POSITION SUMMARY
The College of Engineering at the University of Georgia invites applications for two positions with expertise supporting the advancement and adaptation of electric mobility technologies.
These positions seek to identify highly qualified candidates with expertise in mechanical engineering that relates to electric mobility, including but not limited to: electric drive technologies, controls, systems, manufacturing, fluid dynamics, and design. These positions will be centered in the College of Engineering's School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural, and Mechanical Engineering (ECAM). The positions will be supervised by the ECAM School Chair.
The College seeks to fill two open-rank, 9-month tenure-track faculty positions at the Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor level. The anticipated start date is August 1, 2024, with the potential for an earlier start date as of January 1, 2024, in certain circumstances. Both positions are academic year appointments (9 months) with an opportunity to supplement salary during the summer. Candidates considered for the associate or full professor rank must have qualifications and academic credentials that are commensurate with the promotion and tenure guidelines at the University of Georgia. These guidelines can be found at the College of Engineering Criteria for Promotion and Tenure. Candidates with excellent records of research, scholarship, and leadership within the field may be considered for the endowed professorship, the Georgia Power Electric Mobility Distinguished Professorship.
The hiring is part of a campus-wide E-Mobility Initiative that builds on the economic development opportunities that exist within the State of Georgia and the Southeast. The state has an extensive multi-modal transportation network that includes the busiest airport in the world – Atlanta-Hartsfield Jackson International Airport – an expanding port in Savannah, and a robust interstate highway system that is a hub of the region. Recent economic development successes have grown the number of corporations that advance electric mobility such as, SK Battery America, Hyundai Motor Group, Rivian Automotive, Ascend Elements, and Archer Aerospace. Further, the Georgia Department of Economic Development has created the Georgia Electric Mobility and Innovation Alliance to support growing the electric mobility ecosystem in the state and strengthening Georgia’s position in electrification-related manufacturing and innovation. The University of Georgia is well-positioned to take advantage of these successes due to the comprehensive nature of the university and its extensive network into communities across the State.
The College of Engineering has significant expertise in basic and translational research that supports programs in electric mobility. Faculty with expertise in electric power technologies, cyber-physical systems, advanced materials, battery technology, charging infrastructure, energy storage and grid technology, vehicle electrification, vehicle to grid technologies, lightweight materials, autonomous electrical vehicles, environmental sustainability, cybersecurity, human-machine interactions, solar cell technology and electrochemistry, are found in all four Schools within the college. Expertise within the college is supported by an extensive network across campus in business, policy, law, and outreach that supports programs in electric mobility.
Faculty hired as part of this initiative will join a rapidly-growing College of Engineering that combines interdisciplinary research and scholarship with excellent instruction and service. The UGA College of Engineering currently enrolls over 2,700 engineering majors and has over 95 full-time engineering faculty across 15 degrees and 3 Schools. The college also jointly administers the School of Computing in collaboration with the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, an academic unit that comprises nearly 2,000 computer science majors and 44 full-time faculty.
Significant investments in infrastructure have resulted in an expansion of laboratory facilities for research and scholarship and new classrooms and instructional labs. College of Engineering faculty have space in two major capital projects on campus to create interdisciplinary research facilities. Our main instructional facility, Driftmier Engineering Center, has also undergone a complete renovation to create flexible classrooms that enable a range of teaching modalities and the incorporation of interdisciplinary instructional labs. The common instructional facilities also foster diversity by allowing faculty, staff, and students to interact and collaborate in a single facility.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
All candidates must have a Ph.D. in engineering, computer science or related discipline.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Candidates must also have a documented research background appropriate for the appointment rank, as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications. For information about the requirements for each faculty rank, please see the UGA Guidelines for Appointment, Promotion and Tenure. Specific criteria for Associate Professor and Professor level in potential home departments are summarized at https://provost.uga.edu/policies/appointment-promotion-and-tenure/promotion-tenure-criteria/
To be eligible for tenure upon appointment, candidates must be appointed as an associate or full professor, have been tenured at a prior institution, and bring a demonstrable national reputation to the institution. Candidates must be approved for tenure upon appointment before hire.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
The preferred candidate for this position possesses a track record in research and scholarship, with a strong alignment to the relevant areas of expertise. Further, they should demonstrate an ability to foster interdisciplinary collaboration by forming and leading diverse research teams, coupled with a proven track record of securing external funding to bolster multidisciplinary scholarship. The candidate should excel in partnering with industry stakeholders to lead and execute research initiatives that align with state initiatives. A knowledge of the innovation ecosystem is necessary to create intellectual property and support entrepreneurial activities. Within the College of Engineering, we seek candidates that are both scholarly and resourceful collaborators who can navigate the intricacies of research, industry engagement, and innovation.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
All application materials must be submitted via the university’s job portal at:
https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/343072
Applicants are asked to submit the following information along with their application:
- A cover letter (not to exceed one page) addressing the candidate’s experience relative to the responsibilities of the position.
- A detailed curriculum vita.
- A teaching statement not to exceed 2 pages.
- A research statement not to exceed 2 pages.
- The names, titles, and contact information for five professional references.
Selected applicants will be required to submit transcripts and a background investigation demonstrating eligibility for employment with the University of Georgia.
Review of applications will begin on Nov. 6th, 2023; however, applications will be accepted until the positions are filled.
Inquiries about the positions should be directed to the chair of the search committee, Dr. Beshoy Morkos (bmorkos@uga.edu) in the College of Engineering.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
Since our founding in 1785, the University of Georgia has operated as Georgia’s oldest, most comprehensive, and most diversified institution of higher education (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 235 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities and overall top 50 in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 1,800 full-time instructional faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 40,000 students including over 30,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 18 schools and colleges, as well as a medical partnership with Augusta University housed on the UGA Health Sciences Campus in Athens.