Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering

RIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering invites applications for three tenure-track Assistant Professor positions. We seek highly motivated individuals who are committed to excellence in both research and teaching and are eager to contribute to a vibrant academic community.

We are specifically looking for candidates in each of the three following broad areas:

• Digital Twins in Mechanical Engineering and Design.

Interests include but are not limited to: physics-informed and hybrid physics-ML modeling; digital twins for engineering design and manufacturing, including AI-assisted and generative design, additive manufacturing, and product lifecycle; and uncertainty quantification, verification and validation, and real-time model updating for decision-ready digital twins.

• Controls, Systems, and Sensors

Interests include but are not limited to: dynamics and control of robotic and autonomous systems; cyber-physical systems, including estimation, learning-based control, and system integration; and sensors and sensor systems, spanning physical, bio-, and electrochemical sensors, including printed, flexible, and wearable devices.

• Composite Materials in Aerospace Applications

Interests include but are not limited to: AI-enabled design and discovery of composite materials; autonomous/intelligent manufacturing of composites; composite materials for extreme environments; and damage prediction and structural health monitoring.

Candidates should only apply to one position that best aligns with their expertise and should clearly indicate the position in their cover letter.

Successful candidates are expected to build and sustain a strong externally funded research program, advise Ph.D. and master's students, develop and teach undergraduate and graduate classes, advise undergraduate researchers and design teams, and work collaboratively to advance the department's goals.

We are seeking individuals who are able and interested in contributing to a community committed to student-centeredness; professional development and scholarship; integrity and ethics; respect; innovation and flexibility; and teamwork and collaboration. Select to view links to RIT’s core values, honor code.

Questions for the search committee should be directed to Dr. Xudong Zheng ([email protected]). For full consideration, please submit your application by Friday, November 6, 2026.

Department/College Description:

With over 1000 undergraduate and graduate students, the Mechanical Engineering Department is the largest of the six academic departments in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering.  It is currently experiencing significant growth, with enrollment on track to increase by 30% in the upcoming years. The department currently includes 23 tenured and tenure-track faculty, 15 lecturers, and 11 staff members.  The department offers a BS in Mechanical Engineering with options in automotive engineering, aerospace engineering, energy and the environment, and bioengineering and an accelerated BS-ME/MS program.  Graduate programs include an MS and ME in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering.  Faculty research is supported by a wide range of core facilities across campus including a fully staffed mechanical engineering machine shop providing machining, fabrication, design, and manufacturing services. The University houses 17 Research Centers and Institutes, including the AMPrint Center for Additive Manufacturing and Multifunctional Printing, a NY State Center for Advanced Technology, the Battery Prototyping and Testing Center, the Center for Human-aware AI, the NanoPower Research Laboratories, Personalized Healthcare Technology, and the Center for Innovation in Manufacturing and Sustainability, as well as many others. Additional resources include the high-performance computing cluster through RIT Research Computing and the Semiconductor Nanofabrication Laboratory with state-of-the-art cleanroom facilities.

The Kate Gleason College of Engineering | RIT offers bachelor’s and master’s in biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, and microelectronics engineering as well as four Ph.D. degrees in biomedical and chemical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical and industrial Engineering, and microsystems engineering and additional master’s programs in engineering management and leadership.  Serving over 2600 undergraduates and 400 graduate students, the college is committed to growing its research profile while maintaining a strong commitment to undergraduate education.  Major research themes include advanced manufacturing; biomedical and healthcare engineering; artificial intelligence and machine learning; cyber-physical systems; micro- and nanoscale systems devices and materials; energy and environment; and data analysis modeling and simulation. Hallmarks of the undergraduate experience include one full year of cooperative education, an innovative multidisciplinary senior design program, and an impressive variety of well-supported student teams and clubs. 

