Professor of Aerospace Engineering

Open Rank Professor of Aerospace Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rice University
https://mech.rice.edu/
https://engineering.rice.edu/

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Rice University in Houston, Texas, invites applications for a tenure-track or tenured faculty position in aerospace engineering. The appointment may be made at the Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor level, commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications and experience, with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2027. As part of Rice University’s ongoing investment in aerospace engineering, the department is strengthening its research and educational programs through strategic faculty hiring and expanded engagement with industry and government partners.

The successful candidate will have opportunities to contribute to the continued growth of aerospace engineering at Rice while developing collaborations across the university and Houston’s broader aerospace community.

The successful candidate will be expected to establish or maintain a nationally and internationally recognized research program, contribute to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, and strengthen collaborations across the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing and Rice University. Opportunities for collaboration with NASA’s Johnson Space Center and Houston’s rapidly growing aerospace ecosystem, including leading aerospace companies, startups, and research organizations, provide a unique environment for impactful research, technology development, and translation.

In support of these expectations, the successful candidate will develop and teach undergraduate and graduate courses aligned with their expertise; establish and sustain a vigorous, externally funded research program; conduct innovative research and disseminate results through high-impact publications, conferences, and other scholarly activities; advise and mentor undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers; contribute to departmental, school, university, and professional service; and foster interdisciplinary collaborations within Rice and with external partners.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching, advising, and mentoring students from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.

We welcome the fullness of diversity lified applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. In our candidate pools, we seek to increase the representation of women, scholars of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and others who have historically been underrepresented in mechanical and aerospace engineering;

attract scholars and students from a wide range of countries, backgrounds, and experiences; accelerate progress toward building a faculty and staff community with diverse perspectives and expertise; and maintain an environment that fosters interaction, understanding, and belonging throughout our community.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is one of nine academic departments in the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing. The department includes 18 tenure-stream faculty and four teaching faculty with research and educational strengths spanning mechanics, materials, fluids, thermal sciences, controls, robotics, biomedical engineering, aerospace engineering, and computational methods.

The department and school are undergoing a period of strategic growth, creating opportunities for collaboration across Rice University and with Houston's aerospace,…