Department of Aerospace Engineering – Open Rank Faculty Search The Grainger College of Engineering
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
The Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign seeks highly qualified candidates for three open-rank (assistant, associate, or full professor level) full-time faculty positions. Primary target areas of interest that will reinforce the department’s current strengths are:
- Sustainable Aviation, including aircraft systems design, aircraft sustainable energy and propulsion integration, computational aerodynamic design, aircraft operations and traffic management, sustainable manufacturing and materials, and atmospheric and/or emissions measurements and
- Computational Mechanics, including design, structural and multiphysics optimization, additive manufacturing,
numerical methods, and machine learning.
- Other leading-edge areas of aerospace engineering in aerospace mechanics and materials, fluid mechanics and propulsion, controls and autonomy, and space systems, as well as all areas relevant to Aerospace
The Department of Aerospace Engineering is committed to building a culturally diverse educational environment, with a focus on broadening diverse representation across the faculty. Candidates from underrepresented racial, ethnic, gender, or other backgrounds across the aerospace engineering field are encouraged to apply. We are seeking faculty who can contribute to the diversity and excellence in our programs and courses through their research, teaching and service. Senior and mid-career faculty are encouraged to apply, though all qualified candidates will be considered.
Successful candidates are expected to establish and maintain an active and independent research program, teach effectively at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and provide service to the department, the university, and the profession. Ideal candidates include those who demonstrate evidence of a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through research, teaching, and/or service endeavors.
Qualified senior candidates may also be considered for tenured Associate Professor and Full Professor positions as part of the Grainger Engineering Breakthroughs Initiative. Over the next few years, more than 35 new endowed professorships and chairs will be established in areas of strategic interest to The Grainger College of Engineering. Such areas include, but are not limited to, bioengineering, big data, quantum information, robotics and machine learning. More information about the Grainger Initiative can be found at https://grainger.illinois.edu/research/initiatives/gebi.
The Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has top-ranked graduate and undergraduate programs, approximately 25 faculty (tenure-track, tenured, and specialized), over 600 undergraduates and 250 graduate students. The Department recently completed construction of state-of-the-art facilities to support the Laboratory for Advanced Space Systems at Illinois and the Composites and Additive Manufacturing Laboratory, with the additional construction of a new collaborative workspace, an uncrewed aerial vehicle prototyping and flight laboratory, and a large-scale, structural composites additive printing capability in progress. Additional information about the department and its facilities can be found at https://aerospace.illinois.edu/.
Our faculty and students are affiliated with and have access to world-class experimental and computational facilities located in on-campus multidisciplinary research (fundamental and translational) centers and laboratories, including: Applied Research Institute, Advanced Materials Testing and Evaluation Laboratory, Aerodynamics Research Laboratory, the Coordinated Science Laboratory, the Center for Hypersonics and Entry Systems Studies, Frederick Seitz Materials
Research Laboratory, Holonyak Micro & Nanotechnology Lab, the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications.
A doctoral degree in Aerospace Engineering or a related field is required at the start date, and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Full consideration will be given to applications received by December 1, 2022. Applications will be evaluated as received. Applications received after that date may be considered until the positions are filled. A start date is expected in the fall of 2023; however, this is negotiable.
To apply for this position, please create a candidate profile at https://jobs.illinois.edu. The application package should include: 1) a curriculum vitae, 2) a statement of teaching goals and interests, 3) a statement of previous research accomplishments and future research plans, 4) a statement on commitment to diversity, 5) a publications list, and 6) names and contact information of four references (no letters), all in a single PDF file as an upload in the “CV/resume” section. The statement on diversity should address past and/or potential contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion through research, teaching, and/or service. For further information regarding application procedures, please address questions to Ms. Kristen Reifsteck ().
We have an active and successful dual-career partner placement program and a strong commitment to work-life balance and family-friendly programs for faculty and staff (https://provost.illinois.edu/faculty-affairs/work-life-balance/).
The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, COVID-19 vaccination requirement, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.
Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing