Assistant/Associate Professor-Smart Cities

Job Description:

The Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) invites applications for a full-time tenure-track position at the rank of assistant or associate professor to start in the Fall 2021 semester in the area of smart cities. The creation of this position is motivated by the growth of the smart cities program and the need to strengthen our capability in smart cities research and education in the Department.  

The successful candidate is expected to: (1) contribute to the Department’s undergraduate and graduate (MS and PhD) programs; (2) develop a sustainable, nationally recognized and externally funded research program; (3) participate in smart cities inter-disciplinary research with colleagues within and outside the Department, including other departments at UTEP, and our national and international partners; and (4) advise and mentor students in their education, research, and professional development consistent with the missions of the Department, the College, and the University. 

Requirements:

Applicants should have an earned Ph.D. degree in civil engineering or a closely related field.  We are seeking a scholar with strong capability and passion to apply/expand expertise in smart cities and other related civil engineering sub-disciplines. Candidate should demonstrate teaching and research capabilities in at least one of the following emerging areas that complement the existing faculty’s expertise: connected mobility, climate and/or health resilient infrastructure, data science, infrastructure network interaction and analytics, Internet of Everything applied to civil engineering systems, urban automation, urban informatics, and user-focused urban services. Professional registration or eligibility to become a P.E. in the State of Texas is highly desirable. Applicants seeking an appointment at the associate professor level should have a track record of research leadership in the field nationally.

About UTEP:

The University of Texas at El Paso is a  public research university that is increasing access to excellent higher education. UTEP enrolls more than 25,000 students in 167 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in 10 colleges and schools. Set against the backdrop of the Franklin Mountains in the Chihuahuan Desert, the University is located at the heart of the U.S.-Mexico border in one of the largest binational communities in the world. It is one of the largest and most successful Hispanic-serving institutions in the country, with a student body that is over 80% Hispanic.

UTEP advances the discovery of public value and positively impacts the health, culture, education, and economy of the community it serves. With more than $100 million in total annual research expenditures, the University is ranked among the top 5% of colleges and universities in research and fifth in Texas for federal research expenditures at public universities. It is also nationally recognized as a community-engaged university. 

The University employs approximately 4,000 faculty, staff, and students. It has one of the lowest out-of-pocket costs of any research university in the U.S., underscoring its commitment to offer an exceptional education at a great value.

UTEP strongly encourages inter-disciplinary research. The University has an active Smart City Community, a research group that comprises 16 faculty members from various departments in engineering and social sciences, with projects funded by Partners of the Americas, U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), and National Science Foundation (NSF) with the support of the City of El Paso.  Several members of the group have established collaboration programs with universities in Europe and Latin America.

About the College of Engineering and Civil Engineering Department:

The College of Engineering has seven departments with nearly 120 full-time faculty and over 4,500 students.  The college is consistently ranked in the top 5 schools in the continental U.S. in awarding bachelor degrees to Hispanics.

The Department of Civil Engineering has 19 full-time faculty and 750 students enrolled in accredited BS in Civil Engineering, BS in Construction Engineering & Management, MS in Civil Engineering, ME in Civil & Environmental Engineering, and PhD in Civil Engineering degree programs. The Department organizes and actively encourages its students to participate in its global programs, including the faculty-led study abroad programs to Brazil, Czech Republic, Mexico, Peru, as well as the Dual Master Degrees Program in Smart Cities with Czech Technical University.

The civil engineering faculty members participate in research activities through the following centers affiliated with the Department: Center for Transportation Infrastructure Systems (CTIS); Center for Environmental Resource Management (CERM); Center for Inland Desalination Systems (CIDS); NSF-Funded Engineering Research Center for Advancing Sustainability through Powered Infrastructure for Roadway Electrification (ASPIRE); NSF-Funded Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment(NEWT); USDOT-Funded Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT); USDOT-Funded Southern Plains Transportation Center (SPTC); USDOT-Funded Center for Connected Cities for Smart Mobility towards Accessible & Resilient Transportation (C2SMART); USDOT-Funded Center for Transportation, Environment & Community Health (CTECH); USDOT-Funded Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH); DHS-funded Center for Accelerating Operational Efficiency (CAOE).

Application Instructions:

Please apply online at https://www.utep.edu/employment. Review of applications will begin immediately, and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. 

Candidates must submit in one PDF file in the following order: (1) a cover letter, (2) a detailed curriculum vitae, (3) contact information for at least three professional references, (4) degree transcripts, (5) a statement of research (maximum two pages), and (6) a statement of teaching philosophy and teaching interests (maximum two pages).  Questions about this position should be directed to the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Kelvin Cheu, rcheu@utep.edu.

Additional Information:

Hiring decisions are based upon budget approval.

In keeping with its Access and Excellence mission, The University of Texas at El Paso is committed to an open, diverse, and inclusive learning and working environment that honors the talents, respects the differences, and nurtures the growth and development of all.

The University of Texas at El Paso is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity in employment or the provision of services in accordance with state and federal law. Discrimination on the basis of sex includes an employee's or prospective employee's right to be free from sexual harassment under Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972.