Multiple open-rank faculty positions in Renewable Energy and Sustainability

Overview

The College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) seeks to fill open-rank, tenure/tenure-track positions in the broad area of renewable energy and sustainability. COEIT plans to make multiple hires at the assistant, associate, or full professor levels to bolster our strengths in sustainability and energy research. Example areas of interest include:

Climate, water, and sustainable materials: bio- and circular economies; carbon management; climate change; food-energy-water nexus; life-cycle assessment and technoeconomic analysis; materials and processes for a sustainable economy

Energy: batteries and fuel cells; carbon-neutral energy generation, transmission, and storage; electric vehicles and energy-efficient transportation systems; energy and environmental justice; renewable energy (e.g., bioenergy, geothermal, ocean, solar, wind).

Sustainable computing: artificial intelligence for climate change, sustainability and renewable energy; energy-related cyber-physical systems; smart energy systems, grids, buildings, and cities.

Applicants with research and teaching interests in other fields related to renewable energy or sustainability are encouraged to apply. UMBC seeks applicants who are committed to conducting interdisciplinary research within the College, teaching and mentoring a diverse student body, and embracing equity and inclusion principles in their research, teaching, and service contributions.

Qualifications and details

Successful candidates will be expected to build externally-supported research programs, address novel challenges in renewable energy or sustainability, teach undergraduate and graduate courses in their home department, and work with diverse faculty, students, and staff to advance the university’s mission. Candidates should hold a PhD in engineering, computing, or another discipline related to renewable energy or sustainability. Historically underrepresented minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.

COEIT consists of four departments: Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Information Systems, and Mechanical Engineering. Successful applicants will be primarily associated with one of these departments based upon their training and research interests. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Startup packages will be competitive with other R1 institutions. Teaching expectations and workload responsibilities will be in accordance with norms in their home department. The anticipated start date for these full-time, nine-month positions is August 1, 2023.

About UMBC, COEIT, and our Departments

The UMBC community is dedicated to excellence in higher education through an inclusive culture that connects innovative teaching and learning, research across disciplines, and civic engagement. UMBC advances knowledge, economic prosperity, and social justice by welcoming and inspiring inquisitive minds from all backgrounds. UMBC is a minority-serving institution and Carnegie Classification R1 (very high research activity) public university with an enrollment of approximately 14,000 students. US News & World Report consistently ranks UMBC as a national leader in diversity, innovation, and teaching.

COEIT (https://coeit.umbc.edu/) is a collaborative environment composed of 90 tenure/ tenure-track faculty, 54 academic staff, and over 6200 students. The Dean supports innovative initiatives to tackle grand challenges in research. These efforts are reinforced by the Center for Accelerated Real Time Analytics, Center for Advanced Sensor Technology, Center for Cybersecurity, Center for Real-time Distributed Sensing and Autonomy, Center for Space Sciences and Technology, Center for Urban Environmental Research & Education, and NSF HDR Institute for Harnessing Data and Model Revolution in the Polar Regions, all of which are directed by faculty in COEIT. In addition, the College facilitates community-engaged research through the Shriver Center, which has a 30+ year record of working in Baltimore City and surrounding areas. The College supports faculty through the Eminent Scholar Mentoring Program, the Faculty Development Center, and the ADVANCE Program.

Information on the four COEIT departments is available on their websites. COEIT offers graduate programs in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Human-Centered Computing, Information Systems, and Mechanical Engineering. COEIT faculty and research staff generated $14.3 million in research expenditures in 2021. Many UMBC students are supported by the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, the Meyerhoff Graduate Fellows Program, and the Center for Women in Technology, which have achieved national renown for excellence through training of students from underrepresented groups for careers in academia and industry.

The UMBC campus is located on 500 acres in the suburban Baltimore-Washington corridor, which is a hub for public and private innovation and research. The campus’s proximity to Washington, DC offers opportunities to engage in both technology and policy development with governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations. The bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park, a 71-acre community housing over 110 companies engaged in research, entrepreneurship, and economic development is located on the UMBC campus. BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport and regional train stations are a 10-minute drive from campus.

Application instructions

Electronic submission of applications is required at http://apply.interfolio.com/115697. All applications must be submitted as pdf files. The following materials are required:

  1. Cover letter, including requested home department(s) (up to two pages)
  2. Curriculum vitae (no page limit)
  3. Statement of commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (up to two pages)
  4. Statement of research experience, vision, and plans (up to four pages)
  5. Statement of teaching and mentoring experience, philosophy, and plans (up to two pages)
  6. Names and contact information for three references

Review of applications will begin on January 9, 2023 and continue until the positions are filled. For inquiries, please email Prof. Lee Blaney (blaney@umbc.edu) with “COEIT cluster hire” in the subject line.

The search committee plans to hold an informational webinar approximately one week before the application deadline. Please submit your contact details through the following form to receive more information: https://forms.gle/b8Ukdrn5iaypAX188

UMBC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Minorities, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.