Title: Riccio Endowed Chair - Biomedical Engineering

Executive Area: Academic Affairs

College/School/MBU: Engineering

Department: Biomedical Engineering

Work Location: Amherst

Schedule: Full time

Work Arrangement: Onsite

Job Summary

The Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is seeking talented applicants qualified for the Riccio Endowed Chair in Biomedical Engineering (BME). Candidates should include materials that address the standards and criteria for tenure at the University of Massachusetts Amherst as described in our Academic Personnel Policy (also known as the “Red Book”).] The appointment is expected to begin September 1, 2027.

The position is defined broadly across the entire scope of Biomedical Engineering. Scholars working across disciplines, with a strong, sustained record of external research funding and high-impact scholarly publications are particularly encouraged. The successful candidate is expected to teach existing graduate and undergraduate courses in BME and will be encouraged to develop creative new curricula in areas of their interest or across disciplines. We are particularly interested in candidates with a compelling vision for enhancing the national and international visibility of the department and college, and a strong interest in building strategic collaborations with UMass Chan Medical School. Applicants working in areas with a strong clinical and translational focus, which will leverage collaborations with UMass Chan Medical School and regional and Boston-area hospitals, are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to expanding the scope of our department beyond our traditional strengths.

As a campus, college, and department with an increasingly diverse student body, we are looking for candidates who can operate effectively in a diverse faculty and student community, and who value collegiality, collaboration, achievement, and integrity. We encourage applications from individuals with a commitment to mentor under-represented demographics within engineering. We welcome candidates who have had non-traditional career paths, those who have paused their careers for family or other reasons, or who spent time outside of academia.

Essential Functions

The candidate is expected to develop an externally-funded research program in Biomedical engineering, and develop and maintain an internationally recognized scholarly presence. Ideally, the candidate will lead large, multi-investigator or center-level initiatives.

The candidate is expected to contribute to teaching existing graduate and undergraduate courses in Biomedical Engineering, and will be encouraged to develop creative new curricula, including courses supporting the department's 2027 academic program. The candidate is also expected to mentor undergraduate and graduate students as well as junior faculty.

The candidate is also expected to contribute meaningful service to their department, College, University and externally within their field through participation in committees, faculty governance, and activities that support the academic community.

Other Functions

Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must have a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering or a closely related field, currently hold a tenured appointment at the rank of Associate or Full Professor or an equivalent senior position in industry, a national laboratory, or a research institute, and have a record of external research funding as a principal investigator.

Additional Details

The Department of Biomedical Engineering has 15 full-time, tenure track faculty members, 3 lecturers and approximately 60 graduate students and 360 undergraduates. The department’s FY 25 research expenditures exceeded $5.1 million. Additional information about the Department can be obtained at umass.edu/engineering/biomedical-engineering.

The Daniel J. Riccio Jr. College of Engineering is recognized as one of the top 35 public engineering schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and is the #1 public engineering program in New England. Our inclusive and dynamic community includes ~2700 undergraduate, ~650 graduate students and ~160 instructional faculty (full-time tenure stream and lecturers) across five engineering departments—biomedical, chemical and biomolecular, civil and environmental, electrical and computer, and mechanical and industrial. Our faculty members are developing life-saving medical devices and therapeutics; revolutionizing next-generation manufacturing and materials; advancing AI, robotics and autonomous systems; designing smart infrastructures; tackling climate change; and leading breakthroughs in computing and cybersecurity. They are recipients of prestigious national recognitions, including 22 CAREER Awards since 2020. With over $69 million in research expenditures and 20+ affiliated research centers and programs, we're at the forefront of discovery. Our faculty and students engage actively in innovation, transforming ideas into meaningful impact through entrepreneurship activities, patenting new discoveries, and new venture creation. Our new Sustainable Engineering Laboratories building offers immersive labs and learning spaces, enabling us to test and develop technologies that address real-world sustainability challenges. The College strives to be a leader in transformative engineering education, supporting faculty in the development of their teaching expertise through various initiatives such as our membership in the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN).
For more on the Riccio College of Engineering and our mission, visit: https://www.umass.edu/engineering/ and https://www.umass.edu/engineering/about/mission-vision-and-inclusivity-statement.

