Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering - Materials

About the role

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• Closing Date: 12/01/2026
• Type of Position: Faculty - Tenure/Tenure Track
• Workstudy Position: No
• Job Type: Regular

Institution Name: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas is a land grant institution, classified by the Carnegie Foundation among the nation's top 2 percent of universities with the highest level of research activity. The University of Arkansas works to advance the state and build a better world through education, research, and outreach by providing transformational opportunities and skills, fostering a welcoming climate, and nurturing creativity, discovery, and the spread of new ideas and innovations.

The University of Arkansas campus is located in Fayetteville, a welcoming community ranked as one of the best places to live in the U.S. The growing region surrounding Fayetteville is home to numerous Fortune 500 companies and one of the nation's strongest economies. Northwest Arkansas is also quickly gaining a national reputation for its focus on the arts and overall quality of life.

As an employer, the University of Arkansas offers a vibrant work environment and a workplace culture that promotes a healthy work-life balance. The benefits package includes university contributions to health, dental, life and disability insurance, tuition waivers for employees and their families, 12 official holidays, immediate leave accrual, and a choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 to 10% of employee salary.

Below you will find the details for the position including any supplementary documentation and questions, you should review before applying for the opening.

If you have a disability and need assistance with the hiring process, please submit a request via the Disability Accommodations | OEOC | University of Arkansas (uark.edu): Request an Accommodation. Appli­cants are required to submit a request for each position of which they have applied.

Department: Mechanical Engineering

Summary of Job Duties

The University of Arkansas seeks three tenure-track assistant professors in materials science and engineering, beginning Fall 2027, in a cluster hire coordinated by the Arkansas Materials Institute. One position, in Mechanical Engineering (College of Engineering), centers on transmission electron microscopy; two, in Physics (Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences), center on molecular beam epitaxy and scanning tunneling microscopy and on quantum materials and devices.

The cluster is part of a university investment in the Arkansas Materials Institute, whose mission is to translate materials discoveries into real-world solutions for Arkansas and the world, with growth concentrated in materials for artificial intelligence, quantum materials, energy, biosystems, and electronics and photonics.

New faculty will have access to the Institute's shared facilities, including a cleanroom, electron microscopy, x-ray facility, and electrical and optical characterization, and to the MonArk NSF Quantum Foundry, supported by expert staff, along with NSF MRI proposal support, national laboratory user facilities, and industry partnerships.

Each hire will join the AMI Early-Career Faculty Cohort, supported by the Provost's Office, the Institute, and the home department. The cohort connects new hires with recently hired materials faculty, experienced mentors, and collaborators across both colleges through structured professional development, invited speakers, and joint projects and proposals. It complements departmental mentoring and provides an immediate network across disciplinary and college boundaries.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arkansas invites applications for outstanding candidates to fill a tenure-track Assistant Professor position with an anticipated start date of August 2027. The department is seeking candidates with a strong background in Advanced Materials Characterization using electron microscopy.

The ideal candidate should have demonstrated expertise in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) for characterizing materials' microstructure, morphology, crystallography, and composition.

The successful candidate should also have extensive experience with advanced TEM characterization techniques, including electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED), as well as TEM specimen preparation using focused ion beam (FIB) techniques and analysis of HR-TEM images using fast Fourier transform (FFT).The candidate should also have demonstrated scholarly activity and potential to collaborate with faculty members/groups within one or more of the Department's and University's existing or emerging research areas.

The successful candidate will be expected to teach core mechanical engineering courses in support of our undergraduate and graduate programs, and contribute to the departmental service needs.

This is an in-person position. Most university classes are offered face-to-face, and extensive in-person engagement in such activities as office hours, student advising, and departmental, college, and university committee meetings is essential to advancing student success and departmental effectiveness. Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.

Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.

Minimum Requirements

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, or a closely related field, conferred by the start of employment
• Demonstrated record of research and peer-reviewed journal publications involving high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM)
• Demonstrated research experience in advanced TEM characterization and related techniques, such as electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), analysis of HR-TEM images using fast Fourier transform (FFT), and TEM specimen preparation using focused ion beam (FIB) techniques
• Evidence of the potential to establish a collaborative, externally funded research program

Preferred Requirements

• Experience in pursuing and obtaining research funding
• Engagement in collaborative research
• Experience teaching or supporting the teaching of undergraduate and graduate courses
• Industry experience

Commensurate with education and experience

Required Documents to Apply

• Cover Letter/Letter of Application, Curriculum Vitae, List of three Professional References (name, email, business title), Statement of Research Philosophy, Statement of Teaching Philosophy
• Optional Documents: Proof of Veteran Status

Recruitment Contact Information

• All application materials must be uploaded to the University of Arkansas System Career Site
• Please do not send to listed recruitment contact.

Pre-employment Screening Requirements

Criminal Background Check, Sex Offender Registry

• The University of Arkansas is committed to providing a safe campus community.
• We conduct background checks for applicants being considered for employment.
• Background checks include a criminal background check and a sex offender registry check.
• For certain positions, there may also be a financial (credit) background check, a Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) check, and/or drug screening.

Required checks are identified in the position listing. A criminal conviction or arrest pending adjudication or adverse financial history information alone shall not disqualify an applicant in the absence of a relationship to the requirements of the position. Background check information will be used in a confidential, non-discriminatory manner consistent with state and federal law.

• Persons must have proof of legal authority to work in the United States on the first day of employment.
• All Application information is subject to public disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.

• Constant Physical Activity: N/A
• Frequent Physical Activity: N/A
• Occasional Physical Activity: N/A

Benefits Eligible

Yes