Careers at Virginia Tech

The Department of Sustainable Biomaterials (SBIO) at Virginia Tech invites applications for an Assistant Professor in Medical and Pharmaceutical Packaging. This is a 9-month, tenure-track faculty position with 65% research, 30% teaching, and 5% service responsibilities. The department’s Packaging Systems and Design degree, ranked #5 in the United States, focuses on developing future leaders in development and use of sustainable packaging materials. Virginia Tech is committed to fostering a welcoming and supportive environment where all people can succeed and thrive.

The successful candidate will be expected to establish and maintain a distinguished, well-funded research program at the cutting edge of medical and pharmaceutical packaging. Areas of focus may include sterile medical device packaging, pharmaceutical delivery systems, active packaging for shelf-life extension, smart health packaging, combination products, digital traceability, tamper-evident packaging, and packaging manufactured from sustainable materials. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to secure external research funding - both through partnerships with packaging manufacturers and suppliers, and through collaborative grant proposals aimed at advancing biomedical technologies, supported by agencies such as the NIH, NSF, DoD, as well as foundations and industry partners.

The candidate must display teaching excellence through innovative teaching methods. Teaching responsibilities will include one undergraduate, and one graduate course related to medical and pharmaceutical packaging.

As a world leader in polymers, biomedical research, and health sciences, Virginia Tech has state of the art facilities that support the design, development, testing, and optimization of packaging for medical devices, pharmaceutical products, and drug delivery systems. This position will enhance interdisciplinary collaborations across the university, including with the Department of Food Science, Carilion School of Medicine, Macromolecules Innovation Institute, Veterinary Medicine, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program on Infectious Diseases, and the Institute for Critical Technologies and Applied Sciences (ICTAS).

The successful candidate will be expected to collaborate effectively with colleagues within the department, within other units at Virginia Tech, and with partners from other universities, regulatory agencies, and industry, both domestically and internationally. In addition, the candidate is expected to serve on departmental, college, and university committees.

1. PhD degree in Packaging Science, Material Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Microbiology, Health Science, Chemistry, or other relevant engineering or science fields.
2. Ability to develop and teach university-level lectures and laboratories.
3. Ability to secure research funding to support an active program and graduate students.

1. Expertise in sterilization methods and materials, specifically ISO 11607; Packaging for terminally sterilized medical devices and EN 868-1; Packaging Materials and systems for medical devices which are to be sterilized.
2. Industrial and/or research experience in medical and/or pharmaceutical packaging.
3. Experience with packaging science used for medical devices, pharmaceutical products, drug delivery systems, and any goods used in the healthcare industry.
4. Demonstrated ability to collaborate with faculty, private industry, and federal agencies.

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Regular

$80,000-$90,000 commensurate with experience

40

June 15, 2025

Application Process

Application materials should include the following information:

• a one-page cover letter including a statement of interest in the position
• a curriculum vitae
• a teaching philosophy statement of up to three pages
• a research philosophy statement of up to three pages
• names, titles, and complete contact information for three references

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check and driving check.

Inquiries should be directed to Dr. Laszlo Horvath, Chair, Search Committee: Department of Sustainable Biomaterials, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Virginia Tech, 1650 Research Center Dr, Blacksburg, VA 24061. Phone: 540-231-7673 or email: lhorvat@vt.edu.

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 the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance.  These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.