Description
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Bates College invites applications for an open rank tenure-track/tenured position in biochemistry, with preference for an Associate or Full Professor, to begin July 2026. We seek an outstanding scholar with strong commitments to and experience with undergraduate teaching and mentorship in a liberal arts context. The successful candidate will demonstrate excellence in any area of biochemistry, and for teaching purposes should be familiar with the molecular details of central carbon metabolism, the thermodynamic driving forces behind biological reactions, structure/function relationships of macromolecules, kinetics and mechanisms of enzyme catalyzed reactions, and information flow and storage in living systems. We welcome applications from individuals who are broadly trained Ph.D. scientists from chemistry, biochemistry, chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, or related fields.
The position carries a standard five-course annual teaching load each year (laboratory sections count as 0.5 courses). The duties of the position include the three main areas of faculty work: teaching, scholarly achievement, and governance and engagement. The standards of excellence for faculty at Bates are articulated in Article II of the faculty handbook, and include a commitment to inclusive and evidence-based pedagogy, peer-reviewed professional work, and contributions to the broader Bates community. The successful applicant will offer general chemistry (lecture and lab) and both semesters of the biochemistry sequence (lecture and lab.) They will also design and teach courses in their specialty area and contribute to the general education curriculum, provide academic advising, and mentor student theses. Successful candidates will be expected to develop or continue a signature and independent research program. We also expect the candidate to take part in our system of shared governance and contribute to departmental operations.
Bates College is a residential liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine—a diverse and growing community roughly 45 minutes from the state’s largest city, 2 ½ hours north of Boston, and 4 ½ hours south of Montreal. Community-engaged learning and study abroad are both broadly encouraged and supported; pedagogical development and innovation is further buttressed by the Center for Inclusive Teaching and Learning. The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is housed in Bonney Science Center, a new, state of the art research and teaching space. Dedicated research space with access to modern instrumentation is available. Faculty scholarship and creative work at Bates are robustly supported by start-up packages, internal grants, and a well-staffed external grants office. Faculty research is routinely supported by the NSF, NIH, and other external funding sources.
Educational access and racial justice are central to Bates’ history and mission and our faculty-led initiatives reflect this commitment.
Given the wide range of backgrounds of Bates students, we seek candidates who are committed to each student’s success. As part of the submitted statements, we ask that candidates share plans for helping all students succeed, and share evidence of relevant preparation or experience. This can be either in a separate, additional document or integrated into the teaching and research statements. We encourage applications from individuals from historically marginalized groups and from those who may have followed non-traditional pathways to higher education due to societal, economic, or academic circumstances.
Questions may be directed to the chair of the search committee at jkoviach@bates.edu.
Application Instructions
Review of applications will begin on Feb. 15, 2026 and continue until the position is filled. Applications should include a cover letter and a curriculum vitae. Applicants should also submit a teaching statement that describes how they plan to meet Bates’ standards of excellence of inclusive and evidence-based pedagogy and how their background has prepared them to teach general chemistry and biochemistry. In addition, a research plan that speaks to the current and future promise of a candidate’s professional work at a small liberal arts college is required. The research statement should describe the candidate’s current scholarship and future plans in a way that is accessible to a hiring committee of faculty with varied interdisciplinary specialties, including a discussion of how the candidate would incorporate undergraduates in their research agenda. The search committee will request letters of recommendation from three referees for short-listed candidates. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check and verification of degree.
Requirements
Qualifications
A Ph.D. is required by July 1, 2026. Applicants should have completed applicable graduate-level coursework and/or developed equivalent expertise to teach general chemistry and biochemistry . Post-doctoral or other additional relevant research experience is required.
