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.

Minimum Requirements:

• An earned Ph.D. in nuclear engineering or a closely related field.
• A record of demonstrated excellence in research.
• Experience collaborating in interdisciplinary academic and professional contexts.
• Superb interpersonal and communication skills and a collaborative style of research and teaching.
• Candidates must demonstrate the potential for excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.
• Experience in teaching and working in an academic environment.

Preferred Requirements:

• Research interests complementary to existing expertise at Mines with potential for multidisciplinary collaboration.

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.

How and When to Apply:

Interested applicants should apply online as soon as possible. Review of applications will begin on November 15, 2024, and applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled. The desired start date is August 2025.

Applicants will be asked to complete an online application (personal information, demographic information, and veteran status). References will not be contacted until later in the selection process and you will be informed before contact is made. Applicants will notice on the application form, there is only one location to upload all required materials. Further, once submitted, the applicant will not be able to edit their application. Applicants may submit their application as one combined document or as separate documents.

The application must include:

• a curriculum vitae
• a statement of research (up to 3 pages)
• a statement of teaching (up to 3 pages)
• a statement of contributions to diversity and inclusion (up to 3 pages)
• a cover letter expressing interest in the position with names and contact information for at least 3 references.

Teaching Statement: Mines is committed to high quality, hands-on and project-based learning. Candidates should cover their in-person and hands-on teaching pedagogy experiences.

Contributions to DE &I: Candidates should submit a one-page statement on Contributions to Diversity, Equity, Access and Inclusion. Mines is committed to diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and diversity - for more information visit https://www.mines.edu/diversity/.The diversity and inclusion statement should describe your past experience and proposed activities to advance diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and diversity at Mines.

Mines welcomes everyone to our team; in your application, please feel free to note which pronouns you use (For example - she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/theirs, etc). If you would like to request an accommodation at any point in the application or interview process, please contact hr@mines.edu.

Equal Opportunity:

Mines' commitment to nondiscrimination, affirmative action, equal opportunity and equal access is reflected in the administration of its policies, procedures, programs and activities and in its efforts to achieve a diverse student body and workforce.

Through its policies, procedures and resources, Mines complies with federal law, Colorado state law, administrative regulations, executive orders and other legal requirements to prevent discrimination (including harassment or retaliation) within the Mines campus community and to address potential allegations of inequity or concerns for safety.

Background check is required for this position. Contact Kathleen Feighny in HR at kfeighny@mines.edu with any application questions.

Accommodations - It is the intent of Mines to comply with the applicable requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and their implementation rules and regulations, in support of equal opportunities for qualified applicants with disabilities to promote diversity and inclusion at Mines. To meet this goal, Mines will make reasonable accommodations during the employment selection process and within our working environment.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on our site as a result of your disability. You can request a reasonable accommodation by contacting our Human Resources team at hr@mines.edu or 303.273.3250 for assistance.

Colorado's premier engineering and applied science university for 150 years and counting