Engineering a world of possibilities
Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Nuclear Science & Engineering Program
The Opportunity:
The Colorado School of Mines, Department of Mechanical Engineering, invites applications from highly accomplished individuals at the rank of assistant professor for the university's Mechanical Engineering and Nuclear Science & Engineering programs. Of particular interest are applicants committed to teaching excellence in interdisciplinary courses applicable to nuclear engineering. Candidates must possess an earned Ph.D. in nuclear engineering or in a closely related field. Post-graduate experience in nuclear engineering or in a closely related field is also preferred.
Successful candidates will have demonstrated high ethical standards and are expected to operate in a transparent and collegial way. Successful candidates should be responsive to the needs of faculty, staff, and students within the Department and have a strong commitment to enhance diversity. Successful candidates will work effectively in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment within the Department, across the Mines campus, and with external partners.
This position will support Mines as a top-of-mind university for students who are interested in mechanical engineering and nuclear science and engineering. For questions about this opportunity, contact the search chair, Thomas Schoenzart (tschoenzart@mines.edu).
Responsibilities:
Lead a strong, vibrant, well-funded, internationally recognized research program that addresses outstanding challenges in nuclear engineering.
Teach courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels relevant to the Mechanical Engineering curriculum.
Teach courses attractive to graduate students in the Nuclear Science and Engineering Program.
Work closely in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment with faculty and students across the Mines campus.
Represent the Department and programs through professional engagement at Mines and in the broader communities relevant to their field of expertise.
Provide additional leadership to enhance the mission and activities of the Department to foster a vision and strategy to strengthen its research and teaching.
Perform service to the Department and the University through involvement on committees.
Contribute to the diversity,inclusion and excellence of our academic community through teaching and service.
About Mines, The Mechanical Engineering Department and The NSE Program:
Colorado School of Mines, Colorado's oldest public university, premier engineering university, and an R1 institution, is located in Golden, Colorado: a historic gold rush-era town nestled in the foothills of the Rockies, 13 miles west of Denver and 21 miles south of Boulder. Mines is consistently ranked among the top engineering colleges in the United States and ranks number one as the best public school in the state for best value colleges. Mines has about 6200 undergraduate students and 1800 graduate students in a broad range of applied science and engineering disciplines. Mines maintains high-quality, well-funded research programs (~$106M in awards for fiscal year 2024) with strong participation from both graduate and undergraduate students. The 2024 edition of U.S. News and World Report's America's Best National Universities ranks Mines as the top-ranked university in Colorado, and 40th in the category of Top Public Schools. In addition, in 2024 Mines was awarded one of America's Best Colleges by Money Magazine. Mines has the highest admissions standards of any public university in Colorado and among the highest of any public university in the U.S. The School's proximity to Denver and Boulder provides opportunities for significant collaboration with government labs (including NREL, NIST, NCAR, and NOAA), industry, and other universities.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering is focused on education and both basic and applied research that addresses problems of national interest in the areas of thermal-fluid systems, systems/operations engineering, advanced manufacturing, biomechanics, robotics and automation, and solid mechanics and materials. Our undergraduate enrollment in Mechanical Engineering is 2,086, with approximately 22% women and 17.7% underrepresented students. We pride ourselves on a strong project-based spine of undergraduate courses that apply theoretical knowledge and engineering skills in classroom activities and team projects. The ME Department currently has 29 tenured/tenure-track faculty, 16 teaching faculty, 4 professors of practice, and 6 research faculty. We maintain a high-quality, well-funded research program (~$12M in annual research awards) with strong participation from students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Approximately 161 graduate students (24.8% women, 12.4% underrepresented) study within a broad research portfolio. Major specialty programs for undergraduate and graduate students include robotics, automotive engineering, biomechanics, aerospace engineering, energy systems and systems engineering/operations research. The Mechanical Engineering and Nuclear Science faculty are extremely research-active with national and international reputation. More information can be found at https://mechanical.mines.edu & https://nuclear.mines.edu.
Pay Range:
Mines is offering an academic year salary rate of $111,300 to $121,700. This salary may be further supplemented during summer and winter research periods, using funds drawn from external grants or other sources.
Mines takes into consideration a combination of the candidate's education, training and experience as well as the position's scope and complexity, the discretion and latitude required in the role, work location, and external market and internal value when determining a salary level for potential new employees.
Total Rewards:
Colorado School of Mines offers a robust portfolio of benefits for all employees. For this role, that includes:
Flexible health and dental care options
Generous sick/vacation time: 13 paid holidays per year - including a week-long winter break for entire campus.
Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution
Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents)
Free RTD Ecopass
Mines' leadership and innovation bring proximity and access to several research centers, consortia, agencies, labs, and leading-edge technology. All Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the state-of-the-art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center. We are proud to have recently opened an on campus daycare center. For more details about benefits at Mines, visit mines.edu/human-resources/benefits.
