Assistant​/Associate Professor Critical Minerals and Materials

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Utah invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the associate professor level in critical minerals and materials, with an emphasis on manufacturing, scale-up, and integration of these materials into real-world applications. Candidates at the assistant professor level with strong records and promise are also welcome to apply. A Ph.D. in materials science and engineering or an allied field is required.

Critical minerals and materials are a strategic priority for the University of Utah and the State of Utah. For example, we have recently established the Institute for Critical and Strategic Materials (critical minerals.utah.edu). The Department has deep strengths in the extraction, chemistry, physics, and processing of critical materials, and this position extends that work downstream toward the components, devices, and systems these materials enable.

The University of Utah is a Research 1 institution and a member of the Association of American Universities. Our mission is to serve the people of Utah and the world through the discovery, creation, and application of knowledge; through the dissemination of knowledge by teaching, publication, artistic presentation, and technology transfer; and through community engagement. The Department shares this mission and aims to expand its reach and impact in the State of Utah, nationally, and globally through world-class education and research.

Utah is home to active mining, refining, battery, and semiconductor industries, offering unusual opportunities for translation and partnership. Salt Lake City combines a growing technology economy with immediate access to world-class outdoor recreation. Utah is also home to eight federally recognized Native American Tribes and the largest Pacific Islander population outside of Hawai’i and Alaska, and the University is committed to being a place where people of all backgrounds can thrive.

The anticipated start date is July 1, 2027.

We are interested in colleagues who make, scale, and integrate critical-material components, for example permanent magnets, battery electrodes, wide-bandgap semiconductors, high‑temperature alloys and coatings, or photonic and quantum materials, and who connect that work to industry and to the broader energy, electronics, and defense supply chains. These are examples rather than requirements; we welcome applicants whose work advances critical materials applications in other ways.

The successful candidate will:

Build and sustain an externally funded research group in critical materials manufacturing and application integration

Teach and develop undergraduate and graduate courses in materials science and engineering, including materials processing, manufacturing, and applications

Collaborate across the Department, the Price College of Engineering, and campus, and partner with industry, national laboratories, and government

Contribute to student mentoring, recruitment, outreach, and professional education