 THE UNIVERSITY AND ROCHESTER COMMUNITY:

Rochester Institute of Technology is home to leading creators, entrepreneurs, innovators, and researchers. The university enrolls 16,868 undergraduates and 2,904 graduate students in more than 200 programs, and across nine academic colleges, five international campuses, as well as other degree- granting units, placing it among some of the largest private universities in the U.S. RIT is internationally recognized and ranked for academic leadership in business, computing, engineering, imaging science, liberal arts, sustainability, and fine and applied arts. RIT is also home to the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, the world’s first and largest technological college for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. With more than 900 students from around the world, NTID offers unparalleled support services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. RIT’s cooperative education program is one of the oldest and largest in the nation.

In 2019, RIT moved into the high research activity institution or “R2” category under the updated Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning, ranking it among the top six percent of colleges and universities in the nation for research activity. U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) now ranks RIT No. 88 in its “National Universities” category, and No. 57 and No. 69 for Best Undergraduate and Graduate Engineering Programs, respectively. The publication also ranks RIT No. 11 in the U.S. for co-op or internship programs, No. 48 among best-value schools, and No. 41 among most innovative. Sponsored research awards totaled $105 million in the fiscal year 2025, up from $78 million in 2018. Today, RIT counts nearly 140,000 alumni around the world. Its endowment is currently valued at $1.257 billion, and the university benefits from sound financial management.

Always on the cutting-edge, RIT’s educational programs continue to evolve to meet the needs of today’s students. Building on its legacy of excellence across STEM and the arts and its commitment to developing creative thinkers, RIT launched the Performing Arts Scholars program in 2019. In fall of 2022, 482 first- year students accepted scholarships to join this program, regardless of major, bringing the total number of PA Scholars to 1,400. In support of this programming, RIT is unveiling the Student Hall for Exploration and Development (SHED) in the fall of 2023, with major facilities for the performing arts, and new classrooms, surrounding an enormous multi-story core of makerspaces. RIT has also launched a series of very successful Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree (CAB-M) programs, which attracted about 750 of the students in the fall of 2022. In addition, RIT is developing a large suite of online programs with an emphasis on upskilling for adult learners through its offerings at RIT Certified.

QUALIFICATIONS:

REQUIRED:

●       Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering or closely related field

●       Ability and commitment to effectively teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students 

●       Record of disseminating scholarly research in refereed (peer-reviewed) publications  

●       Demonstrated ability or potential to establish an independent externally sponsored research program

●       Excellent communication skills

●       Ability to contribute meaningfully to the university’s continuing commitment to individual differences.

●       Interest in working in a collaborative, collegial environment

HOW TO APPLY:

Candidates may apply online at http://careers.rit.edu/faculty; select Faculty Positions, then Keyword Search.  Please upload the following documents to complete the application:  

●        Cover letter

●        Curriculum Vitae

●        Research Statement (3-page limit - include a dedicated paragraph discussing how your research will build synergy with existing efforts within the mechanical engineering department, the Kate Gleason College of Engineering, and the broader RIT campus.)

●        Statement of Teaching Philosophy (2-page limit)

●        List of three references

Faculty Tenure, Rank, Discipline

JC_1402 - Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Work Location

On Campus

Compensation

$80,000-$120,000

Application Materials

When you are ready to complete an application for this position please be prepared to submit the below requested information.  This will be required to ensure your application is processed in a timely manner.

Cover Letter, Curriculum Vitae or Resume, Research Statement, Statement of Teaching Philosophy

Anticipated Start Date

July 01, 2027

Additional Details

In compliance with NYS's Pay Transparency Act, the salary range for this position is listed above. Rochester Institute of Technology considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. The hiring process for this position may require a criminal background check and/or motor vehicle records check. Any verbal or written offer made is contingent on satisfactory results, as determined by Human Resources. RIT provides equal opportunity to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, age, marital status, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran status or disability in its hiring, admissions, educational programs and activities. RIT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York Human Rights Law, or similar applicable law.

If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact the Human Resources office at 585-475-2424 or email your request to [email protected]. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.