

Microbiology and Cell Science Department

University of Florida

1355 Museum Drive

Gainesville, FL 32611

Telephone: 352-392-1906

Electronic Mail: mailto:xner@ufl.edu

Application Information

Individuals wishing to apply should go online to https://apptrkr.com/7223954 and submit:
Cover letter that states applicant's interest in the position and qualifications relative to the credentials listed above
Curriculum vitae
Contact information (including email addresses) for three individuals willing to write letters of recommendation
Unofficial transcripts
Research statement with a maximum of 1,500 words
Teaching statement with a maximum of 1,000 words

Selected candidate will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible. Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by http://www.naces.org/.

Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. The University of Florida is a public institution and subject to all requirements under Florida Sunshine and Public Record laws. The University and greater Gainesville community enjoy a variety of cultural events, restaurants, year-round outdoor recreational activities, and social opportunities.

Health Assessment Required:

Applications Close:

To apply, visit https://apptrkr.com/7223954

Our Commitment:

The University of Florida is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Hiring is contingent on eligibility to work in the U.S. The University of Florida is a public institution and is subject to all requirements under Florida Sunshine and Public Record laws. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392- 2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF.

University of Florida Opens Tenure-Track Role in Space Biology and Astrobiology

A Strategic Opportunity at the Intersection of Life Sciences and Space Exploration

The University of Florida is expanding its leadership in one of the most exciting frontiers of modern science by recruiting an Assistant or Associate Professor in Space Biology or Astrobiology. This tenure-track role, based at the Space Life Sciences Laboratory on Merritt Island near Kennedy Space Center, combines 30 percent teaching with 70 percent research and comes at a pivotal moment for the field.

Space biology examines how living organisms respond to the unique conditions of space, including microgravity, radiation, and vacuum environments. Astrobiology takes a broader view, investigating the origins, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. Together these disciplines drive discoveries that range from protecting astronauts on long-duration missions to searching for biosignatures on Mars and icy moons.

Why Space Biology and Astrobiology Matter Now

NASA’s Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon and establish a sustainable presence there before sending crews to Mars. Every step of these missions depends on understanding how plants, microbes, and animals behave beyond Earth. Microgravity alters gene expression, immune function, and bone density in humans. Radiation exposure increases cancer risk. Closed-loop life support systems require robust microbial communities to recycle waste and produce food and oxygen.

At the same time, private companies are accelerating the commercialization of low-Earth orbit. Space stations, manufacturing platforms, and tourism ventures all need reliable biological systems. The global space economy is projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2040, with life sciences playing an increasingly central role.

Recent missions have delivered groundbreaking data. The International Space Station has hosted thousands of experiments on plant growth, microbial behavior, and tissue engineering. Perseverance rover samples from Mars are being prepared for return to Earth, where astrobiologists will search for ancient microbial life. Europa Clipper and Dragonfly missions will probe icy worlds that may harbor subsurface oceans.

University of Florida’s Strategic Position

The new faculty member will join the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science within UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The position is housed at the Space Life Sciences Laboratory, giving researchers direct access to Kennedy Space Center facilities, flight hardware, and collaboration opportunities with NASA scientists.

UF already ranks among the nation’s top public research universities and operates one of the world’s most powerful academic supercomputers, HiPerGator. The university’s Genetics Institute and strong computational biology programs provide ideal support for data-intensive space biology research. NASA is currently the largest external funding source for the Microbiology and Cell Science department, reflecting established expertise in the area.

The role also supports curriculum development for emerging BS, MS, and PhD programs in space sciences across campus. The successful candidate will teach a three-credit space life sciences course annually and mentor the next generation of researchers.

Research Priorities for the Position

UF is particularly interested in candidates working on space biomanufacturing, extremophile research, and astrobiology. Space biomanufacturing uses microgravity to produce pharmaceuticals, biomaterials, and food with higher yields or novel properties. Extremophiles—organisms that thrive in extreme conditions on Earth—serve as models for life on other planets and as sources of enzymes for industrial applications.

Potential research areas include how microbes form biofilms in space, the effects of radiation on DNA repair mechanisms, synthetic biology approaches to creating self-sustaining ecosystems, and the development of biosensors for detecting life beyond Earth. The position encourages active pursuit of federal grants, especially from NASA and the National Science Foundation.

Recent Advances Shaping the Field

Over the past five years, space biology has moved from descriptive studies to mechanistic understanding and engineering applications. Researchers have mapped thousands of genes whose expression changes in microgravity. They have engineered bacteria that produce more antibiotics or degrade plastics more efficiently when grown in orbit.

Astrobiology has benefited from improved instrumentation. The James Webb Space Telescope has characterized exoplanet atmospheres, identifying molecules that could indicate biological activity. Laboratory simulations of Martian and icy-moon conditions have refined our understanding of habitability limits.

These advances create demand for faculty who can bridge fundamental biology with space applications. The UF position offers exactly that platform, combining academic resources with proximity to flight operations.

Career Path and Qualifications

Ideal candidates hold a doctorate in microbiology, cell biology, astrobiology, or a related field. Postdoctoral experience is preferred, along with a record of successful grantsmanship. The role is open at both assistant and associate professor levels, allowing flexibility for mid-career researchers.

Tenure will accrue in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science. The nine-month appointment aligns with the academic calendar while providing summer research opportunities through grants and NASA partnerships.

Applications are due by August 23, 2026, for full consideration. The university encourages applications from candidates who will contribute to a diverse and inclusive academic community.

Broader Impact on Higher Education and the Workforce

Faculty positions like this one strengthen the pipeline of trained professionals for NASA, commercial space companies, and academic institutions worldwide. Graduates with space biology expertise are in high demand for roles in mission planning, life support engineering, planetary protection, and science communication.

The position also supports UF’s land-grant mission through extension activities that translate research findings for Florida’s aerospace industry and agricultural stakeholders interested in controlled-environment food production.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Space Life Sciences

As humanity prepares for sustained presence on the Moon and eventual journeys to Mars, space biology and astrobiology will only grow in importance. The University of Florida’s investment in this faculty line positions the institution at the forefront of these efforts.

Researchers who join now will shape the questions that guide the next decade of exploration. They will train students who may one day conduct experiments on the lunar surface or analyze samples returned from Mars.

This is more than a job posting. It is an invitation to contribute to discoveries that could redefine our understanding of life itself.

How to Apply and Learn More

Full details and application instructions are available through the University of Florida’s official job portal. Candidates should prepare a research statement, teaching philosophy, and diversity statement alongside their curriculum vitae and references.

Early applications are encouraged given the competitive nature of space-related academic positions. The August 23 deadline allows time for thorough review before the fall semester begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

🔬What does the Space Biology / Astrobiology position at UF involve?

The role is 70% research and 30% teaching in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science. The faculty member will conduct research on space biology, astrobiology, or space biomanufacturing while teaching a space life sciences course and helping develop new degree programs.

📍Where is the position physically located?

The primary research location is the Space Life Sciences Laboratory on Merritt Island, Florida, adjacent to Kennedy Space Center. This provides direct access to NASA facilities and collaboration opportunities.

Assistant or Associate Professor Space Biology / Astrobiology

University of Florida

Gainesville, FL 32611, USA