Department Head, Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics

Department Head

Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics

College of Engineering & Applied Science

University of Cincinnati 

What better place to experience academic excellence, innovation, and impact than at the university that invented cooperative education?

The Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics (AEEM) at the University of Cincinnati, located in Cincinnati, Ohio invites nominations and applications for the position of Department Head and named professorship.

The department has 22 full-time faculty and offers a fully ABET-accredited five-year B.S. degree in aerospace engineering with a mandatory co-op program, as well as M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in both Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics. In addition, the department has an Accelerated Engineering Degree (ACCEND) program where highly motivated students can earn both B.S and M.S. or B.S. and M.B.A. degrees in five years and one semester.

The department has a strong research program, which has steadily grown over the past several decades, in the following areas: fluids & propulsion with emphasis on combustion and turbo machinery; high fidelity modeling and simulation; non-destructive test and evaluation; structural health monitoring; and flow control within jet engine components and aeroacoustics. During the past decade, Ohio Department of Development funded the establishment of a Center for Intelligent Propulsion and Advanced Life Management Systems (CIPALMS). Moreover, there has been a sharp growth in the following emerging areas: Intelligent Autonomous Systems (including drones and robotics); Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) using ice-cold ultrasonic waves and Soft Computing based AI. The department seeks to further grow in the following areas: space robotics and automation; boundary layer ingestion design for increased efficiency; hypersonics; human-robot interactions; and advanced aviation manufacturing.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. During a time of expected departmental growth, act as a visionary academic leader with a demonstrated ability to turn vision into reality and inspire AEEM faculty, staff, students, and the community with ambitious but attainable departmental goals and develop a plan to lead AEEM toward those meeting those goals;
  2. Foster a culture of accountability in which departmental goals are specified, strategies articulated, and results against goals are reported;
  3. Strengthen/Advance existing research programs within AEEM and develop new ones across a variety of sectors, including but not limited to, government agencies, foundations and industry;
  4. Develop, maintain and strengthen transdisciplinary research collaborations across the CEAS and the University community;
  5. Promote scholarly and creative excellence;
  6. Facilitate development, mentoring, and personnel management to faculty and staff;
  7. Create and manage an annual AEEM budget in collaboration with the department’s business manager;
  8. Lead the development/refinement of an innovative undergraduate and graduate AEEM educational paradigm to position AEEM to effectively respond the University’s strategic sizing and Next lives here initiatives;
  9. Ensure compliance with accreditation requirement;
  10. Initiate new and strengthen current national and international relationships in pursuit of joint educational and research collaborations to enhance the Department’s domestic and global visibility;
  11. Engage the Department's Industrial Advisory Board seeking and implementing feedback on strategic directions and state of the department;
  12. Have responsibility for the Fire Science & Emergency Management Program that is housed in the Department. This small program offers a B.S. in Fire and Safety Engineering Technology or an Associate of Applied Science in Fire Service Technology though mainly on-line courses; and
  13. Manage departmental communications to enhance and extend its national and international visibility.

REQUIREMENTS

The applicant is expected to hold a Ph.D. in Engineering, Science, Mathematics, or a closely related discipline, or an advanced professional degree with a minimum of 15 years of distinguished technical and administrative experience. The applicant is also expected to have demonstrated intellectual leadership in academia, industry, at a national laboratory or with a government agency and have credentials commensurate with appointment as full professor with academic tenure in Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

  • A commitment to excellence;
  • A clear vision for opportunities in Aerospace Engineering and necessary steps for establishing and achieving established goals;
  • A history of sustained success and leadership in Aerospace Engineering;
  • Rigorous standards of professional achievement and ethical behavior;
  • Effective interpersonal and communication skills;
  • A record of promoting diversity and inclusiveness;
  • An entrepreneurial orientation combined with boldness, imagination and abundant energy;
  • Strong understanding of the challenges and issues facing higher education as a whole and more specifically, for attracting and sustaining research funding from government agencies, foundations and industry;
  • A firm grasp of the opportunities and advantages of the University’s urban setting;
  • A management style that is emotionally intelligent, inclusive and decisive and provides leadership by example;
  • Proven effectiveness in teambuilding and enabling collaborative engagement that transcends departments, disciplines and initiatives to create sustained success;
  • A strong commitment to creating a culture of inclusion and diversity; and
  • Personal qualities of integrity, compassion, collaboration, intellectual curiosity, honesty, fairness, fortitude, patience and perseverance.

THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & APPLIED SCIENCE

Housing the largest mandatory cooperative education program and one of the best in the country (U.S. News and World Report), CEAS has established strategic industry partnership with companies like Siemens PLM Software, GE Aviation, and Procter & Gamble. One of the 14 colleges at UC, CEAS has seven departments of excellence offering 19 ABET accredited degree programs including several accelerated engineering degrees. The College offers Doctorate degrees in 9 programs, research focused Master of Science degrees in 10 programs, and workforce-focused Master of Engineering degrees in 13 programs. 

To learn more about our renowned College and the history of the co-op, visit http://ceas.uc.edu.

ABOUT UC & CINCINNATI

Today, the University of Cincinnati is classified as a Research University (Very High Research Activity) by the Carnegie Commission and is ranked as one of America’s top 35 public research universities by the National Science Foundation. UC jumped 17 spots in the U.S. News & World Report rankings in the past two years alone. In addition to being named a “green university” by Princeton Review, UC has been named one of the world’s most beautiful campuses by Forbes and Delta Sky magazines. Learn more at www.uc.edu.

The University of Cincinnati strives to provide a supportive environment for all its faculty. For example, we have an active Black Faculty Association, Latino Faculty Association, and LGBTQ Faculty Association. In addition, UC has an institutional membership to the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity and is a member of the National Academies’ Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education.

The City of Cincinnati was rated a Best Place to live by US News & World Report and provides both urban and suburban life as well as river views and rolling hills. Our city offers a wealth of amenities that include professional sports, world-class entertainment, a vibrant arts scene, gorgeous parks and nature trails, acclaimed museums, a celebrated zoo, a variety of restaurants and a flourishing riverfront scene. We actually offer the features of two cities when you include the thriving area of northern Kentucky just across the river. Affordable and family-friendly with excellent public and private schools it is no wonder multiple Fortune 500 companies call Cincinnati home. Visit www.cincinnatiusa.com to learn more.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested applicants are requested to apply directly to Requisition #55181 and submit a curriculum vitae, a cover letter addressing qualifications and a near- and long-term vision statement for opportunities in Aerospace Engineering and the necessary steps for establishing and achieving established goals for the department based upon the above responsibilities. Nominations, only, may be sent confidentially to pk.imbrie@uc.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately and stay open until the position is filled.

 

FOR ALL FACULTY HIRES

OFFICIAL ACADEMIC TRANSCRIPTS WILL BE REQUIRED AT THE TIME OF HIRE

The University of Cincinnati, as a multi-national and culturally diverse university, is committed to providing an inclusive, equitable and diverse place of learning and employment. As part of a complete job application you will be asked to include a Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion statement.

The University of Cincinnati is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer / M / F / Veteran / Disabled.