INTRODUCTION 

The School of Engineering at the University of Connecticut (UConn) is pleased to invite applications for a tenure-track or tenured position in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE). Applicants will be considered for appointments at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor. We are growing our expertise in materials for aerospace and extreme environments, including high-temperature materials, composites, and/or materials processing. This person will have an outstanding record of professional accomplishments commensurate with an appointment at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, with the opportunity for tenure at hire.

This position will be tied with our >$50M of DOD funded center-based research, and requires US citizenship due to national security considerations. For more information regarding the MSE Department, please visit our website at https://mse.engr.uconn.edu/.

This is part of a cluster hire in MSE and separately in Mechanical Engineering, with a common theme of high temperatures and aerospace. Demonstrating the institution’s strong support and growth in engineering, MSE will move into the new 198,000 ft² Institute of Materials Science by January 2023. Engineering also has primary occupancy in all 3 of the newest campus buildings for the last 5 years. The new faculty will likely benefit from one or more of our active campus centers, such as the IMS, Center for Clean Energy Engineering, Pratt and Whitney Additive Manufacturing Center, UConn Tech Park, Thermo Fisher Scientific Center for Advanced Microscopy and Materials Analysis, REFINE, and others. Leveraging our state’s strong commitment to advanced manufacturing, important opportunities are also likely with nearby industry partners including Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Technologies, General Dynamics Electric Boat, Sikorsky - Lockheed Martin, Collins Aerospace, GKN, Barnes, etc.

The candidate will be joining a dynamic MSE department of 18 active faculty, including 6 new hires in the past 5 years. The MSE graduate program was established more than 50 years ago, and our undergraduate program is approaching its 25th anniversary.

Founded in 1881, UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant institution and member of the Space Grant Consortium. It is the state’s flagship institution of higher education and includes a main campus in Storrs, CT, four regional campuses throughout the state, and 13 Schools and Colleges, including a Law School in Hartford, and Medical and Dental Schools at the UConn Health campus in Farmington. The University has approximately 10,000 faculty and staff and 32,000 students, including nearly 24,000 undergraduates and over 8,000 graduate and professional students. UConn is a Carnegie Foundation R1 (highest research activity) institution, among the top 25 public universities in the nation. Through research, teaching, service, and outreach, UConn embraces diversity and cultivates leadership, integrity, and engaged citizenship in its students, faculty, staff, and alumni. UConn promotes the health and well-being of citizens by enhancing the social, economic, cultural, and natural environments of the state and beyond. The University serves as a beacon of academic and research excellence as well as a center for innovation and social service to communities. UConn is a leader in many scholarly, research, and innovation areas. Today, the path forward includes exciting opportunities and notable challenges. Record numbers of undergraduate applications and support for student success have enabled the University to become extraordinarily selective.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to research and scholarship through extramural funding, high-quality publications as measured by citations and topical impact, influential leadership, e.g., through professional societies or journal editing, and recognition such as honorific awards. The candidate will share a deep commitment to effective undergraduate and graduate level instruction, innovative courses and instruction methods, and dedicated mentoring of students in research, outreach, and professional development. Successful candidates will also be expected to broaden participation among members of under-represented groups; demonstrate their commitment to diversity in the learning experience through research, teaching, and/or public engagement; integrate multicultural experiences into instructional methods and research tools; and incorporate effective pedagogical techniques designed to meet the needs of diverse learning styles and intellectual interests.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

• Candidates must demonstrate potential or prior experience in the following: establishing and conducting successful research and scholarship, a record of excellence in teaching and mentoring, and a deep commitment to promoting diversity through academic and research programs.
• Candidates must have earned a Ph.D. in MSE or related fields. Equivalent foreign degrees are acceptable.
• US Citizenship is required at the time of appointment due to the heavily DOD-related topic, the requirements of sponsoring agencies related to Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and other security considerations. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Expertise in high-temperature materials, carbon matrix composites, and materials processing/manufacturing.
• Outstanding record of research and scholarship excellence
• Experience with leadership and outreach.
• Industry experience.
• Commitment to effective teaching.
• Integrating technology into instruction.
• The ability to contribute through research, teaching, and/or public engagement to the diversity and excellence of the learning experience.

APPOINTMENT TERMS

This is a full-time, 9-month, tenure-track/tenured position with an anticipated Fall 2023 start date. The successful candidate’s academic appointment will be at the Storrs campus. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Faculty may also be asked to teach at one of UConn’s regional campuses as part of their ordinary workload. Applicants must meet University requirements for an appointment with tenure.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.

TO APPLY

Please apply online to Academic Jobs Online https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/24048 and submit the following application materials:

• A cover letter, briefly introducing yourself and 3 highlights of your relevant credentials
• Curriculum vitae
• Research and scholarship statement (innovative concepts that will form the basis of your academic research, experience in proposal development, mentorship of graduate students, etc.)
• Teaching statement (summary of your teaching philosophy, teaching experience and training, commitment to effective learning, a list of core and elective MSE courses you would prefer to teach (~2-3 of each), and topics for 1-2 new courses you would like to develop in your first 5 years)
• Commitment to diversity statement (including broadening participation, integrating multicultural experiences in instruction and research, pedagogical techniques for diverse learning styles, etc.)
• Copies of 3 journal articles representative of your work
• 3 letters of reference

Evaluation of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

At the University of Connecticut, our commitment to excellence is complemented by our commitment to building a culturally diverse community.

This position will be filled subject the budgetary approval.

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.

The University of Connecticut is committed to building and supporting a multicultural and diverse community of students, faculty and staff. The diversity of students, faculty and staff continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. More than 100 research centers and institutes serve the University’s teaching, research, diversity, and outreach missions, leading to UConn’s ranking as one of the nation’s top research universities. UConn’s faculty and staff are the critical link to fostering and expanding our vibrant, multicultural and diverse University community. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, UConn encourages applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.