The Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S) at Columbia University Irving Medical Center invites applications and nominations for the position of Chair of the Department of Microbiology & Immunology. The successful candidate will be eligible for appointment at the rank of Professor with tenure and will be nominated for an endowed professorship.

VP&S has a distinguished history of excellence in basic science, translational research, clinical care, education, and public service spanning more than 250 years. As part of Columbia University, the College includes 30 basic and clinical departments and more than 20 interdisciplinary centers and institutes that foster innovation and collaboration across the biomedical sciences.

The Department of Microbiology & Immunology has a strong legacy of discovery in host–pathogen interactions, immunology, virology, and microbial pathogenesis and now stands at a pivotal moment of renewal and growth. The next Chair will play a central role in the medical school’s strategic effort to elevate the quality, impact and visibility of the VP&S faculty and their research. The next Microbiology & Immunology chair will lead the department’s strategic plan, enabling faculty success across career stages, and strengthening the department’s role as an intellectual home for microbiology, immunology, and infectious disease research at Columbia.

Position Overview and Key Responsibilities

Reporting to the Dean and working closely with VP&S research leadership, the Chair will provide visionary scientific leadership and effective administrative stewardship to advance the department’s mission in research, education, and service, consistent with the VP&S mission to improve human health through discovery and translation.  A central expectation is a clear, executable strategy that elevates research excellence, strengthens operational capacity, and fosters an environment where faculty and trainees do their best work.

The next chair will:

1)Elevate research quality, rigor, and impact
The Chair will drive a department-wide strategy that advances high-impact science and grows the extramural funding portfolio while ensuring the infrastructure and support systems needed for sustained research excellence.

2)Enable faculty success across career stages
A defining priority is building an environment where faculty thrive, with particular emphasis on the success of early- and mid-career investigators and their transitions to independence. The Chair will recruit, mentor, develop, and retain outstanding and diverse faculty and establish a strong culture of mentorship and accountability.

3) Integrate microbiology, immunology, and infectious disease research across CUIMC
The Chair will strengthen partnerships across departments, centers, and institutes; expand secondary and affiliated appointments; and position the department as a central hub connecting basic discovery with broader medical school and university initiatives.

4)Build an exceptional training environment
Working with the biomedical graduate program leadership, the Chair will enhance recruitment and training of outstanding PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and student trainees, reinforcing the department’s reputation as a destination for scientific training and community.

5)Represent and elevate the department externally
The Chair will serve as an advocate and ambassador for the department within Columbia and in national and international scientific communities, strengthening visibility, partnerships, and reputation.

The successful candidate will:

• Hold a PhD, MD, or equivalent degree
• Be an internationally recognized scientific leader in microbiology, immunology, infectious disease, or a related discipline
• Have a distinguished record of scholarship and sustained extramural funding
• Demonstrate successful leadership and administrative experience, including faculty development and program building
• Show a strong commitment to mentoring, faculty advancement, and trainee success
• Have the vision and experience to build multidisciplinary programs and elevate the department?s national and global profile
• Be eligible for appointment as a tenured full professor at Columbia University
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in academic science

The search committee is especially interested in candidates who, through their research, teaching, and/or service, will contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community.

Columbia University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse and inclusive academic community. We strongly encourage applications from women, underrepresented minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.

Applicants should submit a cover letter and curriculum vitae via Columbia?s Academic Search and Recruiting system. The cover letter should address the candidate?s scholarly contributions and may also describe how their work supports and advances diverse and inclusive academic communities.

We encourage applicants to submit their materials by April 15, 2026. Applications received after this date will still be considered.

For questions, please contact: OfficeofKArmstrong@cumc.columbia.edu

Columbia University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action ? race/gender/disability/veterans employer.

Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Pay Transparency Disclosure

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training.  The above hiring range represents the University?s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

About Columbia University

Columbia University is one of the world's most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the university to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.

Connections working at Columbia University