Apply now Job no:516536
Work type:Faculty Full Time
Location:UMass Amherst
Department: Mech & Industrial Engineering
Union: MSP
Categories:Faculty, College of Engineering

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

As a campus with an increasingly diverse student body, we are looking for candidates who can operate effectively in a diverse faculty and student community, and who value collegiality, collaboration, achievement, and integrity. We encourage applications from women, minorities, and individuals with a commitment to mentor under-represented demographics within engineering. We are also interested in candidates who have had non-traditional career paths, those who have paused their careers for family or pandemic reasons, or who spent time outside of academia. We are committed to helping all constituents reach their full potential, creating best-in-practice operations to support faculty scholarship and fostering excellence in student experiences inside and outside our department.

UMass Amherst is a leader in providing institutional supports for faculty to combine work and family/personal responsibilities, and was listed among the Chronicle of Higher Education’s “Great Colleges to Work For,”  UMass is in the top 10% of public research-intensive universities in the COACHE survey for making having and raising children compatible with the tenure-track. For more information on work-life balance at UMass Amherst, see https://www.umass.edu/prospective-faculty/work/balance

The College of Engineering is ranked as the best public engineering college in New England. The Fall 2021 enrollment included 2,179 undergraduate and 662 graduate students. Research expenditures exceeded $60.5 M in the past year and the College is host to 15 research centers. The College has an excellent record of developing new faculty with 12 of our current faculty members receiving prestigious NSF CAREER awards in just the last three years. A new engineering building will be constructed with a focus on Sustainable Engineering in the near future. More information can be found here: https://engineering.umass.edu/sustainable-engineering-laboratories

Job Description

The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the assistant professor level. The position is defined broadly across the entire scope of dynamics and controls within Mechanical Engineering, with an application to wind energy systems. Special consideration will be given to candidates who can contribute to cross-disciplinary research and educational programs in wind energy and the energy transition overall. The MIE Department is especially interested in qualified candidates who can contribute, through their research, teaching and/or service, to the diversity and excellence of our academic community. We hope this broad category reflects our openness to expand the scope of our department beyond our traditional strengths. The appointment is expected to begin September 1, 2023.

The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering has 33 full-time faculty members, over 225 graduate students, and over 700 undergraduates. Research expenditures exceeded $5.5 M in the last fiscal year. The Department has a long history of successful interdisciplinary research, including the newly formed Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation, Center for Personalized Health Monitoring, Transportation Center, Wind Energy Center, and Center for e-Design. The wind energy program (now Wind Energy Center )was founded nearly 50 years ago and is widely recognized as one of the premiere wind energy labs in the U.S. More recently, the Energy Transition Institute (ETI) has brought together hundreds of faculty across campus. A central interest of ETI is accelerating the energy transition while also maximizing societal benefits. Understanding, modeling, and optimizing the dynamics and control of increasing renewable generation and storage is a critical research challenge to enable the energy transition in a manner that is reliable and fair.

Requirements

The successful candidate should have earned a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering or related fields by August 31, 2023. Applicants must demonstrate potential for scholarly excellence and developing an externally-funded research program. The successful candidate will be expected to maintain an internationally recognized scholarly presence, collaborate in interdisciplinary research teams, and effectively mentor graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Candidates will also be expected to teach existing undergraduate and graduate courses in Mechanical Engineering, specifically courses in dynamics, controls, and wind energy topics, in addition to developing courses in their area of expertise.

Additional Details

The steps of the process are as follows:

• A minimally qualified pool is identified from the applicants, ideally in mid-January 2023.
• All remaining candidates are evaluated and a “long list” is identified, which will be interviewed via video conference. Candidates invited to these interviews will be emailed at least one week before the scheduled date.
• A “shortlist” is developed from the long list, and these candidates will be invited to interview on campus. It is expected that these interviews will take place in February 2023.
  • For candidates advancing to the short list: references will be contacted, and candidates will have an opportunity to submit 1 or 2 additional scholarly works.

Application Instructions

Along with the application, candidates must provide the following in their application package addressed to Professor Matthew Lackner, Search Chair. For full consideration, applications should be received by January 8, 2022 and applications submitted after this date will be reviewed until the search is completed.

• Cover letter that lays out your interest in this position and why you are a good fit.
• Current curriculum vitae.
• Statement of research outlining your accomplishments briefly, focusing on your future plans and potential fit at UMass Amherst.
• Statement of teaching, including your teaching philosophy and potential courses you might offer at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Statement of mentoring, including your mentoring philosophy and how you can foster an inclusive environment for all students.
• Contact information for three (3) professional references.

The University is committed to active recruitment of a diverse faculty and student body. The University of Massachusetts Amherst is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer of women, minorities, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities and encourages applications from these and other protected group members. Because broad diversity is essential to an inclusive climate and critical to the University’s goals of achieving excellence in all areas, we will holistically assess the many qualifications of each applicant and favorably consider an individual’s record working with students and colleagues with broadly diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds in educational, research or other work activities. We will also favorably consider experience overcoming or helping others overcome barriers to an academic career and degree.