Position Description:
The DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING in the Edward J. Whitacre College of Engineering at Texas Tech University (TTU) invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position beginning in the Fall of 2025. The Department intends to grow aerospace engineering programs. Preference will be given to applicants whose research focus has strong applications in aerospace engineering and align with the College of Engineering’s major research thrusts. The areas of interest include (1) robotics, flight dynamics & controls, (2) hypersonic propulsion and high-speed flows, and (3) energy for sustainability. This position is at the Assistant Professor level, but exceptional candidates with outstanding credentials and appropriate academic experience will be considered for the rank of Associate Professor/Full Professor.
About the University:
Established in 1923, Texas Tech University is a Carnegie R1 (very high research activity) Doctoral/Research-Extensive, Hispanic Serving, and state-assisted institution. Located on a beautiful 1,850-acre campus in Lubbock, a city in West Texas with a growing metropolitan-area population of over 300,000, the university enrolls over 40,000 students with 33,000 undergraduate and 7,000 graduate students. As the primary research institution in the western two-thirds of the state, Texas Tech University is home to 10 colleges, the Schools of Law and Veterinary Medicine, and the Graduate School. The flagship of the Texas Tech University System, Texas Tech is dedicated to student success by preparing learners to be ethical leaders for a diverse and globally competitive workforce. It is committed to enhancing the cultural and economic development of the state, nation, and world.
About the College:
The Whitacre College of Engineering ( https://www.depts.ttu.edu/coe/ ) has about 4700 undergraduate and 1300 graduate students and 220 faculty and instructors. The college graduates about 900 BS, 450 MS and 60 PhD per academic year recently. All incoming first year students are enrolled to a common foundational curriculum for all undergraduate programs. Foundational students declare a program of choice and can move into upper division after completing the foundational classes with a minimum of 2.5 TTU GPA or higher. WCOE consists of the Departments of Chemical Engineering; Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering; Computer Science; Electrical & Computer Engineering; Industrial, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; and Petroleum Engineering. All BS programs and Environmental Engineering master’s program are ABET accredited. All departments have master’s and PhD programs. Yearly research expenditure at the college are around $20M.
Candidates must have a terminal degree in an engineering field. Candidates who have a strong record of scholarship and who have the proven capacity or clear potential to bring externally sponsored research to Texas Tech University are encouraged to apply. Service to the department, college, and university is expected Service duties include program-building, as well as commitment to extra-curricular activities. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States.
About the Department/School/Area:
The Department of Mechanical Engineering awarded 295 undergraduate, 40 MS and 15 PhD degrees in AY 2023-24. Department enrollment includes 1514 undergraduate students and 144 graduate students. Among the 33 tenure-track, tenured, research professors and professors of practice, roughly 30% are women and minorities. In recent years, department faculty have been awarded nearly 4 million dollars in externally sponsored research, of which 70% were from federal sources. Faculty are known for cited work on bio-inspired devices, computational mechanics, vortex dynamics, turbulence, microfluidics, nanoimprinting, physiological microstructure and translational nutrition, cardiovascular dynamics, nanomedicine, energetic and biological materials, and robust control methods. Department faculty recognitions and awards include membership in the US National Academy of Engineering and foreign Academies of Engineering and the Sciences, recognitions as Thomson-Reuters highly cited scholars, PECASE, Young Investigator DOD awards, and NSF CAREER awards. For more information about the mechanical engineering department, please visit http://www.depts.ttu.edu/me/.
About Lubbock:
Referred to as the “Hub City” because it serves as the educational, cultural, economic, and health care hub of the South Plains region, Lubbock boasts a diverse population and a strong connection to community, history, and land. With a mild climate, highly rated public schools, and a low cost of living, Lubbock is a family-friendly community that is ranked as one of the best places to live in Texas. Lubbock is home to a celebrated and ever-evolving music scene, a vibrant arts community, and is within driving distance of Dallas, Austin, Santa Fe, and other major metropolitan cities. Lubbock’s Convention & Visitors Bureau provides a comprehensive overview of the Lubbock community and its resources, programs, events, and histories.
Major/Essential Functions:
In line with TTU’s strategic priorities to engage and empower a diverse student body, enable innovative research and creative activities, and transform lives and communities through outreach and engaged scholarship, applicants should have experience working with diverse student populations at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels within individual or across the areas of teaching, research/creative activity, and service.
Required Qualifications:
- An earned Ph.D. (or equivalent degree) in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering or a closely related discipline by the date of appointment;
- A successful candidate is expected to have teaching experience in undergraduate and graduate courses of aerospace program;
- A successful candidate is expected to have strong research activities in the area of (1) robotics, flight dynamics & controls, (2) hypersonic propulsion and high-speed flows, and (3) energy for sustainability.
Preferred Qualifications:
In addition to the required qualifications, individuals with the following preferred qualifications are strongly encouraged to apply: Research focus and expertise has strong applications in aerospace engineering.
Safety Information:
Adherence to robust safety practices and compliance with all applicable health and safety regulations are responsibilities of all TTU employees.
