West Virginia University - Morgantown, WV
posted 3 months ago
The Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University (WVU) invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor or Associate Professor in the general area of Robotics, anticipated to start as soon as January 2025. This position will be within the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering (MMAE). The department is seeking candidates who are focused on foundational research in robotics, which encompasses a wide range of topics and applications. WVU is designated as an R1 University, indicating the highest level of research activity, and the Statler College is experiencing significant growth, currently comprising seven academic departments, over 3,200 students, and 135 faculty members. The MMAE department itself has 30 faculty members and serves approximately 560 undergraduate students and 120 graduate students. With annual research expenditures exceeding $10 million, the department emphasizes experiential learning, evidenced by numerous top-10 placements in national and international student competitions in recent years. The WVU Robotics program has a strong track record, having won 9 national or international robotics competitions since 2011 and secured $900K in prizes from NASA Centennial Challenges. Faculty members in the MMAE Department are engaged in various research projects, including insect-inspired legged robotics, robotic pollination, underground robotic exploration, space robotics, and multi-agent search and rescue. Additionally, the department hosts an NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) site focused on robotics. Starting in Fall 2024, the department will offer a Bachelor of Science in Robotics Engineering in collaboration with the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, further enhancing the growth of robotics at WVU. Morgantown, where WVU is located, is part of a high technology corridor that includes several federal research facilities, such as the NASA Katherine Johnson Independent Verification and Validation Facility, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The community is recognized for its safety, inclusivity, and family-friendly environment, and it is ranked among the most livable small cities in the United States, with close proximity to major cities like Pittsburgh, PA, and Washington, DC. WVU provides a supportive environment for faculty members to develop a productive career and offers progressive policies to support work-life integration, including a Dual Career Program to assist partners in their career transitions.