Job Description

The Bridge to Faculty (B2F) Scholars program seeks to enhance faculty diversity by encouraging the recruitment, retention, and promotion of outstanding scholars, with an emphasis on attracting individuals from groups that have been historically underrepresented in their fields or departments. The goal of this program is to recruit, mentor, and support the transition of an outstanding candidate from a two-year postdoctoral appointment to a research-active, tenure-track faculty position. Subject to satisfactory performance and University approval, the successful candidate may be re-appointed for one additional year as a postdoctoral scholar. Successful postdocs in the Bridge to Faculty program may have the opportunity to transition to tenure-track faculty at UIC starting in the 2025-2026 academic year.
UIC strongly encourages applications from individuals who have demonstrated a background and/or record of scholarship that will best support UIC’s diverse student body. UIC is among the nation’s most diverse campuses and is designated as a Minority-Serving Institution (MSI), a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), and an Asian-American and Native American/Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). UIC is located adjacent to downtown Chicago and is a comprehensive, urban, public, Research-1 university with access to state-of-the-art research facilities. More information on the B2F program can be found at https://diversity.uic.edu/faculty/bridge-to-faculty/.
The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences focuses on drug discovery, drug delivery, and elucidating the etiologies of disease and mechanisms of drug action and drug resistance. The Department is home to nearly 300 individuals across two campuses in Chicago and Rockford, IL, comprising 55 full-time faculty, 60 courtesy/emeriti faculty, 135 trainees, and 40 staff. Faculty come from a variety of disciplines such as pharmacology, pharmaceutics, pharmacognosy, chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry, toxicology, pharmacy, engineering, and forensic science. Our graduate program offers five areas of concentration (see below). The Department houses a number of interactive and innovative research units including the Center for Biomolecular Sciences, the Institute for Tuberculosis Research, the Pharmacognosy Institute, the UIC CENTRE for Drug Discovery, and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine. We believe that our department’s scholarship and teaching is enhanced through the inclusion of diverse perspectives. Additional information about the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences can be found at https://psci.pharmacy.uic.edu.
Research Areas:
The ideal candidate will focus their research on one of the department’s five concentrations: Chemistry in Drug Discovery; Forensics; Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutics; Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery; and Pharmacognosy. Our department's ecosystem provides a highly supportive environment so that Bridge to Faculty Scholars are successful. This is accomplished through tailored mentoring of the candidate throughout the postdoctoral and tenure-track faculty career phases. The successful candidate will work with established UIC faculty to develop an independent and competitive research program to successfully launch their research career. A major benefit of hosting a research program in our department is its focus on intra- and inter-Departmental collaboration.
Responsibilities:
Teaching duties will be kept to a minimum and the B2F Scholar will be exempt from service in order to allow the candidate to develop an independent research program. The Department provides outstanding instruction in pharmaceutical sciences to PhD and PharmD students. Courses within the College are team-taught. The Postdoctoral Scholar will teach lectures – typically tailored to the candidate’s expertise – in the PhD and PharmD curricula. Research activities are expected to yield both publishable research and the preparation of a detailed research plan. In addition, B2F Scholars will participate in a cohort mentoring experience through the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Engagement where they will have the opportunity to network with other B2F Scholars.
Qualifications:
Candidates must have received a Ph.D. or equivalent in Chemistry, Biological Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a closely related field. The following are encouraged to apply: senior graduate students who will have earned their doctorates by Aug. 15, 2023, and postdocs who have earned their degree within 5 years of the start of the appointment. Qualified candidates must be legally eligible for employment in the United States.
To Apply:
1) Applications must include a cover letter and: A one-page summary of the candidate’s previous research
2) A 1-2-page summary of future research plans
3) Up to one page description of how the candidate’s experiences or activities will contribute to UIC’s goal of a diverse faculty and student body
4) Curriculum vitae
5) The names and contact information for three professionals who can provide letters of recommendation upon request
For fullest consideration, applicants should submit all materials to https://uic.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/2085?c=uic by January 31, 2023. Questions regarding this opportunity should be addressed to Prof. Michael Federle at [email protected]. Applying to the Pharmaceutical Sciences Bridge to the Faculty position does not preclude a candidate from applying to other UIC departments participating in the Bridge to the Faculty program (and vice versa).
The University of Illinois at Chicago is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status, or status as an individual with a disability.

Offers of employment by the University of Illinois may be subject to approval by the University’s Board of Trustees and are made contingent upon the candidate’s successful completion of any criminal background checks and other pre-employment assessments that may be required for the position being offered. Additional information regarding such pre-employment checks and assessments may be provided as applicable during the hiring process.
As a qualifying federal contractor, the University of Illinois System uses E-Verify to verify employment eligibility.
The University of Illinois System requires candidates selected for hire to disclose any documented finding of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and to authorize inquiries to current and former employers regarding findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment. For more information, visit https://www.hr.uillinois.edu/cms/One.aspx?portalId=4292&pageId=1411899
University of Illinois faculty, staff and students are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are not able to receive the vaccine for medical or religious reasons, you may seek approval for an exemption in accordance with applicable University processes.