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The Opportunity
The University of Dayton Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) invites applications for a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level, specializing in the Thermal-Fluids area, beginning January 1, 2026. A Fall 2026 start can also be considered. The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering offers new faculty an opportunity to join a community deeply committed to their success and education at all levels. The successful candidate is expected to collaborate in research and teaching within the department, across the university, and externally. Additionally, the successful candidate may have the opportunity to contribute to an established, ongoing federally funded thermal fluids (aircraft thermal management) research program at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) located at Wright-Patterson AFB, which is in close proximity to Dayton, Ohio.

The Department and the University
The MAE Department offers new faculty an opportunity to join a community deeply committed to their success and to education at all levels. Collaborations in teaching within the department, across the University, and externally are encouraged. We value our inclusive climate because we know that diversity in experiences and perspectives is vital to advancing innovation, critical thinking, solving complex problems, and creating an inclusive academic community.

The MAE Department offers a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering. Within the Bachelor’s degree, concentrations are available in aerospace and energy systems. Additionally, a minor is available in biomechanics. The Department also offers Master of Science and Doctorate degrees. The Department currently has 770 undergraduate students, 200 graduate students, 23 full-time faculty members, and a number of adjunct faculty. Please click here for further information about the University and information about the Department can be found here.

Grounded in its Catholic, Marianist tradition, UD provides education to develop the whole student and is committed to experiential learning. UD enrolls approximately 10,600 students, including 7,500 full-time undergraduates. It is one of the nation’s largest Catholic universities and one of the largest private universities in Ohio.

City of Dayton
The Dayton metro area has a population of about 815,000 and is a diverse community with a renewed downtown, a set of historic neighborhoods, and a highly favorable cost of living. Dayton, OH is accessible, affordable, and offers excellent educational and healthcare resources, arts and cultural attractions, beautiful parks with bike and recreational trails, and a variety of sporting venues. The area is noted for its long history of innovation and invention and has a vibrant and growing business environment. It is also home to corporations such as CareSource, LexisNexis, Reynolds & Reynolds, and to the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The Dayton area is a great place to live.

At the University of Dayton, we value inclusive excellence because we recognize that it is fundamental to academic and institutional excellence. Inclusive excellence requires a comprehensive, cohesive and collaborative alignment of infrastructure, resources and actions. We strive to be active, intentional, and sustain engagement with and celebrate diversity in every dimension of institutional life. Because we seek a community with a wide range of perspectives and experiences, we encourage all interested candidates to apply.

Minimum Qualifications

• All requirements for their Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field by the date of hire.
• Articulated potential for teaching excellence, particularly through employing active and experiential learning pedagogies.
• Articulated potential for mentoring students in research activities based on past experiences as a mentor.
• Articulated potential for obtaining research funding
• Demonstrated scholarly research related to the thermal-fluids area as evidenced by publication of archival journal papers and/or peer-reviewed conference papers.
• Effective written communication skills.
• Because of the need for collaboration with U.S. government agencies, and the need to access controlled research facilities, applicants must be citizens of the United States.

Preferred Qualifications

• While not everyone may meet all preferred qualifications, the ideal candidate will bring many of the following:

  • A proficient understanding of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer.
  • A proficient understanding of modeling methods and/or of experimental methods used in the thermal fluids area. This may include, for example, finite element analysis, computational fluid dynamics, or reduced-order system-level modeling.
  • Demonstrated commitment to breadth of education, including educating the whole person in the Marianist tradition of social justice and a commitment to service to the community, university, and profession.
  • Demonstrated successful experience in effectively engaging individuals from socially and culturally diverse backgrounds.
  • Effective oral communication skills.
  • Effective interpersonal communication skills.