The Department of Sustainable Biomaterials (SBIO) at Virginia Tech invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor with a focus on plastic conversion for both flexible and rigid packaging systems. The position is a tenure-track, 9-month appointment with responsibilities in teaching (30%), research (65%), and service (5%). Virginia Tech is committed to fostering a welcoming and supportive environment where all people can succeed and thrive. We encourage applications from those whose unique perspectives, experiences, and ideas will enhance our vibrant academic community, which is dedicated to innovation, discovery and the advancement of knowledge.

The successful candidate will develop and deliver engaging courses that provide students with the skills to make science-based decisions when designing flexible and rigid packaging solutions. The candidate will offer courses that contribute to a solution-oriented curriculum, emphasizing experiential learning opportunities for students. It is expected that the successful candidate will contribute to the development of technologies that address environmental issues as well as social and regulatory trends that impact plastic conversion and engineering. The candidate is expected to build an extramurally funded research program and enhance the department’s research capacity in the area of plastic conversion for sustainable flexible and rigid packaging systems, focusing on closed-loop strategies to meet circularity goals. The research commitment of this position may address the latest and advanced developments in diverse plastic packaging conversion technologies, including but not limited to extrusion, injection, lamination, compounding, and/or thermoforming processes, with packaging polymers, ranging from traditional plastics to advanced polymers and materials such as recycled plastics, bio-derived polymers and chemicals, renewable based resins, degradable materials, and functional enhancers.