Assistant Professor or Associate Professor - Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering- 29633

About the Role

The Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University (WVU) invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor or Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering, anticipated to start as soon as August 2027. The appointment will be in the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering (MMAE). Applicants focused on the department’s core strengths of robotics, energy systems, and materials science are encouraged to apply.

WVU is designated an R1 University (Highest Research Activity) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The Statler College has seven academic departments, over 3,700 students, and 130 faculty members. The MMAE department includes 30 faculty members, approximately 660 undergraduate students, and 100 graduate students. Annual externally funded research expenditures exceed $19 million, with numerous faculty-led research labs in materials science, energy systems, aerospace systems, and robotics.

The department’s vision is to be recognized as a leading engineering department offering world-class experiential learning opportunities. Educational programs emphasize experiential learning, with top-10 placements in national or international student competitions, including the Department of Energy/General Motors-sponsored EcoCAR EV challenge, NASA Centennial Challenges, and the Spaceport America Cup.

The department houses undergraduate and graduate programs in Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering, graduate programs in Materials Science Engineering, and a recently launched Bachelor of Science in Robotics Engineering in partnership with the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.

Morgantown is located within a high-technology corridor that includes federal research facilities such as NASA’s Katherine Johnson Independent Verification and Validation Facility (IV&V), the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The city is ranked among the most livable small cities in the country, offering a safe, inclusive, and family-friendly community with close proximity to Pittsburgh, PA, and Washington, DC.

Responsibilities

• Develop and sustain an independent, internationally recognized, and competitive externally-sponsored research program.
• Collaborate effectively within multi-disciplinary teams of faculty and researchers across WVU, other academic and government institutions, and the private sector.
• Teach courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Perform professional service activities within and outside the university.

Requirements

• Earned Doctorate degree in mechanical engineering, materials science, robotics engineering, or a closely related field at the time of appointment.
• Demonstrated ability or potential to:
  • Develop a competitive externally-sponsored research program.
  • Collaborate in multi-disciplinary teams.
  • Teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
  • Engage in professional service activities.
• Notable record of peer-reviewed publications and other scholarly activities.
• Effective communication skills.
• Evidence of potential to attract competitive research funding.

Candidates for the rank of Associate Professor must have an outstanding record of teaching, research, and service.

Benefits

WVU provides faculty members with a supportive environment for developing a visible and productive career, including a range of progressive policies to support work-life integration. The university offers a Dual Career Program to assist partners in their career transition and job search.