Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering - Aerospace (id:83453)
Orono
Mechanical Engineering - OME
AFUM
N/A
Orono ME
Applications are invited for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (MEE) at the University of Maine (UMaine). The position will have a 50% joint appointment under the Office of the Vice President for Research via the UMaine Space Initiative.
This position specifically aims to support our growing interest and future plans in aerospace engineering. The anticipated start date is August 1, 2024 or earlier.
This is a 50% teaching, 50% research position with the academic home in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and requires active engagement in service to the University, the State, and the profession. The successful candidate will be expected to develop and lead an externally-funded research program, develop and teach undergraduate and graduate courses, advise, mentor and support students in research, publish and present scholarly works, participate in service activities, and demonstrate commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We highly encourage and welcome applications from women and members of historically underrepresented groups.
The position has a 50% joint appointment under the Office of the Vice President for Research via the UMaine Space Initiative, which is aimed at supporting and significantly growing aerospace related research, including activities tied to the Intelligent Atmospheric Flight Initiative, and the UMaine AI Initiative. Further collaborations with existing centers and partners such as the Advanced Structures and Composites Center, the Frontier Institute for Research in Sensor Technologies, and the Maine Space Complex, a state-of-Maine initiative, are envisioned and encouraged. In addition to research, the successful candidate will have an opportunity to not only support the current Aerospace concentrations but be actively involved in planning and designing future academic credentials, such as a graduate degree in Aerospace Engineering and/or Certificate in Aerospace Engineering with a focus on Uncrewed Aerial Systems and Urban Air Mobility.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering has an ABET-accredited BS program as well as MS and PhD degree programs. In addition to the undergraduate and graduate concentrations in Aerospace, the Department offers graduate concentrations in Offshore Wind Energy, Robotics & Mechatronics, and Smart Manufacturing, and supports interdisciplinary minors in several areas including Robotics and Renewable Energy Engineering, as well as a certificate in Composite Materials and Structures. The ME faculty are very active in research and scholarly pursuits with over $7.0 million in new research awards in FY23. The Department is housed in the brand-new Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center, a 115,000 sf, $78-million state-of-the-art teaching and laboratory facility on the UMaine campus.
The faculty in mechanical engineering have active collaborations with other academic units as well as a number of research centers, including Advanced Structures and Composites Center, Frontier Institute for Research in Sensor Technologies, Climate Change Institute, and Advanced Manufacturing Center.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering is part of the Maine College of Engineering and Computing (MCEC), which is a statewide, integrated solution to bring together the natural synergies of all engineering disciplines with computing and provide the technical workforce and innovations that are critical to moving our economy forward. MCEC includes the College of Engineering and School of Computing and Information Science at UMaine, the Department of Engineering at the University of Southern Maine (USM), with other collaborators to include the Department of Computer Science at USM and computing programs at University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) and other campuses within the University of Maine System.
The University of Maine has a long history of space-related research and development activities dating back to the early 90’s. Supported by NASA and Maine Space Grant Consortium, our fellowship and scholarship programs have been continuously running for over 30 years, training the future workforce, generating intellectual property, and contributing to the state economy. In the past decade, UMaine has been the host research institution for NASA’s inflatable lunar habitat and test site for the next generation of hypervelocity decelerators to support NASA’s goal to take humans to the Moon and Mars. UMaine’s research led to the development of a Wireless Leak detection System for the International Space Station (ISS), which was launched to space in 2016. UMaine’s space research outreach goes beyond the university community and into the K-12 system. The first small satellite in the state of Maine is now under development at UMaine to support several science missions defined by middle and high schools in Maine. Our internship programs at the NASA field center resulted in several of our students being recruited by NASA, SpaceX, and other space technology companies. UMaine Space Initiative will provide centralized support to take these successful research programs to the next level, through cohesive strategic planning and infrastructure enhancement.
The University of Maine is a community of more than 11,900 undergraduate and graduate students, and 2,500 employees located on the Orono campus, the regional campus in Machias, and throughout the state. UMaine is a land, sea and space grant university, and maintains a leadership role as the University of Maine System's flagship institution. UMaine is the state's public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, dedicated to providing excellent teaching, research and service for Maine, the nation and the world. More information about UMaine is at umaine.edu .
The University of Maine offers a wide range of benefits for employees including, but not limited to, tuition benefits (employee and dependent), comprehensive insurance coverage including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and short and long term disability as well as retirement plan options. As a former NSF ADVANCE institution, the University of Maine is committed to diversity in our workforce and to dual-career couples.
UMaine is located in beautiful Central Maine. Many employees report that a primary reason for choosing to come to UMaine is quality of life. Numerous cultural activities, excellent public schools, safe neighborhoods, high quality medical care, little traffic, and a reasonable cost of living make the greater Bangor area a wonderful place to live. Learn more about what the Bangor region has to offer here .
Required:
- A Ph.D. in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or a closely related field by date of hire.
- A well-documented record of high-quality research in Aerospace Engineering, with a focus in flight mechanics, guidance, navigation and control of air or space vehicles, advanced air mobility systems, unmanned aerial systems, or other related systems.
- Evidence of a strong potential for obtaining extramural funding and supporting graduate students.
- Evidence of a strong potential for effective teaching, and capability to develop and teach aerospace engineering courses, with emphasis on flight dynamics, performance and control at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
- Excellent communication skills and teamwork ability.
Preferred:
- Potential for collaboration in one or more areas including aerospace, mechanical, electrical, ocean, energy and biomedical engineering.
- Industrial experience in aerospace engineering is desirable.
Materials must be submitted via "Apply For Position" below. You will need to create a profile and application; upload:
1.) a cover letter which describes your experience, interests, and suitability for the position
2.) a resume/curriculum vitae
3.) contact information for three professional references
4.) teaching philosophy
5.) research statement
You will also need to submit the affirmative action survey, the self-identification of disability form, and the self-identification of veteran status forms. Incomplete application materials cannot be considered. Materials received after the initial review date will be reviewed at the discretion of the University.
Search Timeline is as follows:
Review of applications to begin: January 8, 2024
Screening interviews to begin no earlier than: February 8, 2024
On-site interviews to begin no earlier than: March 8, 2024
Tentative start date: August 1, 2024 or earlier
For questions about the search, please contact search committee chair Wilhelm Friess at [email protected] .
The successful applicant is subject to appropriate background screening.
In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, or veterans or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5713, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).
Academic Year (Sept-May)
Cover Letter, References, Research Statement, Resume/CV, Teaching Statement