This position is subject to final budgetary and administrative approval.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in a laboratory or healthcare setting and may involve exposure to chemicals or infectious diseases. Requires standing for extended periods of time and/or use of protective gear.

Work Schedule and Work Arrangement

Full-Time, academic year position. Schedule varies depending on teaching, research and service.

Salary Information

The University expects to pay within an approximate range between $177,900 and $288,900 for this position. Please note:

The low-end and high-end of the pay range reflects the department/discipline based on established, disciplinary-specific faculty compensation surveys. A truly exceptional candidate may be hired at a salary exceeding the high end of this range.

The specific pay for this position will be determined by the University based on consideration of all relevant factors, including faculty rank and required or relevant certifications, when and if it decides to extend an offer of employment.

Special Instructions for Applicants

Candidates must provide the following in their application package addressed to “Riccio Endowed Chair Search Committee.” Applications will be reviewed starting on December 15th, 2026 and reviewed until the search is completed. All files must be provided in .pdf format. Applicants must disclose whether and to what extent AI tools were used in the preparation of their application package.

A cover letter, addressed to “Riccio Endowed Chair Search Committee”. The cover letter should a) introduce yourself, b) briefly describe your interest in and alignment with this position and the mission and vision of the Riccio College of Engineering Page limit: 1 page

An overall vision statement. Candidates should describe the overall vision of what they would like to accomplish in their career, integrating across all aspects of teaching, research, outreach, and service, and discuss the inspiration that will sustain them in this faculty position. Page Limit: 2 pages

A research statement. Candidates should situate their past research in a broader scholarly context and give their research vision for this position. Candidates are specifically asked to mention the types of scholarship they will perform, how that scholarship will be disseminated, expectations for how that scholarship will be funded, and any connections to grand challenges in engineering. Page limit: 3-5 pages

A teaching and mentoring statement. Candidates should address teaching and mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students, as well as recruiting of graduate students. Candidates should describe their past teaching and mentoring experience and express their vision for educating the next generation of engineers. Candidates are specifically asked to mention existing courses in BME they are qualified to offer and also mention courses they are interested in developing. Please discuss any plans for making engineering engaging to all students. Page limit: 2 pages

A collaboration and outreach statement. Candidates should describe their record of and plans for collaboration across disciplines and institutions, including potential collaborations with UMass Chan Medical School, the Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS), and clinical and translational partners. Candidates should also describe their past and planned outreach activities, such as engagement with the community, industry, and professional societies, and efforts to broaden participation in STEM. Please discuss how these activities would strengthen the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Riccio College of Engineering. Page limit: 2 pages

A current curriculum vitae. The CV is typically ordered as follows: 1) education, 2) employment, 3) awards and honors, 4) sponsored research (if any), 5) peer reviewed publications, 6) service, and 7) other sections as considered appropriate by the candidate.

Contact information (name, title, email address, institution) for 3 professional references. At least one reference should be from a current or former supervisor.

Process

The steps of the process are as follows:

A minimally qualified pool is identified from the applicants, shortly after the December 15th, 2026 deadline.

All remaining candidates are evaluated, and a “long list” is identified, which will be interviewed via video conference in mid January 2027. Candidates invited to these interviews will be emailed at least one week before the scheduled date.

For candidates advancing to the long list: references will be contacted.

A “shortlist” is developed from the long list, and these candidates will be invited to interview on campus. We anticipate interviews on campus starting in late February 2027.

All remaining candidates are evaluated and a “long list” is identified, which will be interviewed via video conference. Candidates invited to these interviews will be emailed at least one week before the scheduled date.

This position will remain open for the time period required by any applicable collective bargaining agreement and will continue until a suitable candidate pool is identified. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early.