Title: Assistant Professor (TT) - Mechanical and Industrial Engineering - Aerospace

Executive Area: Academic Affairs

College/School/MBU: Engineering

Department: Mech & Industrial Engineering

Work Location: Amherst

Schedule: Full Time

Work Arrangement: Onsite

Job Summary

The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is seeking talented applicants qualified for a tenure-track assistant professor position in aerospace engineering. Under exceptional circumstances, highly qualified candidates at other ranks may receive consideration. The appointment is expected to begin September 1, 2027. The Department is committed to building a vibrant and inclusive academic community that reflects and advances the university’s strategic priorities.

The position is defined broadly across aerospace engineering, and scholars working across disciplines are encouraged. Specific areas of interest include, but are not limited to: propulsion, thermal management, and electrified/hybrid-electric propulsion; AI-augmented design (generative, learning) of aerospace structures or systems; robotics/controls, including nonlinear and multi-agent systems. We are committed to expanding beyond our traditional strengths, and we especially welcome candidates whose work builds bridges to regional industry and to our existing strengths in thermo-fluids, materials, advanced manufacturing, robotics, and remote sensing.

As a campus, college, and department with an increasingly diverse student body, we are looking for candidates who can operate effectively in a diverse faculty and student community, and who value collegiality, collaboration, achievement, and integrity. We encourage applications from individuals with a commitment to mentor under-represented demographics within engineering. We welcome candidates who have had non-traditional career paths, those who have paused their careers for family or other reasons, or who spent time outside of academia.

Essential Functions

The candidate is expected to develop an externally-funded research program in aerospace engineering, and develop and maintain an internationally recognized scholarly presence.

The candidate is expected to contribute to teaching existing graduate and undergraduate courses in aerospace and mechanical engineering, for example, aerodynamics, propulsion, flight dynamics and controls, or aerospace thermal systems, and will be encouraged to develop creative new curricula, including courses supporting the department's aerospace academic program.

The candidate is also expected to contribute meaningful service to their department, College, University and externally within their field through participation in committees, faculty governance, and activities that support the academic community.

Other Functions

Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must have a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or a closely related field, or anticipate such a degree by September 1, 2027.

Additional Details

The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering has 38 full-time, tenure-track faculty members and approximately 140 graduate students and 830 undergraduates. The department's FY25 research expenditures exceeded $9.5 million. Additional information about the department can be obtained at https://www.umass.edu/engineering/mechanical-and-industrial-engineering.

The Daniel J. Riccio Jr. College of Engineering is recognized as one of the top 35 public engineering schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and is the #1 public engineering program in New England. Our inclusive and dynamic community includes ~2700 undergraduate, ~650 graduate students and ~160 instructional faculty (full-time tenure stream and lecturers) across five engineering departments—biomedical, chemical and biomolecular, civil and environmental, electrical and computer, and mechanical and industrial. Our faculty members are developing life-saving medical devices and therapeutics; revolutionizing next-generation manufacturing and materials; advancing AI, robotics and autonomous systems; designing smart infrastructures; tackling climate change; and leading breakthroughs in computing and cybersecurity. They are recipients of prestigious national recognitions, including 22 CAREER Awards since 2020. With over $69 million in research expenditures and 20+ affiliated research centers and programs, we're at the forefront of discovery. Our faculty and students engage actively in innovation, transforming ideas into meaningful impact through entrepreneurship activities, patenting new discoveries, and new venture creation. Our new Sustainable Engineering Laboratories building offers immersive labs and learning spaces, enabling us to test and develop technologies that address real-world sustainability challenges. The College strives to be a leader in transformative engineering education, supporting faculty in the development of their teaching expertise through various initiatives such as our membership in the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN).

For more on the Riccio College of Engineering and our mission, visit: https://www.umass.edu/engineering/ and https://www.umass.edu/engineering/about/mission-vision-and-inclusivity-statement.

This position is subject to final budgetary and administrative approval.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in a standard office or indoor university environment and involves minimal physical exertion.

Work Schedule and Work Arrangement

Full-Time, academic year position. Schedule varies depending on teaching, research and service.

Salary Information

The University expects to pay within an approximate range between $79,350 and $129,272 for this position. Please note:

The low end of the pay range in all faculty searches at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is the minimum salary for the rank included in the collective bargaining agreement between the University and the Massachusetts Society of Professors, UMass Amherst/MTA/NEA. Engineering TT starting salaries are typically well above this minimum.

The high end of the pay range reflects the 75th percentile for the department/discipline based on established, disciplinary-specific faculty compensation surveys.

The specific pay for this position will be determined by the University based on consideration of all relevant factors, including faculty rank and required or relevant factors, including faculty rank and required or relevant certifications, when and if it decides to extend an offer of employment.

Special Instructions for Applicants

Candidates must provide the following in their application package addressed to the "Aerospace Engineering Search Committee." Applications will be reviewed starting on November 1, 2026, and reviewed until the search is completed. All files must be provided in .pdf format. Applicants must disclose whether and to what extent AI tools were used in the preparation of their application package.

A cover letter, addressed to the "Aerospace Engineering Search Committee." The cover letter should (a) introduce yourself and (b) briefly describe your interest in and alignment with this position and the mission and vision of the Riccio College of Engineering. Page limit: 1 page.

An overall vision statement. Candidates should describe the overall vision of what they would like to accomplish in their career, integrating across all aspects of teaching, research, outreach, and service, and discuss the inspiration that will sustain them in this faculty position. Page limit: 2 pages.

A research statement. Candidates should situate their past research in a broader scholarly context and give their research vision for this position. Candidates are specifically asked to mention the types of scholarship they will perform, how that scholarship will be disseminated, expectations for how that scholarship will be funded, collaboration potential, and any connections to community engagement, broadening participation in STEM, or grand challenges in engineering. Page limit: 2 pages.

A teaching and mentoring statement. Candidates should address teaching and mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students, as well as recruiting of graduate students. Candidates should describe their past teaching and mentoring experience and express their vision for educating the next generation of engineers. Candidates are specifically asked to mention existing courses in aerospace and mechanical engineering they are qualified to offer, and courses they are interested in developing (including courses that could support the department's aerospace academic program). Please discuss any plans for making engineering engaging to all students. Page limit: 2 pages.

A current curriculum vitae. The CV is typically ordered as follows: (1) education, (2) employment, (3) awards and honors, (4) sponsored research (if any), (5) peer-reviewed publications, (6) service, (7) teaching experience, and (8) other sections as considered appropriate by the candidate.

Contact information (name, title, email address, institution) for 3 professional references. At least one reference should be from a current or former supervisor. Reference letters will be requested after the short list is approved (see Process below).

The steps of the process are as follows:

A minimally qualified pool is identified from the applicants, ideally by the middle of November, 2026.
All remaining candidates are evaluated and a "long list" is identified, which will be interviewed via video conference. Candidates invited to these interviews will be emailed at least one week before the scheduled date.
A "short list" is developed from the long list, and these candidates will be invited to interview on campus.
For candidates advancing to the short-list (on-campus interview) stage: references will be contacted.
On-campus interviews are anticipated in February, 2027.

This position will remain open for the time period required by any applicable collective bargaining agreement and will continue until a suitable candidate pool is identified. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early.