Assistant Professor – Advanced Energy and Related Materials

23701BR

Mechanical Engineering

Position Overview

The University of Kansas (KU) Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) is seeking outstanding individuals for an Assistant Professor tenure track position with a focus in the broad area of advanced energy and/or advanced energy-related materials. Applications are sought from candidates with earned doctorates, or equivalent, in mechanical engineering or closely related fields by the time of appointment. Successful candidates are expected to contribute to the development of academic programs and a strong research program. Successful candidates will be results-oriented, have a record of superior scholarship, have experience in externally-funded research commensurate with the rank of appointment, will develop or maintain an externally-funded research program, and teach high quality courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The KU ME Department currently has 19 faculty, approximately 500 undergraduate students and 60 graduate students, with programs leading to bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of appointment.

At the University of Kansas, KU School of Engineering (SoE), and Mechanical Engineering Department, we seek candidates who can contribute to fostering an inclusive culture. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are an important part of our culture and university strategic plan. In Spring 2019, KU SoE was one of only 29 universities to achieve the exemplar, inaugural ASEE Diversity Recognition Bronze Award https://diversityrecognition.asee.org/award-recipients/ . Applications from members of underrepresented groups are encouraged, noting the value that differences bring to our organization, students, staff, faculty, and community.

The University of Kansas is the state’s flagship university, an R-1 institution and a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU). Our university consistently earns high rankings for academics and recognition as a premier research university (engaging in $275 million of externally funded research annually).

KU has 21 programs ranked in the U.S. News & World Report top 25 among public universities. KU has 65 ranked graduate programs and is ranked 24th in best value among public institutions in 2022. KU offers 5,000 courses, 400 degree and certificate programs, and more than 200 fields of study. The University values global engagement with more than 150 programs of international study and cooperative research and offers more than 130 study abroad programs.  Student enrollment for the Lawrence-Edwards was 23,958 representing all 50 states and 112 countries.

The mission of the University of Kansas is to lift students and society by educating leaders, building healthy communities and making discoveries that change the world.  KU is committed to upholding our core institutional values of integrity; commitment to excellence and academic freedom; disciplined inquiry in the search of knowledge; multicultural and intellectual diversity; respect for the dignity and rights of the individual; and inclusion, transparency, freedom of expression, and communication (https://provost.ku.edu/about ). KU has developed an overall Strategic Plan, which is available online (https://jayhawksrising.ku.edu/ ).  

Job Description

40% Teaching. Develop and teach undergraduate and graduate courses in the Mechanical Engineering department. Participate in undergraduate and graduate student advising as appropriate. Mentor graduate students in research and serve as the major advisor of Master’s and Doctoral students.

40% Research. Establish a strong research agenda in areas of expertise that overlap, support, or expand the current research in the department, leading to external grant support and publication in recognized refereed journals and conference proceedings. Collaborate with faculty and professional staff on KU campuses as appropriate.

20% Service. Perform Department, School, University and professional service activities normally expected of university faculty commensurate with rank.  Participate in local, national and international professional conferences and other activities appropriate to the discipline.  Foster a positive relationship with industry and the community.  Perform other duties as assigned by the Department Chair.

Required Qualifications

Earned doctorate or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related scientific or engineering discipline, by the time of appointment.

Evidence of the ability to develop a successful research program.

Evidence of the ability to teach at the undergraduate and graduate level effectively.

Contact Information to Applicants

Dr. Lin Liu
ME-Search@ku.edu

Additional Candidate Instruction

A complete online application will include the following PDF files: 1) letter of application; 2) curriculum vitae; 3) a statement of research interests and plans on the order of two pages; 4) a statement of teaching interests on the order of two pages; 5) a diversity statement, typically on the order of two pages, outlining contributions and/or plans to contribute to diversity, inclusion, and equity; and 6) contact information (including email addresses) for three individuals who can provide letters of recommendation.

In addition to the materials above, learning about each applicant’s contribution and engagement in areas of diversity is an important part of KU’s mission. As a result, applicants will be presented the following question at the time of application.

• Describe your experiences working with people from diverse backgrounds, and explain how those experiences reflect your commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion?

Review of application materials begins January 16, 2023 and continues as long as needed to identify a qualified pool of candidates.

Application Review Begins

16-Jan-2023

Anticipated Start Date

18-Aug-2023

Primary Campus

University of Kansas Lawrence Campus

Advertised Salary Range

Commensurate with experience

Disclaimer

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university’s programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and are the Title IX coordinators for their respective campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY (for the Lawrence, Edwards, Parsons, Yoder, and Topeka campuses); Director, Equal Opportunity Office, Mail Stop 7004, 4330 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Fairway, KS 66205, 913-588-8011, 711 TTY (for the Wichita, Salina, and Kansas City, Kansas medical center campuses).