The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering in the Swenson College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position that will begin on August 18, 2025. This is a full-time, 9-month position. Our Department is invested in supporting research scholars, and the successful candidate will establish a robust, independent, and externally funded research program, which includes mentorship and advising of undergraduates and graduate students. The area of specialization for this position is Marine Engineering, which represents a new initiative by the University, and for which areas of specialty may include Ship/Vessel Design, Marine Robotics and/or Ocean Technologies (e.g., sensors and controls), Marine Structures and Marine Materials. Faculty members will contribute to undergraduate and graduate lecture and laboratory courses in either mechanical engineering or industrial engineering. Additionally, our Department is interested in supporting research scholars whose research contributes to diversity, inclusion, equity, and a commitment to justice. Service to the Department, College, and University is also expected. Candidates must complete a PhD in marine engineering, ocean engineering, mechanical engineering or a closely related field by the start date of the appointment. Preferred candidates will have two or more years of engineering-related industrial or teaching experience as well as a strong interest in assisting with our senior design capstone course in their area of expertise. Please see https://z.umn.edu/scsecareers for more information.

The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering is committed to providing engaging and contemporary learning environments for all students interested in the professions of mechanical or industrial engineering or related fields. Students work closely with our faculty on a wide array of hands-on experiences such as laboratory courses and student clubs, undergraduate research opportunities, and capstone design projects that serve local and regional industry. The Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) and the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering (BSIE) are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (www.abet.org). The Department also offers two graduate degree programs: the Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering and the Master of Environmental Health and Safety. Department faculty have the opportunity to affiliate with other MS and PhD programs such as the Water Resources Science and the Advanced Materials Science programs. Opportunities exist for collaboration with faculty across campus, as well as scientists and engineers at the Large Lakes Observatory, the Natural Resources Research Institute, the Institute on the Environment, Minnesota Sea Grant and various local, state, and federal agencies. 

The University of Minnesota Duluth values of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are essential to achieving excellence. We are especially interested in recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty to maintain the excellence of the Department, College, and University, and to offer students interdisciplinary perspectives and varied ways of knowing and learning. We strongly encourage scholars who are women, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, Black, Latin American, Asian American, Hawaiian/Island Pacific, or mixed race, and scholars with disabilities to apply. We favor candidates who can contribute to the College's distinctive educational objectives, which promote intercultural understanding with social responsibility and the ethical implications of knowledge and action.

We recognize that excellence in teaching and research form the basis for any successful candidate. To that end, we are implementing an anonymized search process. See https://z.umn.edu/scsecareers for a description of the application steps. Applications must include four documents: an anonymized research and teaching statement that is understandable to a non-specialist (recommended 2000 words/5 pages max); a statement that demonstrates a commitment to justice, equity, inclusion, and a diverse student population (1000 words/2 pages max); a curriculum vita; and a list of four professional references. Please refer to the Mechanical & Industrial Engineering-specific application screening rubrics. Go to the University of Minnesota Job Site and search for Job ID 364278. For full consideration, applications should be received by October 4, 2024. Please direct initial questions about these positions to the search committee to Dr. Abigail Clarke-Sather (umdmiesearch24@umn.edu), chair of the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Search Committee. 

The University of Minnesota Duluth campus is the second largest research university within the University of Minnesota public university system. UMD is a comprehensive university of about 9,000 students located along the shores of Lake Superior. Duluth is the largest city in northern Minnesota and is part of the Twin Ports metropolitan area (Duluth, MN and Superior, WI). The Twin Ports area hosts four colleges/universities, two major hospitals, many retail and manufacturing companies, and the largest commercial port on the Great Lakes. Duluth has vibrant music, theater, and arts scenes, and a steadily increasing number of craft breweries and award-winning restaurants. Duluth offers affordable housing, an absence of appreciable traffic, and mixes its historic feel with a dynamic urban economy and many cultural offerings. Named by Outdoor Magazine as one of America’s Best Outdoors Towns, Duluth provides access to hundreds of miles of biking, hiking, and skiing trails and abundant opportunities for fishing, kayaking, and sailing.

UMD is committed to supporting our colleagues. The University of Minnesota has a robust policy with respect to opportunity hires for partners. Parental leaves and on-campus childcare are available. The Swenson College of Science and Engineering has a mentoring program to facilitate professional success. Swenson College Howard Higholt Professorships are also available to support outstanding faculty who are committed to creating a more inclusive and equitable institution; please follow the application instructions to apply for the Howard Higholt Professorship.