Assistant Curator of Ichthyology

Job Description

Classification Title: Assistant Curator

Classification Minimum Requirements: Ph.D. in Biology or a related field, conduct specimen-based research on fishes, and have evidence of excellence in research, as demonstrated through publication record, grant record, or potential to conduct grant-funded research.

Job Description:

Assistant Curator of Ichthyology

The Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida (UF) seeks qualified applicants for a 12-month tenure-track Assistant Curator of Ichthyology. This position will be filled at the Assistant faculty level in the Florida Museum's Department of Natural History. The UF fish collection at the Florida Museum of Natural History is one of the largest collections of its kind worldwide, with around 2.5 million specimens. In specimen records, it is the second largest fish collection in the United States. Strengths include elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays), western Atlantic reef fishes, western and eastern Atlantic shelf and deep-water marine fishes, North American freshwater fishes, and freshwater fishes from SE Asia. The modernized collection is 97% georeferenced, has tissue samples and 2D and 3D images for thousands of species, and during 2022–2025 was moved to a state-of-the-art facility with an adjoining 900 sq ft collection laboratory and office suite. The collection is the first to implement a modern data and collections management system that tracks the movement and use of specimens in real-time (https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/fish/). The Florida Museum supports a diverse research community studying vertebrates in neontological, paleontological, and anthropological contexts. In addition to collections at the Florida Museum, research is facilitated by UF resources in genetics and genomics, 3D-imaging, research field stations and marine labs.

Candidate Qualifications

We seek to hire an innovative ichthyologist whose research and teaching are collections-based. We invite candidates who address questions in the broad field of ichthyology and who will contribute to, and make use of, the Florida Museum's extensive and world-renowned fish collection. We anticipate that the successful candidate's research would bolster current strengths (e.g., evolutionary biology, systematics, biodiversity exploration, global change biology, biogeography, AI and bioinformatics) and grow others, through sustained mentorship and formal academic advising. An ideal candidate will contribute to the museum's goals of understanding, preserving, and interpreting biological and cultural diversity, and conduct research with opportunities for integrative collaborations with other faculty and divisions within the Florida Museum and across the 16 colleges of the University of Florida. Candidates using multidisciplinary approaches are highly encouraged to apply. Successful candidates should have a Ph.D. in Biology or a related field, conduct specimen-based research on fishes, and have evidence of excellence in research, as demonstrated through publication record, grant record, or potential to conduct grant-funded research. Preference will be given to applicants who would leverage the current fish collection and collaborate across disciplines within the museum. Starting salary range for this position is $90,000 to $105,000, negotiable based on experience.

Assistant Curator is equivalent in rank to Assistant Professor and is a faculty appointment at the University of Florida. This is a 12-month and tenure-accruing position with the tenure home in the Florida Museum's Department of Natural History.

About the Florida Museum

The Florida Museum of Natural History is the official state museum of Florida. It is located on the campus of the University of Florida, which is ranked no. 7 among the nation's public research universities by U.S. News and World Report, and is the flagship of the state university system. The Florida Museum's mission includes stewardship of 40 million specimens and artifacts, award-winning exhibitions, diverse public programs, and emerging virtual and digital engagement. The research and collections programs of the Department of Natural History are world class and attract about $10 million annually in government and philanthropic support. The Florida Museum is a national and international leader in AI and biodiversity informatics, enhanced by its formative role in iDigBio, the national hub for digitization of natural history specimens.

The Department of Natural History, a college-level unit within UF, is a vibrant community of about 300 employees, including 30 full-time faculty, ~80–100 graduate students, ~20 postdoctoral research associates, hundreds of undergraduates engaged in research, curation, and education, as well as administrative, collections and research support staff. The department has dedicated labs for digital imaging, molecular genetics and genomics, and preparing skeletal specimens. Natural History enjoys cross-campus collaborations with many of the 16 UF colleges, including those of potential relevance to this new faculty position: Agricultural and Life Sciences (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences), Education, Engineering, Libraries, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine. Other campus resources relevant to this position include the UF Genetics Institute, UF Biodiversity Institute, the Whitney Lab at Marineland, and the Ordway-Swisher Biological Station that is part of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), and the UF Tropical Aquaculture Lab (TAL).

The University of Florida is an equal opportunity employer.

Expected Salary:

Starting salary range for this position is $90,000 - $105,000, commensurate with experience.

Required Qualifications:

Ph.D. in Biology or a related field, conduct specimen-based research on fishes, and have evidence of excellence in research, as demonstrated through publication record, grant record, or potential to conduct grant-funded research.

Preferred:

We seek to hire an innovative ichthyologist whose research and teaching are collections-based. We invite candidates who address questions in the broad field of ichthyology and who will contribute to, and make use of, the Florida Museum's extensive and world-renowned fish collection. We anticipate that the successful candidate's research would bolster current strengths (e.g., evolutionary biology, systematics, biodiversity exploration, global change biology, biogeography, AI and bioinformatics) and grow others, through sustained mentorship and formal academic advising. An ideal candidate will contribute to the museum's goals of understanding, preserving, and interpreting biological and cultural diversity, and conduct research with opportunities for integrative collaborations with other faculty and divisions within the Florida Museum and across the 16 colleges of the University of Florida. Candidates using multidisciplinary approaches are highly encouraged to apply. Successful candidates should have a Ph.D. in Biology or a related field, conduct specimen-based research on fishes, and have evidence of excellence in research, as demonstrated through publication record, grant record, or potential to conduct grant-funded research. Preference will be given to applicants who would leverage the current fish collection and collaborate across disciplines within the museum.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Interested applicants must apply online. Applications must include (1) cover letter; (2) full curriculum vitae, including lists of peer-reviewed publications and grants received; (3) research statement describing the applicant's current and planned research; (4) statement providing the applicant's experience with museum collections and their vision for curating, using, and growing the UF fish collection; (5) statement about the applicant's experience with teaching, mentorship, and outreach; and (6) list of the names and email addresses of a minimum of three professional references (letters are not required at this stage).

Review of applications will begin on Aug. 21, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.

The final 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 educational institution outside of the United States must be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

For inquiries concerning this position, contact Dr. Lucas C. Majure, Search Chair, lmajure@floridamuseum.ufl.edu.

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). Employment is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States. Searches are conducted in accordance with Florida's Sunshine Law.

Health Assessment Required: No

To apply, visit https://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/540266