Job Description
The Department of Biomedical Engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech invites applications for a regular, full-time faculty position at the Assistant or Associate Professor level in whole-body biomechanics. The position is based on the Blacksburg campus and is an onsite, nine-month academic-year appointment. Appointment at the Assistant Professor level will be tenure-track. Appointment at the Associate Professor level, including the possibility of tenure upon appointment, will…
depend on the candidate's qualifications and university review and approval. The anticipated start date is August 10, 2027. We seek a scholar in whole-body biomechanics, broadly defined, across any application area compatible with the mission of our department. We welcome candidates who use experimental, computational, clinical, field-based, wearable, imaging, data-science, or hybrid approaches to investigate integrated movement, loading, function, performance, injury, adaptation, or recovery. The successful candidate will build or expand a distinctive, externally sponsored research program; disseminate high-quality scholarship; teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels; mentor students and trainees; and collaborate across disciplinary and institutional boundaries. Depending on programmatic fit and departmental needs, the successful candidate may be considered to serve as faculty director of the Kevin P. Granata Biomechanics Lab. The lab provides approximately 2,500 square feet of human movement research space in Norris Hall and includes in-ground force plates, an instrumented treadmill, marker-based and markerless motion capture, electromyography, plantar-pressure measurement systems, and performance-testing capabilities. A faculty director would be expected to steward the lab as a safe, reliable, and collaborative university resource while advancing its scientific reach. Virginia Tech Biomedical Engineering is focused on solving complex problems that transcend disciplinary boundaries and on translating research and innovation to improve quality of life. Our faculty and staff support hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students through several degree programs, a biomedical engineering minor, and across institutional affiliations. The graduate program is supported through the joint Virginia Tech-Wake Forest School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences. The department is proud of its innovative, entrepreneurial, inclusive, and supportive culture, and it emphasizes high-impact educational practices, hands-on learning, ethical innovation, and student success. The new faculty member will join a broad research enterprise spanning biomechanics, biomaterials, biomedical imaging, cardiovascular engineering, nanobioengineering, neuroengineering, tissue engineering, translational cancer research, and transportation safety. Relevant collaborative opportunities include the Center for Injury Biomechanics, Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Carilion Clinic, the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and partners across the College of Engineering and the university.
Required Qualifications
- An earned doctoral degree in biomedical engineering, biomechanics, mechanical engineering, engineering mechanics, rehabilitation science, kinesiology, or a closely related discipline by the effective date of appointment, with a research program grounded in engineering principles.
- A record of peer-reviewed scholarly accomplishment in whole-body biomechanics that is appropriate to the proposed rank.
- For appointment at the Assistant Professor level, clear evidence of research independence and the potential to establish and sustain an externally sponsored research program. For appointment at the Associate Professor level, a sustained record of independent scholarship, external support, and national or international recognition that is commensurate with the rank.
- Evidence of the ability or strong potential to teach biomedical engineering and biomechanics courses effectively and to advise and mentor undergraduate and graduate students.
- Evidence of effective interdisciplinary collaboration and the ability to contribute to a rigorous, ethical, collegial, inclusive, and supportive academic environment.
- For candidates seeking appointment with tenure at the Associate Professor level, a record that meets Virginia Tech requirements for tenure and rank, subject to university review and approval.
Preferred Qualifications
- Postdoctoral experience or comparable experience leading research projects beyond the doctoral degree.
- Expertise in advanced experimental, computational, sensing, wearable, marker-based or markerless motion-capture, imaging, data-science, or other methods relevant to whole-body biomechanics.
- A record of competitive external funding or a compelling, sponsor-informed plan for obtaining external support.
- Experience translating biomechanics research through clinical, community, governmental, athletic, occupational, military, rehabilitation, industry, or other partnerships.
- Experience managing a shared research facility, laboratory operations, personnel, safety, equipment, data systems, or collaborative access; or strong evidence of potential to do so.
- A record of effective graduate and undergraduate mentoring, team science, curricular innovation, and professional service appropriate to career stage.
- A research and teaching program that complements and extends Virginia Tech strengths while opening new directions in whole-body biomechanics.
Overtime Status
Exempt: Not eligible for overtime
Appointment Type
Regular
Salary Information
120,000 - 150,000
Commensurate with experience
Hours per week
40
Review Date
11/02/2026
Additional Information
Applicants must submit the following materials through the Virginia Tech employment portal:
- A cover letter describing the candidate's interest in the position and alignment with the department and university.
- A curriculum vitae.
- A research statement of no more than three pages describing the candidate's scholarship, independent research vision, near-term funding strategy, and potential collaborations at Virginia Tech. Candidates interested in leadership of the Kevin P. Granata Biomechanics Lab may also describe a vision for its scientific and operational development.
- A teaching and mentoring statement of no more than two pages describing the candidate's teaching experience and philosophy, mentoring practices, and potential contributions to undergraduate and graduate education.
- Up to three representative scholarly products.
- Names and contact information for at least three professional references. References will be contacted for selected candidates. Questions about the position may be directed to Dr. Pam VandeVord (pvord@vt.edu).
The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.
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Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Jon Snider at jtsnider@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.