Recruit

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Davis, invites applications and nominations for a tenure-track position in geotechnical engineering at the assistant professor level. The successful candidate will be expected to develop a significant independent research program as well as pursue synergistic collaborative research in geotechnical engineering related to the resiliency of civil infrastructure and lifeline systems across multiple hazards, which can include earthquake, wave, wind, fire, and other climate-change induced loadings. Research themes of special interest include, but are not limited to, underground construction, earthen retention systems for water and waste materials, on- and off-shore energy systems, permafrost and cryosphere systems, foundation systems, and ports and harbors.

The CEE department includes 42 faculty and 190 graduate students, obtained $15.6M in research funding in 2021, and is ranked among the top R1 universities in Civil Engineering. The geotechnical engineering program within the department is a dynamic, collaborative, and innovative group with established research efforts in geotechnical earthquake engineering, soil structure interaction, biogeotechnics, site characterization, mining geotechnics, physics-based artificial intelligence, offshore geotechnics, and granular mechanics. The program integrates numerical, laboratory, field, and physical modeling methods, enabled through the NSF-funded NHERI Centrifuge Facilities at the Center for Geotechnical Modeling (CGM), to advance research that spans from fundamental science to applied industry problems. These capabilities are complimented by geotechnical-related laboratories and centers within the program, including the Center for Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics. Central to the program is the diverse ~35-person geotechnical graduate student body, whose experience is enriched through the activities of the student-run Geotechnical Graduate Student Society (GGSS)[https://ggss.ucdavis.edu/].

UC Davis is a tier-one research university and has a strong history of engaging in teaching, research, and service for the greater public good as a land grant institution. The College of Engineering has an exciting new Next Level Strategic Research Vision that can be found here, [https://engineering.ucdavis.edu/engineering-research].

UC Davis seeks candidates with exceptional potential for, or an exceptional record of, research, teaching and inclusive excellence. The candidate must have the interest and ability to collaborate synergistically and contribute significantly to the research and undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentoring missions of the geotechnical group and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Candidates must have a strong basis in fundamental mechanics and demonstrate potential to extend their research to systems-level problems. Creative and novel approaches that integrate experimental, numerical, and/or analytical techniques are particularly desirable. Opportunities that are synergistic with the hypergravity modeling capabilities provided by the CGM are of interest.

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. Applicant’s record of engagement and activities related to diversity, equal opportunity, and inclusion as well as their plans for future engagement will be part of the overall evaluation of the candidate’s qualifications for a faculty appointment.

Appointment will be as an academic year (9-month) assistant Professor. Applicants must have earned a PhD in Civil Engineering or a closely related field by the time of hire. Participation in department, college, and university service as a member of UC Davis Division of the Academic Senate is an expectation under the faculty shared governance model.

Closing Date:
Review of applications will begin December 1, 2022, but applications may be accepted until the position is filled.

To learn more about the campus, college, department, and position, we invite interested parties to explore the University’s most recent annual report, Diversity Equity and Inclusion resources, the College of Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Geotechnical Laboratories and Centers, including the Center for Geotechnical Modeling.

Application Requirements:
Application packages should be submitted online through Recruit and should include the following documents: current Curriculum Vitae, Cover Letter (no more than 1- page), Statement of Research; Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Statement of Teaching; 3-5 publications; and the contact information of 3-5 individuals from academia, government agencies, and/or industry; at least one letter from outside of academia is strongly encouraged, who will be contacted to provide a letter of reference.

Applicants should submit materials online at:
https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF05273

Guidance to candidates on how to prepare DEI statements is available at: https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/guidelines-writing-diversity-statement

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through 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 first choice candidates for Academic Senate Assistant Professor or Lecturer with Potential for Security of Employment, Steps 4, 5, or 6, or Acting Professor of Law 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. To implement this process, UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search for assistant 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 Academic Senate Assistant Professor or Lecturer with Potential for Security of Employment, Steps 4, 5, or 6, or Acting Professor of Law positions will be subject to reference checks.

E-mail inquiries may be addressed to Professor Jason DeJong at jdejong@ucdavis.edu.

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus (http://breathefree.ucdavis.edu/).

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. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

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 UC Davis positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. More information is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is committed to inclusive excellence by advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all that we do. UC Davis celebrates the multi-cultural diversity of its community by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment demonstrated through a variety of resources and programs available to academics, staff, and students. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are core values of UC 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 members of our academic community who share our commitment to these values, which are included in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Vision, our 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. UC Davis is making important progress towards our goal of achieving federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offers a plethora of resources on their website, and the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (HEDI) has outlined similar goals in their Anti-Racism and DEI Action Plan.” There are a plethora of links available on the About Us webpage where you can learn more about our Administration, Diversity and Inclusion, Rankings, Locations, Native American Land Acknowledgement, Sustainability, Visiting UC Davis, UC Davis Health, and Campus Safety.

The university is consistently ranked among the top institutions in the world for campus sustainability practices by the UI Green Metric World University Rankings. UC Davis is focused on achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and repeatedly shown its commitment to preserving a healthy and sustainable environment for generations to come.

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs - With Updated Interim Amendments. All Covered Individuals under the policy must provide proof of receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine Primary Series or, if applicable, submit a request for Exception (based on Medical Exemption, Disability, Religious Objection, and/or Deferral based on pregnancy or recent COVID-19 diagnosis and/or treatment) no later than the applicable deadline. All Covered Individuals must also provide proof of receiving the most recent CDC-recommended COVID-19 booster or properly decline such booster no later than the applicable deadline. New University of California employees should refer to Exhibit 2, Section II.C. of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program Attachment for applicable deadlines. All Covered Individuals must also provide proof of being Up-To-Date on seasonal influenza vaccination or properly decline such vaccination no later than the applicable deadline. Please refer to the Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Program Attachment.(Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.) Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.