Department Chair - College of Sciences, Molecular Microbiology & Immunology

Department Chair

The University of Texas at San Antonio, College of Sciences, invites applications for the position of Professor and Chair of the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology.

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio) is a nationally recognized, top-tier public research university that unites the power of higher education, biomedical discovery and healthcare within one visionary institution. As the third-largest research university in Texas and a Carnegie R1-designated institution, UT San Antonio is a model of access and excellence — advancing knowledge, social mobility and public health across South Texas and beyond. UT San Antonio serves approximately 42,000 students in 320 academic programs spanning science, engineering, medicine, health, liberal arts, AI, cybersecurity, business, education and more. With 17,000 faculty and staff, UT San Antonio has also been recognized as a Top Employer in Texas by Forbes Magazine. Learn more online, on UT San Antonio Today or on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or LinkedIn.

College of Sciences

The College of Sciences (COS) at UT San Antonio is dedicated to innovation and excellence in both the classroom and the laboratory, preparing the next generation of well-educated, highly trained professionals and leaders.

COS offers 16 undergraduate and 14 graduate degree programs across the life and physical sciences. More than 280 faculty in seven academic departments support these programs, making COS the fourth-largest college at UT San Antonio. In Fall 2025, enrollment exceeded 4,300 undergraduates and 430 graduate and post-baccalaureate students.

A major contributor to UT San Antonio's Carnegie R1 status, COS drives discovery and tackles real-world challenges with approximately $40 million in annual research expenditures and nearly 200 active projects.

Research strengths span biomedical and health innovation, molecular, chemical and materials discovery, fundamental and applied physical sciences, earth, environmental and planetary systems, mathematical, computational and data sciences, and STEM education and workforce development.

COS collaborates with leading research centers and institutes, including the South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Brain Health Consortium, Matrix AI, the Center for Innovative Drug Discovery, and the Center for Space Technology and Operations Research. Faculty distinction is reflected in prestigious honors such as NSF CAREER awards, AAAS Fellowships, membership in the National Academy of Inventors, and leadership roles in professional societies worldwide.

Student success is central to COS. Faculty members have earned the University of Texas Regents' Outstanding Teaching Award, and the COS Student Success Center, founded in 2020, serves as a hub for mentoring, professional development, and community-building. COS students are recognized nationally, with recent recipients of Barry Goldwater Scholarships and NSF Graduate Research Fellowships.

Learn more at the College of Sciences website.

Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology

The Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology (MMI) houses a collaborative community of researchers and educators committed to advancing discovery and training at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels. Academic programs include a B.S. in Microbiology and Immunology, an M.S. in Biotechnology, and a Ph.D. in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. Research areas span host-pathogen interactions, disease intervention and vaccines, immunology, and microbial genomics, with funding from NIH, NSF, DoD, and other agencies. MMI leads the San Antonio-based Coccidioidomycosis Collaborative Research Center (SA-CCRC) and houses the NIAID-funded MMI-T32 Predoctoral Training Grant. The department is affiliated with the South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID) and maintains strong partnerships with UT Health San Antonio and Texas Biomedical Research Institute.

Salary Range: Commensurate with education, experience, and qualifications.

Job Type: Full Time

Position Summary

We seek outstanding candidates who have independent, cutting-edge research programs in infection and immunity, host microbe interactions, bacterial or fungal pathogenesis, anti-microbial drug discovery and medicinal chemistry, vector-borne diseases or immunological regulation of infection including omics approaches, chronic immune diseases, vaccine development, cellular immunology, mucosal immunology, adaptive/innate immunity. The successful applicant will also provide departmental leadership to support the academic programs and research growth, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and overseeing budgetary and personnel matters.

The department and the college offer strong administrative support and exceptional technical resources in many areas with access to expert personnel and core facilities, including flow cytometry and cell sorting, confocal microscopy, electron microscopy, proteomics, genomics, and a BSL3 facility among others.

We seek leaders who embrace UT San Antonio's climate of collegiality, academic excellence, teaching, and mentoring of students and trainees. The successful candidate must have the ability to work with and be sensitive to the varying educational needs of our students.

Qualifications

• Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent degree, with significant research and leadership experience in their respective areas.
• Demonstrate a record of leadership in high-quality, collaborative research, external funding and an outstanding track record of research productivity.
• This position may require the ability to maintain the security and integrity of UT San Antonio and its infrastructure per Texas EO-GA-48.

   

   

Application Process

To apply, applicants must upload the following:

• A current curriculum vitae.
• A cover letter
• Complete contact information for at least three professional references.
• A vision statement for the department (3-page limit).
• A research statement (3-page limit).
• A teaching statement (1 page limit).

Tenure is contingent upon Board of Regents' approval, and applicants must show a demonstrated commitment.

This position will remain open until filled. To ensure full consideration, please apply by December 1, 2026. For more information, contact Dr. Saugata Datta, Chair of the Search Committee at saugata.datta@utsa.edu

At the discretion of the hiring department, this posting may close once a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received.

This position will work primarily on campus. Travel and parking expenses are the employee's responsibility.

This position is contingent upon a successful background check. Verification of a valid driver's license and Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) may be completed as applicable. Applicants selected must be able to show proof of eligibility to work in the United States by time of hire.

Equal Employment Opportunity

As an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer, it is the policy of The University of Texas at San Antonio to promote and ensure equal employment opportunity for all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or genetic information, and veteran status. The University is committed to the Affirmative Action Program in compliance with all government requirements to ensure nondiscrimination.