What are the responsibilities and job description for the Teaching Assistant/Associate Professor - Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering position at West Virginia University?
Description
The Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University (WVU) invites applications for a teaching faculty position at the rank of Teaching Assistant Professor or Teaching Associate Professor in the general area of Mechanical Engineering anticipated to start August 2025. The appointment shall be in the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering. Applicants whose interests and expertise align with departmental most critical teaching needs including solid mechanics, dynamics and control, energy systems, and mechatronics are specifically 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 3,200 students, and 135 faculty members. The Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering (MMAE) has 30 faculty members and approximately 600 undergraduate students and 100 graduate students.
The department annual research expenditures exceeded $14 million in the last fiscal year. 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, our Experimental Rocketry and EcoCAR teams have secured numerous top placements. Likewise, the WVU Robotics program has a strong track record of success winning 9 national or international robotics competitions since 2011 and $900K in prize from NASA Centennial Challenges. The Department houses undergraduate and graduate programs in Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering, graduate programs in Materials Science Engineering, and starting in Fall 2024, the department launched 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.
Qualifications
Eligible candidates must hold an earned Doctorate degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, materials engineering, robotics engineering, or a closely related field, at the time of appointment. The successful candidates must demonstrate the ability or potential (1) teach and develop a variety of courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and (2) perform professional service activities within and outside the university. A notable record past teaching experiences and scholarly activity is preferred and effective communication skills are required.
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 statement of teaching philosophy, and the contact information for at least three professional references. Candidates with more than five years of higher education teaching experience may be considered for the Teaching Associate Professor rank. Review of applications will begin on January 1, 2025. 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 /
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