Associate Professor/Professor, Department of Chemistry

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Humanities and Sciences is pleased to announce a Strategic Senior Faculty position. This position is part of a university-wide initiative to recruit high-impact tenured faculty members to support its rapidly growing, transformative research portfolio, with university sponsored research awards of $568 M in FY25.

The Department of Chemistry in the College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) in collaboration with the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation, invites applications for a faculty position at the rank of Associate or Full Professor in innovative, application-driven chemistry aimed at addressing society's grand challenges in human health and drug discovery. We seek visionary scholars with an internationally recognized research record and a strong record of external grant support who will shape the future of chemistry by leveraging cutting-edge approaches to design, discovery, and application. Expertise in an interdisciplinary field such as physical chemistry, chemical biology, or synthetic organic chemistry is desired, with a particular interest in candidates incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into their work to drive scientific discoveries is preferred. We seek an experimentalist, but those with hybrid experimental/computational programs are welcome.

The faculty member will be expected to leverage their expertise to collaborate extensively across VCU, including with the health sciences campus. We are particularly interested in candidates whose work complements our existing strengths while expanding our reach into emerging areas. The successful applicant should have a vested interest in mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and new faculty. The VCU Department of Chemistry is committed to the dual mission of research and teaching at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Further information can be found at the department website: https://chemistry.vcu.edu/.

Required Qualifications:

• A Ph. D. in chemistry, medicinal chemistry, chemical biology or a closely related field is required, and post-doctoral experience is strongly encouraged;
• An internationally recognized research record and a strong record of external grant support;
• Demonstrated teaching experience at the university level at undergraduate and graduate levels;
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU.

Application Process:

Candidates need to submit (1) a cover letter, (2) a complete curriculum vitae including list of publications, courses taught, list of service activities, list of current and previous funding, and list of research students mentored (3) a document containing a detailed research statement that includes a 1-page summary and potential collaborative activities with faculty at VCU as part of their application.

The University seeks to attract innovative, active faculty of the highest caliber. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is one of only 84 public universities nationwide classified by the Carnegie Foundation as an "R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production," as well as its prestigious "Community Engagement" status with more than $500 million in sponsored research in FY 2024. We are a rapidly growing top 50 public research institution, as ranked by the National Science Foundation. We are also in the top 20% of the best global universities as ranked by US News & World Report. VCU Medical Center is both the region's safety net hospital and the Richmond metro area's No. 1-ranked hospital (per the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospital rankings). VCU's Massey Cancer Center is an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center.

Located in the heart of Richmond, Virginia, VCU benefits from this vibrant city's historical architecture, eclectic dining and nightlife, thriving art scene, and the James River trail system. Two hours from beautiful Shenandoah, the Atlantic Ocean, and Washington DC, Richmond offers something for everyone, including families.

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU's robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

Unit: College of Humanities and Sciences

Salary Range: Commensurate

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Flexible Work Arrangement: Hybrid

ORP Eligible: Yes

Rank: Open

Tenure: Tenure Track

Months: 9 months

Contact Information:
Contact Name: Dr. Maryanne Collinson
Contact Email: mmcollinson@vcu.edu