What are the responsibilities and job description for the Department Chair- Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering position at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)?
The Department of Mechanical and
Nuclear Engineering (MNE) of the College of Engineering (CoE) at Virginia
Commonwealth University (VCU) invites applications for Department Chair starting in 2025. Virginia
Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer.
Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to
apply. VCU’s College of
Engineering was established in 1996 as a public-private partnership to address
the need for engineering innovation in a 21st-century economy. Under a new Dean
of Engineering, the college is undergoing exceptional transformations,
expanding its interdisciplinary research and educational offerings and aiming
for excellence in impactful thematic areas of global significance. VCU
Engineering’s research collaborations with industry, community, and academic
partners regularly yield breakthroughs in pharmaceutical engineering; smart
cities, sustainability, and clean energy; materials development; health care,
regenerative medicine, rehabilitation, and medical device development; data
science and better security for cyber and cyber-physical systems. Its
multidisciplinary, entrepreneurial approach to engineering education immerses
undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students in meaningful research
investigations throughout their studies. As part of the premier urban research
university in Virginia’s capital city, VCU’s mechanical and nuclear engineering
department enrolls over 600 students and offers bachelor’s, master’s, and
doctoral programs including a new graduate program in aerospace engineering. The department faculty collaborate closely
with many VCU schools and departments,
including VCU’s MCV (medical) campus and have a robust record of
extramurally-funded research in areas including advanced materials, nuclear
science, thermal fluid systems, computational mechanics, aerosol particle
technology and drug delivery. Our graduate program and online master’s program
are ranked among the best in the nation by US News and World Report and attract
top students from across the U.S. and globally. Additional information about the department’s programs
and faculty may be found at https://egr.vcu.edu/departments/mechanical/. VCU Engineering has pioneered several groundbreaking centers, such as
the Medicines for All Institute, an international leader in reducing pharmaceuticals'
costs for underserved populations, and the recently established Convergence
Lab, a landmark new $9 million DoD-funded cross-disciplinary institute focused
on solving pressing defense challenges for the U.S. The college leads the Central Virginia Node of the
Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, a state supported engine for research,
innovation and commercialization of cybersecurity technologies. VCU is a Carnegie-classified university
with a very high research activity and is one of the top 100 universities (top
50 in public universities) in the U.S. in federal R&D expenditures. The
College of Engineering is in an extensive growth stage, significantly
increasing the number of its faculty as student enrollment rises. Embarked on
rapid growth, the MNE department has 30 tenure-track, tenured, and term faculty
members. The MNE department boasts exceptional achievements in various areas,
including being ranked top 20 in the nation's Nuclear Engineering programs. Located
in Richmond, a vibrant, art-filled and culturally rich capital city, VCU is
diverse in backgrounds and experiences, where there is a shared common passion
for engineering, education and stewardship for the communities we represent and
serve. Required qualifications: Candidate must have a
doctorate in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering or a related area. The candidate will demonstrate management and leadership accomplishments in a
progression of faculty and administrative roles. The College of
Engineering at VCU champions diversity, equity and inclusion in all that we do.
Cultivating an ecosystem where differences are celebrated and our faculty,
staff, and students have the opportunity to thrive is at the core of how we
operate. The successful candidate will demonstrate experience that shows
their commitment to fostering such an environment. Candidate must
be an internationally recognized scholar with distinguished academic records
commensurate with the rank of a tenured professor. Candidates must have a well-developed scholarly/research
portfolio with evidence of multi-disciplinary applications and external funding
appropriate to complement and expand expertise in the department.
Position
Responsibilities: Actively
work with faculty in the Department and across the University to identify and
pursue research, education, and service innovations. Demonstrate
leadership in recruiting and retaining high-caliber, diverse faculty. Evaluate faculty and staff performance and make
recommendations for tenure, promotion, reappointment, salary adjustment, and
leaves of absence. Facilitate and
encourage grants and contracts from extramural sources. Encourage improvement of faculty performance
by fostering good teaching and stimulating research, scholarly writing, and
creative activity. Lead faculty in essential processes that shape the
curriculum and have an impact on the learning of students. Effectively articulate department and college
vision to internal and external constituencies.
Will further develop collaboration with other
departments within the college, industry, and the VCU Medical
Campus. The Department is committed to
developing and maintaining state-of-the-art facilities and instrumentation
supporting its key research and educational mission.
Application Process: Candidates should upload their
application, including a cover letter, curriculum vitae, diversity, research
and teaching statements, and the names and e-mail addresses of four references.
Reference letters will be requested by the search committee for candidate
finalists. Only complete applications will be considered. Review of applications will start on October 11, 2024 and will continue until filled.For
additional information, please contact the Chair of the faculty search
committee, Nastassja A. Lewinski, Ph.D., email:
nalewinski@vcu.edu.
Position Type: Teaching & Research Faculty
Full time equivalent:
Tenure: Tenure Track
Rank: Professor
Months: 12
Department:
Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering- College of Engineering
Salary: Commensurate
Contact Information:
Contact Name: Nastassja Lewinski, Ph.D.
Contact Email: nalewinski@vcu.edu
