What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Research Professor Non-Tenure Track Faculty position at Montana State University - Office of Student Engagement?
Position Details
Position Information
Announcement Number FAC - VA - 26033 For questions regarding this position, please contact:
Patrick Secor
406-994-6046
patrick.secor@montana.edu
Classification Title Instructor Working Title Assistant Research Professor Non-Tenure Track Faculty Brief Position Overview
The Assistant Research Professor will lead independent, innovative research on microbial physiology, bacteriophage biology, and microbe–host interactions within the Secor Lab. This position offers the opportunity to drive mechanistic discovery in a collaborative, highly interdisciplinary department supported by state-of-the-art research facilities.
Faculty Tenure Track No Faculty Rank Non-Tenure Track Position Number 4B1130 Department Microbiology & Cell Biology Division College of Agriculture/MAES Appointment Type Non-Tenure Track Contract Term Fiscal Year Semester If other, specify From date If other, specify End date Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining FTE 0.8 Benefits Eligible Eligible Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications. Contract Type LOA If other, please specify Recruitment Type Open
Position Details
General Statement
The Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology (MCB) has strong research programs in cell biology, molecular biology, immunology, microbial pathogenesis, and cell biology supported by state-of-the-art core facilities. Pathogen-containment facilities that accommodate small (BSL-3 & BSL-2) and large (ABSL-2) animal research are also available. The Department is part of the College of Agriculture and is a component of the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES). MCB is the primary department at MSU providing pre-medical and pre-veterinary training. The department is home to the Montana Medical Laboratory Science Professional Program, and our faculty participate in both the WWAMI Medical Education Program and the WIMU Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine. The department contributes significantly to MSU’s Center for Biofilm Engineering.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Research Assistant Professor Will
Preference Will Be Given To Applicants With Experience In
This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Physical Demands
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodation. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
The Program The Department The College
Posting Detail Information
Number of Vacancies 1 Desired Start Date Position End Date (if temporary) Open Date Close Date Applications will be:
Screening of applications will begin on January 8, 2026; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.
Special Instructions
This position is not eligible for new sponsorship.
EEO Statement
Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.
In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.
FLSA Details
FLSA Determination
FLSA Status Exempt
Applicant Documents
Required Documents
Supplemental Questions
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
Position Information
Announcement Number FAC - VA - 26033 For questions regarding this position, please contact:
Patrick Secor
406-994-6046
patrick.secor@montana.edu
Classification Title Instructor Working Title Assistant Research Professor Non-Tenure Track Faculty Brief Position Overview
The Assistant Research Professor will lead independent, innovative research on microbial physiology, bacteriophage biology, and microbe–host interactions within the Secor Lab. This position offers the opportunity to drive mechanistic discovery in a collaborative, highly interdisciplinary department supported by state-of-the-art research facilities.
Faculty Tenure Track No Faculty Rank Non-Tenure Track Position Number 4B1130 Department Microbiology & Cell Biology Division College of Agriculture/MAES Appointment Type Non-Tenure Track Contract Term Fiscal Year Semester If other, specify From date If other, specify End date Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining FTE 0.8 Benefits Eligible Eligible Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications. Contract Type LOA If other, please specify Recruitment Type Open
Position Details
General Statement
The Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology (MCB) has strong research programs in cell biology, molecular biology, immunology, microbial pathogenesis, and cell biology supported by state-of-the-art core facilities. Pathogen-containment facilities that accommodate small (BSL-3 & BSL-2) and large (ABSL-2) animal research are also available. The Department is part of the College of Agriculture and is a component of the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES). MCB is the primary department at MSU providing pre-medical and pre-veterinary training. The department is home to the Montana Medical Laboratory Science Professional Program, and our faculty participate in both the WWAMI Medical Education Program and the WIMU Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine. The department contributes significantly to MSU’s Center for Biofilm Engineering.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Research Assistant Professor Will
- Work independently to develop and carry out research in the areas of:
- Microbiology,
- Microbial physiology,
- Microbe–host interactions.
- Lead mechanistic studies of bacterial communities, bacteriophages, and their roles in animal hosts using molecular, genetic, cellular, and imaging-based approaches.
- A PhD or equivalent terminal degree in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Microbial Ecology, or a related field.
- The individual must have a strong publication record in areas related to microbial physiology, host–microbe interactions, microbiome research, bacteriophage biology, or related microbial systems.
- Demonstrated capability to perform innovative and rigorous research.
- Ability to identify, analyze, and synthesize relevant scientific literature.
- Ability to develop a research plan with defined goals and design sound experimental approaches.
- Proven ability to produce research suitable for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
- Strong scientific writing skills for manuscripts, reports, and grant proposals.
- Ability to learn, adapt, and implement emerging experimental techniques.
- Experience working in a research laboratory environment.
- Proficiency with standard software (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe, Prism, etc.).
- Ability to communicate complex scientific ideas to diverse audiences.
- Strong collaborative skills and willingness to participate in team-based research.
- Experience supervising or mentoring trainees.
- Commitment to maintaining a safe and effective research environment.
- Ability to achieve project objectives within established timelines.
- Strong theoretical and empirical foundation in microbiology and microbial physiology.
- Demonstrated experience with some of the following:
- Analysis of microbial communities and microbial gene expression.
- Molecular biology and recombinant DNA techniques.
- Fluorescence or confocal microscopy.
- Imaging-based analysis of microbial dynamics.
- Quantitative biochemical assays.
- Animal models used to study microbiome or microbe–host interactions.
Preference Will Be Given To Applicants With Experience In
- Microbial or phage-driven modulation of host physiology.
- High-resolution or live-cell imaging of microbes or host tissues.
- Immunological assays relevant to microbe–host studies.
- Characterization of microbial surfaces or secreted proteins.
- Quantitative analysis of microbial behavior or microbial interactions.
- Experience working with multiple organismal systems (e.g., vertebrate, invertebrate, or gnotobiotic models).
- Prior leadership in maintaining specialized laboratory facilities or core resources.
- Experience conceptualizing or contributing to competitive research proposals.
This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Physical Demands
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodation. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
The Program The Department The College
Posting Detail Information
Number of Vacancies 1 Desired Start Date Position End Date (if temporary) Open Date Close Date Applications will be:
Screening of applications will begin on January 8, 2026; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.
Special Instructions
This position is not eligible for new sponsorship.
EEO Statement
Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.
In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.
FLSA Details
FLSA Determination
FLSA Status Exempt
Applicant Documents
Required Documents
- Curriculum Vitae
- Cover Letter
Supplemental Questions
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).