Tenure-Eligible Assistant​/Associate or full Professor of Materials Science​/School of S

Hiring Department

UNIVERSITY of MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY
SCHOOL of SCIENCE and ENGINEERING
Division of Energy, Matter and Systems (EMS) in the School of Science and Engineering (SSE) at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) seeks applications and nominations of candidates in the broad areas of materials science for a tenure-track/tenure-eligible faculty position at the Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or full Professor level to start in Fall 2026. EMS is the largest and most academically diverse division in the School of Science and Engineering.

The Division currently offers programs in Chemistry, Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), Mechanical Engineering (ME), and Physics & Astronomy (P&A), and is also developing new programs in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) and Sustainable Energy Technologies (SET). The new faculty is expected to play an essential role in the MSE and SET programs. EMS fosters cross-disciplinary collaborations in both research and education.

It has been instrumental in the establishment and continued success of the Missouri Institute of Defense and Energy (MIDE), which has become one of the most successful platforms within the entire University of Missouri System in terms of sponsored research and collaboration among academia, industry, and government agencies. EMS faculty led efforts in securing multidisciplinary projects such as the $3 million grant from the NSF Research Traineeship Program, the NSF IUCRC Center for Big Learning (CBL), the NSF Engine, and the NIST TIPC program.
The SSE recently added a new $40M, 58,000 sq. ft. state‑of‑the‑art facility to support multidisciplinary education, research, and economic development initiatives. Some of the key components of this new facility include Next Gen Data Science and Analytics Innovation Center (dSAIC), Augmented and Virtual Reality Lab, Robotics Lab, Motion Capture Lab, UAV & Drone Lab, Innovation Studio & 3D Printing Lab, High‑Performance Computing Lab, and an Anechoic Chamber.

Areas of interest for the Tenure-Track/Tenure-Eligible Position:
Candidates with backgrounds and expertise in all emerging domains of materials and energy sciences that have strong prospects of extending our sponsored research program and securing external funding are highly encouraged to apply. Some specific areas of interest are (but are not limited to) nanomaterials, energy materials, electronic, optical, and magnetic (EOM) materials, intelligent and smart materials, metamaterials, and circular materials.

We seek candidates who aim to address the most fundamental challenges in materials research. Advancements in cross‑cutting materials science and engineering are crucial for the United States' economic competitiveness and are, therefore, a funding priority for federal agencies. Successful applicants will have access to the state‑of‑the‑art labs and centers at SSE, EMS, and the Missouri Institute of Defense and Energy (MIDE).

These facilities have supported $75M in externally awarded grants and contracts from federal agencies, including NSF, DOD, NIH and DOE.

• Develop and sustain an extramurally funded research program;
• Have a strong commitment to teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in materials science and related areas;
• Engage in discipline, division, school, or university services appropriate to the position; and
• Advance the goals and strategic plans of SSE and UMKC.

All Candidates: must hold a Ph.D. in Physics, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Material Sciences and Engineering, and relevant fields.
Applicants for the Associate Professor position should have all qualifications of an Assistant Professor, as well as successful grant applications/extramural funding, peer‑reviewed publications, mentorship of graduate students or postdoctoral fellows, and strong student evaluations from didactic teaching at their current/previous position.
Applicants for the full Professor position should meet all the qualifications above and be career advanced with an established reputation in their respective field.

Rank and salary are…