Assistant Professor Energy & Environment

 

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Rice University, located in Houston, TX, seeks applications for one tenure-track Assistant Professor position with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2026. The department is particularly interested in someone with a research focus on energy and the environment. Our priorities are in those thematic areas connected to the thermal-fluids (fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer); however, we are open to outstanding candidates in all areas related to Mechanical Engineering, including but not limited to controls, dynamics, robotics, design, and solid mechanics. 

The selected candidate will be expected to teach and develop undergraduate and graduate courses within their expertise; perform high-quality research in their specialized area and present findings from their research in peer-reviewed publications and conferences; establish a strong research program supported by extramural funding; be involved in service to the university and broader scientific community; and collaborate with faculty in diverse disciplines.  The successful candidate will be required to have a strong commitment to teaching, advising, and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds. 

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is one of nine academic departments in the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing, which generates over $110 million in annual research expenditures. The department has seventeen tenure-track faculty conducting innovative research in areas such as robotics, biomedical systems, thermal fluids, mechanical design, tribology, and dynamics and controls to address a range of societal issues and challenges. The department and school are in a period of growth, and investment in engineering is a priority for the university. Faculty are engaged in a range of external collaborations, due in part to our close proximity to NASA, the Texas Medical Center, and the energy industry.  

 

Rice University's George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing is a top-ranked program that empowers the next generation of leaders with strong technical and communication skills, creative problem solving and the ability to work in multidisciplinary teams. 

Rice University is a private, comprehensive research university located in the heart of Houston’s dynamic Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center.  It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees across eight schools and has a student body of approximately 4,000 undergraduate and 3,000 graduate students.  Rice consistently ranks among the top 20 national universities and the top 10 in undergraduate teaching (US News & World Report); its endowment ranks among the top 20 of US universities.

All candidates must have earned a Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering or a related field conferred by the year employment commences and professional experience consistent with the position rank. 

All applicants should demonstrate excellence in scholarship, teaching, and collegial service.

Review of applications will commence November 1, 2025, and candidates are encouraged to apply early to be given full consideration. Applications will continue to be accepted until December 15, 2025. 

To apply, please submit the following materials through Interfolio: (1) cover letter, (2) curriculum vitae, (3) research statement (up to 3 pages), (4) statement of teaching philosophy (up to 2 pages), and (5) a statement describing how you would contribute to the development of a broadly inclusive learning community at Rice through your teaching, research, and/or service (up to 2 pages).

In addition, candidates will be asked to provide the names and contact information for 4-5 references, who will be solicited for letters of recommendation if a candidate advances to the Zoom interview stage.