Assistant Professor - Mechanical Engineering

Position Rank and Title: Assistant Professor

School/Department Name: Mechanical Engineering, Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering

Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications, experience, and rank as established by the CSU Salary Schedule. Anticipated hiring academic year annual salary range: $ 102k - $ 126k. Faculty employee benefits are very competitive for the higher education sector. See the CSU Employee Benefits Summary for details about the CSU’s excellent benefits package.    

Target Start Date: August 18, 2025

Application Deadline: For full consideration, application must be submitted by January 17, 2025

Position Description

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at San José State University is pleased to announce a search for a Tenure Track position at assistant professor rank. Applicants must have a strong academic background in mechanical engineering as evidenced by a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in mechanical engineering or a closely related field. Applicants with research experience that can benefit the activities of the Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center (WIRC, https://www.sjsu.edu/wildfire/) are especially welcome to apply. Candidates must demonstrate potential for excellence in classroom and laboratory teaching, using a variety of pedagogical techniques and technological tools to reach a diverse audience. They should also demonstrate potential for excellence in scholarly research, establishing an independent research program as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications and grant submissions to generate new ideas. The position requires excellent communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills. Applicants should demonstrate an awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a multicultural population, as may have been gained through cross-cultural study, training, teaching or other comparable experience.

A key aspect of this position is that the faculty member will actively collaborate with other faculty associated with the SJSU Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center to seek funding and conduct research related to wildfire science and management. This center is dedicated to developing strategies/technologies and science-based policies to manage wildfires and to better understand how wildfires will impact people and resources in the future. Specific areas of research interest include, but are not limited to, numerical modeling/CFD reactive flow; mitigation of indoor air quality; improved resilience to natural disasters through cyber-physical systems (CPS); AI/ML for predictive/modeling/risk management; and combustion/fire science.

Providing a high quality education is a top priority for the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Candidates must meet the needs of a diverse student population - in terms of age, cultural background, ethnicity, first language and academic preparation - through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies, assessment and advising. In addition to teaching engineering courses, faculty members in the department are expected to develop curricula and laboratories, and should plan to establish externally funded research programs and publish peer-reviewed papers. Faculty members advise undergraduate and postgraduate students through project supervision and academic planning. They also serve on committees and task forces under shared governance to improve policies and resources to enhance education. 

The Mechanical Engineering, Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering, and San José State University value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can only be fully realized by faculty, students, and staff who share our commitment to these values. SJSU enrolls more than 36,000 students, many of whom are historically underserved, and around 45% are first-generation and 38% are Pell-recipients. SJSU is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) Serving Institution. The university’s commitment to social justice extends from its vibrant, inclusive campus to an international network of over 275,000 alumni. As such, San José State is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty so our disciplines, students, and the community can benefit from multiple ethnic and gender perspectives.

Successful candidates will demonstrate evidence of a commitment to equity and inclusion through their research, teaching, and/or service. We ask that all ap