Assistant Professor, Evolutionary Biology

The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.

If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at (775) 784-1495 orjobs@unr.edu.

Job Description

The Department of Biology at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Evolutionary Biology to join us startingJuly 1, 2027. We seek an evolutionary biologist whose research addresses fundamental questions about evolutionary processes in non-model organisms, and welcome applicants working across a broad range of questions, approaches, and organismal systems. Candidates conducting research that connects genomic, ecological, and/or organismal approaches to evolutionary questions are of particular interest. Research involving vertebrate systems is also of particular interest, although outstanding applicants working in any area of evolutionary biology who apply integrative approaches to non-model organisms are encouraged to apply.

We are particularly interested in candidates whose research will complement and expand existing strengths in evolutionary biology within the Department of Biology and across the university, while bringing new questions, approaches, or areas of expertise to our research community. Successful candidates will be expected to develop an externally funded, internationally recognized research program and to contribute to collaborative research and graduate training within the department.

Biology faculty at UNR conduct research spanning evolution, ecology, behavior, genetics and genomics, cell and molecular biology, neuroscience, and organismal biology. The successful candidate will contribute to undergraduate and graduate education and join a broad community of faculty and students working in evolutionary biology and related fields. Opportunities for interdisciplinary graduate training and collaboration are available through the Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology (EECB) graduate program, with additional opportunities for research, teaching, and collaboration through the UNR Museum of Natural History.

Required Qualifications

Ph.D. in Biology, Evolutionary Biology, or a related field and relevant postdoctoral experience.

Preferred Qualifications

A strong publication record; Research experience that complements and expands the research capacity of the department; potential to develop a nationally competitive research program and potential to develop strong teaching skills

Compensation

Assistant Professor

To view the salary schedule for this position, please visit:Salary Schedules and select Academic Faculty (9-month). Salary is competitive and commensurate with related education and experience.

Perks of working at UNR

• Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance
• E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers an annual or semester membership and family membership options.  E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center
• Reno is proud to be a University town! Many local businesses offer discounts to WolfCard holders
• Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.
• Faculty Senate is the principal representing body for faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. Faculty Senate
• No state income tax!

Grants-in-aid for Faculty Employees

The University is proud to provide a reduced-rate tuition benefit to faculty and qualified dependents. Faculty can take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate. Dependents of faculty have unlimited credits, but in order to be eligible children must be unmarried and under the age of 24 and must receive at least 50% of their financial support from the employee and/or employee’s spouse or domestic partner. Faculty Grants-in-Aid

Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program

The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a dual career assistance program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them to identify career opportunities in Northern Nevada.Dual Career Assistance Program

Department Information

The Department of Biology has around 800 biology majors, 350 neuroscience majors, 80 graduate students, 24 tenure ladder faculty, and 11 teaching professors. Extramural awards average ~ $7 million per year. The department has access to state-of-the-art facilities, including aCell and Molecular Imaging Core,Animal research facilities, and access to university cores such asGenomics,Proteomics, andBioinformatics. Reno is located in Northern Nevada at the intersection of the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin, providing unparalleled access to diverse mountain, desert, and aquatic ecosystems, extensive public lands and natural areas, and field sites including nearby Lake Tahoe.

Contact Information:

Search Committee Chair: Thomas Parchman,tparchman@unr.edu

Administrative Contact: Beth Jacobsen, (775) 682-8787,jacobsenb@unr.edu

Exempt

Full-Time Equivalent

Required Attachment(s)

Please note, once you submit your application the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments, prior to the committee review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at jobs@unr.edu

Attach the following attachments to your application

1) Resume/CV

2) Cover Letter

3) Statement of research interests and plans (limit three pages)

4) Statement of teaching interests,including a philosophy for pedagogy and mentorship, as well as potential courses the candidate could teach or develop (limit two pages)

5)Contact Information for three professional references

Full Consideration

For full consideration, applications must be received byOctober 30, 2026.

This posting is open until filled

Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply immediately. This search is open until a hiring decision has been made.

Posting Close Date

Note to Applicant

A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.

Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.

The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes). 

About Us

The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.

Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”

Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school – the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.

The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.

Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada – led by the University of Nevada, Reno – was named one of the inaugural 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (TechHubs). Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories. Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.

Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.

The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.

Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement – all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.

For more information, please visit theUniversity’s website.

University of Nevada, Reno