Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics - Associate Professor

Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics – Associate Professor – Job No. 527849

Work type: Regular Full-time (Benefits eligible)

Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Categories: Tenure/Tenure‑Track Faculty

Department: Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics

Rank: Associate Professor

Position Summary: The Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics (AEM) and the Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering (SCoE) at The University of Alabama (UA) invite applications at the rank of Associate Professor within the department. Candidates with research interests across all domains relevant to aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics are encouraged to apply. Candidates with research emphasis and interests in the areas of space systems and propulsion, hypersonic systems and modeling, and autonomous aerospace systems are of particular interest and thus are strongly encouraged to apply.

Detailed Position Information: The Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics (AEM: (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).) and the Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering (SCoE: ) at The University of Alabama (UA: ) invite applications for a tenured faculty position at the rank of Associate Professor level within the AEM department. Candidates with research interests across all domains relevant to aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics are encouraged to apply.

Candidates with research emphasis and interests in the areas of (1) space systems and propulsion, (2) hypersonic systems and modeling, and (3) autonomous aerospace systems are of particular interest and thus are strongly encouraged to apply. Candidates with prestigious achievements, significant impact in their fields, and exceptional national and international reputations will be eligible for consideration for significant endowment support through appointment as an Endowed Shelby Distinguished Professor ().

These Shelby Distinguished Professor positions are one of the highest honors bestowed upon faculty at The University of Alabama, and candidates who feel their record and accomplishments warrant consideration for this additional honor should indicate this in their cover letter. Towards achieving excellence in all our efforts, the AEM department and the SCoE seek to hire faculty that can contribute to both (1) build upon existing strengths and (2) expand the scope of research within the department, college, and university as a whole during a period of record growth and success.

This is a very exciting time to join the AEM Department at The University of Alabama. The Styslinger College of Engineering has experienced tremendous growth in its faculty, facilities, student populations, and research enterprise over the past decade. The Styslinger College of Engineering currently has more than 4,800 undergraduate students and almost 800 graduate students, making it one of the largest engineering colleges in the nation.

The AEM department has also seen significant growth in recent years, with undergraduate program enrollment of 570 students in the fall of 2025 and graduate enrollment of nearly 200 students. The department currently offers three degrees: a BS in Aerospace Engineering, an MS in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, and a PhD in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics. The two graduate programs are offered both on-campus and through distance education.

The department is currently on a multi-year effort to significantly expand its faculty size to help better serve its students and educational mission and to add both depth and breadth to the range of research activities represented across the department and its faculty. AEM and the SCoE consider teaching, research, and service as the three critical and complementary portions of their overall mission.

Candidates must demonstrate experience and the ability to successfully lead and extramurally fund a highly productive research program with significant scholarly impact in an area with long-term potential to further build upon the rapid rise and success of the AEM department and the SCoE. An ability to collaborate…