Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering

Unleash Your Potential With Us

As a next-generation public research institution, we are an inclusive community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to shape the future and solve the world’s most challenging problems. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you become an integral part of our mission to become a university for the future. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with uniquely talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses and regional locations. That means greater challenges to tackle, more meaningful opportunities to grow, and rewarding experiences that go beyond a paycheck.

The Opportunity

Travel and tourism is the largest industry and economic lifeblood of Central Florida – the area hosts more than 72 million visitors each year. Given the scope and continued growth of the travel industry, Orlando has the opportunity to become the global capital for travel and tourism research, with the University of Central Florida (UCF) assuming a leadership role in this development. However, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has shown in stark relief the vulnerability of our travel and tourism industry to various health and safety threats.  

The UCF Strategic Investment Program has recently invested $4.5 million dollars in funding for the Infectious Disease and Travel Health Initiative (IDTHI). These funds will be used to hire new faculty across four colleges at UCF (e.g., Hospitality Management; Biomedical Sciences; Engineering and Computer Science; Medicine) with diverse disciplinary and methodological approaches to research on travel and infectious diseases. It is expected that the new faculty and existing faculty will provide a critical mass of investigators whose research collaborations will benefit from the interdisciplinary research and cross-pollination of different areas of expertise and result in innovative team science that will be well-positioned to obtain external funding. 

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) at the UCF invites applicants for multiple faculty positions at the rank of assistant professor (tenure-earning) in areas related to UCF’s Infectious Disease Initiative. These faculty will be members of the core Materials Science and Engineering program. The research areas of interest include: 1) novel functional materials for pathogen mitigation, drug delivery, characterization of pathogen (bacteria/virus)-materials interfaces, 2) innovative sensor materials (nano to micro) and devices for detection of pathogens related to infectious disease. Example topics of interest require expertise at the interface of materials science and engineering and biomedical sciences.

The successful candidate is expected to conduct impactful research and educate students (both undergraduate and graduate) in aforementioned areas of research. Establishing strong ties with industrial partners, both local and national, is of special interest.

Minimum Qualifications:

An earned Ph.D. from an accredited institution in Materials Science and Engineering, or closely related disciplines, by the start of the appointment. Applicants must also provide evidence of strong commitment to academic activities, including teaching, scholarly publications, and sponsored research.

Preferred Qualifications:

An exceptional record of scholarly research in one or more of the targeted technical areas is highly desirable.  A history of working with teams, especially ones that span multiple disciplines, is also preferred.

Additional Application Materials Required:

UCF requires all applications and supporting documents to be submitted electronically through the Human Resources employment opportunities website, https://www.ucf.edu/jobs/. In addition to the online application, interested candidates must provide the following materials to their application:

1)  Cover letter:  In the cover letter candidates must address their background in research and scholarship in the areas noted in the job description and highlight their major research accomplishments and impact.

2)  A current curriculum vitae.

3)  A teaching statement.

4)  A research statement.

5)  A list with contact information for three (3) professional references, including email addresses.

NOTE: Please have all documents ready when applying so they can be attached at that time. Once the online submission process is finalized, the system does not allow applicants to submit additional documents later.

Questions regarding this search may be directed to:  Dr. Swami Rajaraman, Search Committee Chair, at [email protected].

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

None

Job Close Date:

Open until filled

Note to applicants: Please keep in mind that a job posted as ‘Open until filled ’ may close at any time without notice. As such, we encourage you to submit your application and all required documentation as quickly as possible to ensure consideration for the posted position.

Are Benefits Important to You?

Working at UCF has its perks!  In addition to helping drive change and having a positive impact by supporting our students, staff, and faculty, UCF offers:

• Benefit packages including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, healthcare flexible spending accounts, and an Employee Assistance Program.
• Paid time off, including annual and sick leave and paid holidays.
• Retirement savings options.
• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando area attractions.
• Education assistance.
• Flexible work environment.

And more…For more benefits information, go to ‘Prospective Employees’ on the UCF Human Resources website (https://hr.ucf.edu/ )

Who Are We?

Founded in 1963 to fuel the region’s talent pipeline and support the growing U.S. space program, UCF is built to make a better future for our students and society. It’s one of the reasons U.S. News & World Report ranks UCF among the nation’s top 20 most innovative colleges, while Forbes, Kiplinger , and The Princeton Review rank us a best-value university. UCF is one of 14 universities nationwide designated as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution and a Research 1 university. With 13 colleges, including a fully accredited College of Medicine, UCF offers more than 220-degree programs between its main campus, downtown campus, hospitality campus, academic health sciences campus, and 11 UCF Connect centers located throughout the region. In addition, UCF extends its reach to communities in and beyond Central Florida by offering complete, online programs leading to bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, Ph.D.'s., certificates, and more.

The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer. Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Additional Requirements related to Research Positions

Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of higher education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.

The additional screening requirements only apply to employment in research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty positions (including employed visiting positions), graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, postdoctoral scholar positions, and undergraduate positions.

Department

College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) - Materials Science and Engineering (MSE)

Work Schedule

Varies

Type of Appointment

Regular

Expected Salary

Negotiable

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

As an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, UCF encourages all qualified applicants to apply, including women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and members of traditionally underrepresented populations. UCF's Equal Opportunity Statement can be viewed at  http://www.oie.ucf.edu/documents/PresidentsStatement.pdf.

As a Florida public university, UCF makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.

The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.