Recruit

The Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering seeks candidates for a tenure-track Assistant Professor faculty position, with a focus on Spaceflight Engineering. This search is a part of UC Davis’ commitment to hire leading research faculty with a strong commitment to teaching, research and service that will promote the success of all student communities and that will address the needs of our increasingly diverse state, faculty, and student populations.

Spaceflight research at UC Davis is a burgeoning area with significant growth potential, given both the opportunities and current rapid progress in the field, and also the strategic and tactical importance to our nation and to the world. A new campus Center for Spaceflight Research was founded in 2019 to consolidate and strengthen UC Davis’ space research efforts. The successful candidate will play a key role in developing UC Davis’ near-term research depth and our long-term strategic directions in future years.

Applications are encouraged from candidates with a strong background in any current or emerging area that will fit within the Spaceflight Engineering disciplinary focus, including (but not limited to): space systems design and integration, satellite (including CubeSats) design and testing, spacecraft propulsion engineering, re-entry trajectory, heating, and heat-shield design, space radiation modeling, sensing, and protection, spacecraft human-systems integration and safety, surface landing, in situ resource utilization, surface excavation and construction, space robotics, planetary/moon surface vehicles, orbital debris modeling, astrodynamics, or space mission design/systems engineering.

The candidate is expected to possess a strong background in one or more aspects of design, theory, analysis, prediction, and/or experimental validation techniques applicable to these areas. The candidate is also expected to teach courses in their areas of research expertise, as well as core and elective undergraduate and graduate courses. The candidate is expected to possess a strong background in one or more aspects of design, theory, analysis, prediction, and/or experimental validation techniques applicable to these areas. The candidate is also expected to teach courses in their areas of research expertise, as well as core and elective undergraduate and graduate courses in engineering, and develop new courses, as necessary. Candidates whose research interests complement and extend existing research strengths are particularly encouraged to apply.

In addition, the successful candidate will demonstrate an understanding of the barriers preventing full participation of members from historically underrepresented and marginalized student communities in higher education, such as (but not limited to) women, underrepresented minorities, individuals self- identifying as LGBTQIA+, veterans, individuals with disabilities, economically disadvantaged groups, first-generation, undocumented students, or students with any intersections in between. Successful candidates will help advance UC Davis’ strategic goal of improving access and building an inclusive community for all marginalized populations. The successful candidate also will have an accomplished track record of, or potential for (calibrated to career stage) teaching, research, or service activities addressing the needs of underrepresented minorities, and a clearly articulated vision of how their work at UC Davis will continue to contribute to the University’s mission of serving the needs of our diverse state and student population. Applicants’ track record of engagement and activity related to diversity, equal opportunity, and inclusion and/or their plans for future engagement will be a significant part of the overall evaluation of the candidate’s qualifications for a faculty appointment.

Minimum Qualifications
• Ph.D. degree or equivalent in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related field.

Additional Qualifications
• Evidence of excellence or strong potential for excellence in research that complements or extends existing research strengths in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the potential to attract extramural funding.
• A record of technical excellence in one or more sub-topics of Spaceflight Engineering, as evidenced by published research, teaching experience, and funded collaboration with the U.S. aerospace industry and/or federal agencies.
• Commitment to excellence in teaching. The candidate must demonstrate evidence of ability to perform well at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and to develop and teach new undergraduate and graduate courses or seminars.
• Evidence of commitment to or strong potential for commitment to the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion for historically underrepresented and marginalized student communities.

Appointment will be as an academic year (9-month) tenure-track Assistant Professor. Applicants must have been awarded a Ph.D. degree by the date of hire.

Application Requirements
For fullest consideration applications must be completed by November 30, 2020 with appointments as early as July 1, 2021. Application packages should be submitted online through RECRUIT link and should include the following documents:
• Cover Letter
• Current Curriculum Vitae
• Statement of Research
• Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Statement of Teaching Accomplishments and Philosophy
• Three significant publications
• Contact information of at least 3 individuals who will be contacted to provide a letter of reference on your behalf.

We encourage applicants to explore the College's and the Department’s websites. We strongly recommend that all candidates visit our website for additional information about how their application materials - including their Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - will be assessed by the Search Committee in the screening and review process.

COVID-19
Please be aware that due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, campus in-person operations have been restricted to essential personnel only. All academic and scholarly activities are being conducted remotely for the time being. As a result, interviews, seminars, and additional consultations may occur via remote platforms, including Zoom, to which we will provide access.

Our Commitment
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values of the University of California, Davis that are embedded within our Principles of Community and are tied with how to best serve our student population. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can best be fully realized by faculty who share our commitment to these values, which are included in our recently developed Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Vision, our new strategic plan: “To Boldly Go,” our Principles of Community, the Office of Academic Affairs’ Mission Statement, and the UC Board of Regents Policy 4400: Policy on University of California Diversity Statement. The Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (HEDI) has outlined similar goals in their Anti-Racism and DEI Action Plan. The University has taken many steps to uphold these goals and visions, which are outlined through this timeline.

The University
Since 1908, UC Davis has been known for standout academics, sustainability and Aggie Pride as well as valuing the Northern California lifestyle. These themes are woven into our 100- plus-year history and our reputation for solving problems related to food, health, the environment and society. Additional information about UC Davis, its history, rankings, dedication to student success, environmental sustainability, and academic excellence is available here. Information regarding the diversity of our student body is located here.

UC Davis covers travel expenses for a second person to accompany an invited faculty recruitment candidate who is a mother (or single parent of either gender) of a breast- or bottle-feeding child less than two years of age.

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment, UC Davis conducts a reference check on all finalists for tenured or security of employment positions. The reference check involves contacting the administration of the applicant’s previous institution(s) to ask whether there have been substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the University’s Faculty Code of Conduct. UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search for assistant/associate/full professor to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” into RECRUIT as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, only finalists considered for positions with tenure or security of employment will be subject to reference checks.

UC Davis recognizes the necessity of supporting faculty with efforts to integrate work, family and other work-life considerations. To recruit and retain the best faculty, the campus sponsors a nationally recognized Work-Life Program for Academics that provides programs and services that support faculty as they strive to honor their commitments to work, home and community. In addition, the campus sponsors extensive programs in support of faculty relocation including the Partner Opportunities Program (POP) and Capital Resource Network (CRN), services designed to support new faculty as they transition to our campus.

UC Davis is a smoke- and tobacco-free campus effective January 1, 2014. Smoking, the use of smokeless tobacco products, and the use of unregulated nicotine products (e-cigarettes) are strictly prohibited on any property owned or leased by UC Davis -- indoors and outdoors, including parking lots and residential space.

We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community. The complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy can be found at this website.

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check.