Assistant Professor Or Associate Professor - Mechanical, Materials And Aerospace Engineering

The Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University (WVU) invites applications for a tenure-track faculty positions at the rank of Assistant Professor or Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering anticipated to start as soon as August 2027. The appointment shall be in the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering. Applicants who are focused on any in the departments core strengths of robotics, energy systems, and materials science are encouraged to apply.

West Virginia University is designated an R1 University (Highest Research Activity) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The Statler College is growing and currently has seven academic departments, over 3,700 students, and 130 faculty members. The Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering (MMAE) has 30 faculty members and approximately 660 undergraduate students and 100 graduate students.

The department's vision is to be recognized as a leading engineering department that offers world-class experiential learning opportunities and engages in high-profile research. Annual department externally funded research expenditures exceed $19 million with numerous faculty-led research labs in the areas of materials science, energy systems, aerospace systems and robotics. Our educational programs place a strong emphasis on experiential learning in its undergraduate programs, boasting numerous top-10 placements in national or international student competitions in recent years. For example, WVU participated in one of the select engineering schools in the Department of Energy/ General Motors sponsored EcoCAR EV challenge and has a long track record of awards in these competitions. The WVU Robotics program also has a strong track record of success winning 9 national or international robotics competitions since 2011 and $900K in prize from NASA Centennial Challenges. Likewise, our Experimental Rocketry team has secured numerous top placements at the Spaceport America Cup including two first place wins in the 30,000 ft Student Research and Development category. The Department houses undergraduate and graduate programs in Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering, graduate programs in Materials Science Engineering, and recently launched a Bachelor of Science Robotics Engineering in partnership with the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering in the Statler College.

Morgantown lies within a high technology corridor that includes several federal research facilities, such as the NASA Katherine Johnson Independent Verification and Validation Facility (IV&V), U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Additional details on the area and the university are available at http://www.morgantownwv.gov and http://www.wvu.edu

Morgantown is a safe, inclusive, and family-friendly community and is ranked among the most livable small cities in the country with a close proximity to Pittsburgh, PA, and Washington, DC. WVU provides faculty members with a supportive environment for developing a visible and productive career and a range of progressive policies to support work-life integration. WVU also offers a Dual Career Program to assist partners in their career transition and job search.

Eligible candidates must hold an earned Doctorate degree in mechanical engineering, materials science, robotics engineering, or a closely related field, at the time of appointment. The successful candidates must demonstrate the ability or potential to (1) develop and sustain an independent, internationally recognized and competitive externally-sponsored research program, (2) collaborate effectively within multi-disciplinary teams of faculty and other researchers across WVU campus, other academic and government institutions, as well as the private sector, (3) teach courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and (4) perform professional service activities within and outside the university. A notable record of peer-reviewed publications and other scholarly activities, effective communication skills, and evidence of potential to attract competitive research funding are required for this position. Candidates for the rank of Associate Professor must have an outstanding record of teaching, research, and service.

To apply for this position, visit https://careers.wvu.edu/career-opportunities. Applicants must submit a cover letter that indicates the candidate's specialty area of interest, a curriculum vitae, a two-page research statement, 2-3 representative research publications re-prints, a two-page statement of teaching philosophy, and the contact information for at least three professional references. Review of applications will begin on September 15, 2026. For further information, please contact Dr. Jason Gross, Chair of the MMAE Department, by e-mail (jason.gross@mail.wvu.edu), or visit our website at https://mmae.statler.wvu.edu/