Rice University’s School of Engineering invites exceptional applicants for the position of Chair of the Department of Material Science and Nanoengineering (MSNE). The chair will lead a department of eight tenure/tenure track faculty with an expectation to grow substantially over the next several years. Successful candidates for Chair should have a nationally recognized research portfolio, a proven track record and interest in engineering education and teaching initiatives, and a history of successful management and mentorship of faculty and staff colleagues.

MSNE has strong, highly cited faculty in several areas, including nanomaterials and computational materials science. Materials Science has been strategically important to Rice University, especially since the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of the C-60 molecule in 1985, and a recent significant investment from the Welch Foundation in advanced materials. In addition, the department will be housed in the new $152 million, 266,000-square-foot Ralph S. O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science, which is expected to be complete in 2023. Rice has had several new initiatives in recent years for faculty hiring, in such strategic areas as molecular nanotechnology, data sciences, quantum science and neuroengineering. MSNE has benefitted, with faculty lines, from these initiatives.

We seek creative and innovative individuals who have demonstrated excellence in research and who will engage in high-quality teaching and mentoring at both the undergraduate and/or graduate levels. The successful candidate will be expected to teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses. Additionally, the successful candidate will join a collaborative community of researchers with access to state-of-the-art research capabilities including a cleanroom, electron microscopy, and materials characterization facilities, and a shared supercomputer cluster.

We seek greater representation of women, scholars of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and others who have historically been underrepresented in Materials Science and NanoEngineering; to attract international students from a wider range of countries and backgrounds; to accelerate progress in building a faculty and staff who are diverse in background and thought, and to support an inclusive environment that fosters interaction and understanding within our diverse community.

About Rice University 

Rice University is a private, comprehensive research university located in the heart of Houston’s dynamic Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees across eight schools and has a student body of approximately 4,000 undergraduate and 3,000 graduate students. Rice consistently ranks among the top 20 national universities and the top 10 in undergraduate teaching (US News & World Report); its endowment ranks among the top 20 of US universities.

Rice is located in the most ethnically diverse city in the US and aims to create a nurturing environment that celebrates our many cultures. Rice seeks greater representation of women, scholars of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and others who have historically been underrepresented in science and engineering; to attract international students from a wider range of countries and backgrounds; to accelerate progress in building faculty and staff who are diverse in background and thought, and to support an inclusive environment that fosters interaction and understanding within our diverse community.

The George R. Brown School of Engineering ranks among the top 20 engineering programs and is strongly committed to nurturing the aspirations of faculty, staff, and students in an inclusive environment.

All candidates must have a Ph.D. degree in materials science or a related field and professional experience consistent with the position rank. All applicants should demonstrate excellence in scholarship, teaching, and collegial service.

The deadline for submission of applications is December 31, 2023, and the received applications for this position will be reviewed starting at the beginning of January 2024. The position is expected to be available July 1, 2024. Additional information can be found on our website: https://msne.rice.edu/.

To apply, please submit the following materials: (1) cover letter, (2) curriculum vitae, (3) research statement (up to 5 pages), (4) statement of teaching philosophy (up to 2 pages), and (5) statement of past and planned contributions to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (up to 2 pages), and (6) statement of leadership goals to the job posting.

In addition, candidates will be asked to provide the names and contact information for 3-5 references. 

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