Mechanical Engineering - Associate Professor - 530031

The University of Alabama • Tuscaloosa, AL

13h • Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) and the Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering (SCOE) at The University of Alabama invite applications for tenure-track positions at the rank of Associate Professor within the department. Candidates with research interests across mechanical engineering, manufacturing and industrial engineering, are encouraged to apply. Candidates with particular research emphasis and interests in the areas of: (1) Biomechanics and Biosystems Engineering, (2) Robotics and Mechatronics, (3) Sustainable Energy, Clean Energy, and Combustion, (4) Advanced Manufacturing including Integrated and Interconnected Systems, (5) Multi-scale Computation and Simulation, (6) Micro/Nanoscale Systems and Engineering, and (7) Production Planning and Control are of particular interest for one or more of these positions and thus are strongly encouraged to apply. The Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME: https://me.eng.ua.edu/) and the SCoE (SCoE: https://eng.ua.edu/) at The University of Alabama (UA: https://ua.edu/) invite applications for tenure-track and tenured faculty positions at all ranks, including Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor levels. This posting is specific for candidates applying for a position at the rank of Associate Professor. Applications from candidates with appropriate experience and a strong record of scholarly productivity and impact who would seek appointment at the rank of Assistant or Full Professor should apply through related postings advertised at those other position/rank levels. Candidates with prestigious achievements in their field and exceptional national and international reputations will be eligible for consideration for significant endowment support through appointment as an Endowed Shelby Distinguished Associate Professor (https://provost.ua.edu/the-shelby-endowment-for-distinguished-faculty/). These Endowed Shelby Distinguished Professor are one of the most prestigious honors bestowed upon faculty at The University of Alabama. Candidates wishing to be considered for such an appointment should indicate this in their cover letter. Towards achieving excellence in all our efforts, the ME department and the College of Engineering seek to hire faculty that can contribute to both: (1) build upon existing strengths in the Department, College, and University and (2) expand the scope of research within the department, College, and UA as a whole. We are seeking candidates whose research combines mechanical and/or manufacturing & industrial engineering fundamentals with machine learning, artificial intelligence, autonomy, digital twins, advanced manufacturing, intelligent production, operations research and data analytics, robotics, sustainable energy, combustion, computational engineering, and next-generation materials. Successful candidates will contribute to one or more of the Department's strategic growth areas: Biomechanics and Biosystems Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, and Autonomous Systems, Sustainable Energy, Clean Energy, and Combustion, Advanced Manufacturing, Computational Engineering and Scientific Machine Learning, and Micro/Nanoscale Systems and Intelligent Materials. The ME department offers an ABET-accredited B.S. in Mechanical Engineering undergraduate degree, and more recently in 2022, added a B.S. in Manufacturing Systems Engineering and a forthcoming B.S. in industrial systems engineering. The department has a sustained total enrollment of more than 1500 BSME students. The ME department also has active M.S. and Ph.D. programs in, supporting both residential and distance education students, with a total sustained graduate enrollment of more than 185 students. The Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering consider teaching, research, and service as the three critical and complementary portions of their overall mission. Candidates must demonstrate experience and the ability to successfully lead and extramurally fund a highly productive research program with significant scholarly impact in a focus area with long term potential to further build upon the rapid rise and great success of the Mechanical Engineering department and SCOE. An ability to collaborate with existing faculty in the key focus areas both within the Mechanical Engineering Department and the College of Engineering, as well as potential colleagues across the campus, is also highly desirable. Candidates must also demonstrate an ability to provide an excellent educational experience to our students; therefore, they are expected to develop and teach classes at both the undergraduate and graduate level in the faculty member’s area(s) of expertise as well as to teach courses that support the delivery and accreditation of the Department’s core degree programs. The department, college and university are also notable for the collegial, welcoming and supportive spirit built into the fabric of who we are and how we interact across our College family of students, faculty, and staff. It is therefore expected that candidates will demonstrate an ability to support this important aspect of our community. Appointments to the faculty of The University of Alabama are based on the personnel requirements of the University’s academic programs and on the goal of achieving and maintaining excellence in its teaching, research, and service/academic citizenship activities.

Requirements

• Earned Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering or Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering or a closely related discipline from an accredited institution.
• Demonstrated record of prior research work and a record of impactful scholarly publications in refereed journals, conference proceedings, and similarly impactful venues.
• Demonstrated interest and/or record in mechanical engineering education and professional service in area(s) of specialization.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to sustain a productive, externally funded research program.
• Exhibit the potential for excellent teaching at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.
• Meet all university criteria for appointment to the rank of Associate Professor.

Nice To Haves

• 5+ years of experience as a tenure-track/tenured faculty member at a leading peer R1 institution.
• Demonstrated record of high-quality research and scholarly publications that is recognized nationally and/or internationally.
• Significant record of scholarship in an engineering department with undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and extramurally fund a highly productive research program with significant scholarly impact in a focus area with long term potential.
• Collaborate with existing faculty in key focus areas within the Mechanical Engineering Department and the College of Engineering, as well as potential colleagues across the campus.
• Provide an excellent educational experience to students.
• Develop and teach classes at both the undergraduate and graduate level in the faculty member’s area(s) of expertise.
• Teach courses that support the delivery and accreditation of the Department’s core degree programs.
• Support the collegial, welcoming and supportive spirit of the community.

Benefits

• Endowed Shelby Distinguished Associate Professor appointment for candidates with prestigious achievements and exceptional national and international reputations.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree