Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Geotechnical Engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and the Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation

Penn State University•University Park, IL

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and the Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation at The Pennsylvania State University invite applications for a tenure-track faculty position in geotechnical engineering at the Assistant Professor or Associate Professor level. The position is a 36-week academic year appointment. The department seeks an exceptional faculty member who can shape the future of civil engineering research and education by integrating engineering and science to address critical civil infrastructure challenges. Research interests include AI, digital twins, and data-driven geotechnics for the built environment; sensing, IoT, remote sensing, and smart monitoring of foundations, underground assets, and geotechnical and civil infrastructure; climate resilience and adaptation of built and natural infrastructure under extreme events; geo-energy systems for decarbonization, including geothermal energy, subsurface thermal storage, and carbon management; coastal, offshore, and waterfront geotechnics; and sustainable, sensor-enabled, and low-carbon geotechnical materials and construction. The faculty member will play a key role in interdisciplinary research collaborations, develop an internationally recognized and externally funded research program, teach undergraduate and graduate courses, and contribute through service to the department, college, university, and profession. The position is based in CEE, a 37-faculty-member department with annual research expenditures exceeding $27 million. The department moved in 2024 to the LEED-certified Engineering Collaborative Research and Education (ECoRE) Building, which includes state-of-the-art laboratories, active-learning classrooms, and 51,000 square feet dedicated to research. Additional facilities include the Aramco High Bay Structural Testing Laboratory, Civil Infrastructure Testing and Evaluation Lab, and shared user facilities managed by Penn State’s Interdisciplinary Research Institutes. The Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation is a university-wide research institute focused on innovation across the built environment. It connects more than 150 interdisciplinary experts and offers faculty access to collaborators across Penn State, industry and government partners, grant and proposal-development support, opportunities for industry-sponsored and applied research, Living Laboratory projects and testbeds, and competitive seed funding. The position is at Penn State’s University Park campus in State College, Pennsylvania. Applicants must submit application materials directly through the Penn State site. Materials are to be uploaded as two PDFs, each no larger than 5 MB: one containing the application materials in the specified order, excluding journal publications, and a second containing only two selected journal publications. Required materials are a two-page cover letter addressed to the Geotechnical Faculty Search Committee, curriculum vitae, three-page research interests and plan statement, two-page teaching interests and philosophy statement, one-page impact statement, names and contact details for four references, and two publications (preprints with DOI are acceptable). For full consideration, applications should be received by December 31, 2026; review begins in January 2027. Employment requires successful completion of background checks in accordance with University policies.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Civil Engineering or a closely related engineering field by the start of the appointment.
Assistant Professor applicants must demonstrate research ability and definite evidence of growth in scholarly or professional achievement.
Associate Professor applicants must meet the Assistant Professor qualifications and provide evidence of an established reputation in teaching and scholarly and professional achievement.
Submit the specified application materials, including a cover letter, curriculum vitae, research statement, teaching statement, impact statement, four references, and two selected publications.

Nice To Haves

Research interests aligned with one or more listed areas: AI, digital twins, and data-driven geotechnics; sensing, IoT, remote sensing, and smart monitoring; climate resilience and adaptation; geo-energy systems; coastal, offshore, and waterfront geotechnics; or sustainable, sensor-enabled, and low-carbon geotechnical materials and construction.
Collaborative leadership and the ability to promote excellence and innovation.

Responsibilities

Develop an internationally recognized, externally funded research program.
Contribute to interdisciplinary research collaborations.
Teach courses at undergraduate and graduate levels.
Contribute to the operation and promotion of the department, college, university, and profession through service.