Assistant Professor of Materials Engineering at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas

Job Description:

Position #: F00641

Department: Engineering Instruction

Employment Status: Full time (29-40 Hrs)

# of openings: 1

Proposed Salary Range: Commensurate with Experience

Type of Employment: Faculty

Location: ASU-Jonesboro

Closing: 1/17/25


Please note: All postings close at 12 A.M. CST on the closing date. A-State participates in E-Verify.

Position Summary:

The College of Engineering and Computer Science (CoECS) at Arkansas State University-Jonesboro (A-State) seeks to hire a full-time tenure-track faculty at the rank of Assistant Professor in Materials Engineering with a special interest in steel research. This is a nine-month appointment beginning in Fall 2025. Successful applicants will pursue external funding to support research and actively engage in service-related activities. While the candidate will be initially affiliated with the Mechanical Engineering program, it is expected that eventually the candidate will be part of a new Department focused on advanced materials and metallurgical engineering academic programs and research.

It is expected that the chosen candidate will also be nominated as an Innovation Scholar of the Arkansas Research Alliance (ARA). The innovator scholar program is a new ARA program targeting promising, talented, early career faculty who are interested in collaborating with industry in their academic careers. An interest in partnering with the steel industry is of high interest to the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the ARA.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate potential for broad-based teaching at undergraduate and graduate level in advanced materials and metallurgical engineering. The candidate will be expected to engage with the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CTEL) for continuous improvement of teaching skills
• Implement inclusive and evidence-based teaching and learning approaches to ensure the academic success of a diverse population of students
• Develop graduate courses as appropriate to the discipline. Graduate teaching may include but not be limited to specialty courses related to the applicant's specific research interests
• Seek external competitive funding to support research and education in advanced materials, metallurgical engineering, and related areas
• Seek active collaboration with industry in the area, and especially the steel manufacturing sector
• Maintain an active research agenda in the field, with an emphasis on involving undergraduate and graduate students in scholarly activities
• As part of the obligations, the hired candidate is also expected to mentor students, serve on various committees, and participate in recruiting and outreach activities. The candidate is also expected to play a leading role in the development of a BS program in Advanced Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
• Demonstrate willingness to collaborate with diverse groups of faculties
• Be involved in service at the departmental, college and university levels
• Be involved in student outreach and recruitment
• Maintain normal office hours and availability with regular and reliable attendance.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

Demonstrated ability or significant potential for effective teaching.

Demonstrated ability or significant potential for leading and collaborating in materials research.

Demonstrated ability or significant potential for attracting the necessary funding to sustain a rigorous research program.

Proven oral and written communication skills.

• Ability to work collaboratively in a diverse campus community.

• A demonstrable commitment to promoting and enhancing the diversity and excellence of the academic community.

General Days/Hours:

Monday - Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Additional hours as requested and/or needed.

Other:

About Jonesboro and Northeast Arkansas:

Jonesboro is the regional hub of Northeast Arkansas for healthcare, entertainment, business, advanced manufacturing, software development, and civil engineering applications. It is the 5th largest city in Arkansas with a population of over 76,000. Our Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is over 130,000. With a thriving downtown entertainment sector near campus to the west and the growing Hilltop area to our east, the A-State campus is situated in the heart of our hometown. More information can be found here1.

Northeast Arkansas is home to a bustling industrial hub in advanced manufacturing, materials handling, food processing, air purification systems, construction engineering/construction management, software development and steel production. With significant expansion of advanced steel manufacturing in Mississippi county (about an hour from Jonesboro), the state of Arkansas is poised to be the No.1 steel producing state in the nation. In recognition of these developments, the federal government announced an award of $10 million for the purchase of industrial scale steel research equipment to be part of a Center of Advanced Materials and Manufacturing to be set up on the campus of Arkansas State University. The role of the Center will be to support the research needs of steel companies in the nation, and especially those in Arkansas. The university has also made a commitment to set up an academic Department focused on advanced materials and metallurgical academic programs and research. The press release can be found here2.

https://www.astate.edu/info/about-asu/about-jonesboro/

About Arkansas State University:

Founded in 1909 and accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, the university has maintained its student-centered teaching tradition while achieving Carnegie R2 status as a national doctoral-granting university. Arkansas State currently offers 160 degree programs across the doctoral, specialist, master, bachelor, and associate degree levels. A-State Online is the largest provider of digitally accessible programming in the state of Arkansas. The Jonesboro campus is host to the first osteopathic medical school in Arkansas, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State and operates the first American-style residential campus in Mexico, A-State Campus Querétaro. A second location has been launched at Qatar. Further, a new College of Veterinary Medicine has been launched by the university. Home to more than 15,726 students, including from over 50 countries, and more than 100,000 alumni, Arkansas State is the largest campus of the Arkansas State University System.

https://www.astate.edu/news/congress-approves-10-million-request-by-senator-boozman-to-support-center-for-advanced-materials-and-steel-manufacturing

About the College of Engineering and Computer Science:
The CoECS offers ABET-accredited BS degrees in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering, as well as an ATMAE3-accredited degree in Engineering Technology. BS degrees in Computer Science, Land Surveying and Geomatics, Construction Management, and Engineering Management Systems are also offered, as well as Master's degrees in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Management and Computer Science. Faculty can also participate in a doctoral program in Environmental Sciences offered by the College of Science. An umbrella PhD program for CoECS is seriously under consideration. The college is on an ambitious growth trajectory that has included upgrades to student and faculty spaces. The college emphasizes a stellar student experience, professional development of faculty, emphasis on excellent teaching and research, and proactive engagement with the external community. The new hire will be a part of an outstanding CoECS team taking the college to greater heights of achievement in the years to come.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Applicants should have a doctoral degree from an accredited institution.

• Applicants should demonstrate a record of accomplishment in teaching, scholarship, and service for an academic appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor.

• Applicants should have some industry experience.

• Applicants should have some postdoctoral experience with internationally reputed groups involved in materials research.

• Applicants should ideally demonstrate a record of scholarship in steel research or related areas.

A-State has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty, staff, and students. A-State is also committed to creating a productive workplace in which both persons and property are secure. To achieve that goal, background investigations are conducted on all final applicants recommended for employment.

Minimum Qualifications:

Applicants must have earned a doctoral degree in Materials Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or closely related discipline from a reputed institution prior to position start date.

Applicants should demonstrate a record of accomplishment in teaching, scholarship, and service for an academic appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor.

Employment is contingent upon a satisfactory background check.

Applicants should submit the following:

Cover letter specifically addressing minimum qualifications.

Curriculum vitae.

Statement of research interests, plans, and goals that include research questions to be addressed. Limit to 3 pages.

Statement of teaching interests and philosophy. This statement should outline the courses you have recently taught, the courses currently offered at A-State that align with your expertise, and any new courses you are interested in designing. Additionally, please include your course evaluation scores, if available. Limit to 2 pages.

Three professional references.

E-Verify Participation Notice:

https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/media/resourcesContents/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_ES.pdf

E-Verify Right to Work:

https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/IER_RightToWorkPoster%20Eng_Es.pdf

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