DU's vision is to be “a great private university dedicated to the public good.” As such, we recognize that our success depends on how well we engage and include the rich diversity of our constituents. DU is the oldest and largest private, independent university in the Rocky Mountain Region, welcoming approximately 5,800 undergraduate and 8,000 graduate and professional students to campus either in-person or virtually every year. DU is an R1 research university with very high research activity. The teacher-scholar model—where faculty demonstrate excellence in research and an exceptional commitment to our undergraduate and graduate students—is at the heart of DU’s identity.
The Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science is housed in a $63M building with state-of-the-art research and instructional laboratories, classrooms, offices, and innovation spaces. The Ritchie School has research strengths in orthopaedic and cardiovascular biomechanics, aging, robotics, unmanned systems, advanced materials and structures, machine learning and AI, controls, and sensor systems with support from industry and federal sources. The MME Department offers the following degrees: BS, MS, and PhD in Mechanical Engineering, MS and PhD in Materials Science, and MS in Bioengineering.
The University of Denver’s institutional DEI action plan can be found here. We strongly encourage applications from women, minorities, members of the LGBTQ community, people with disabilities, veterans, or any other legally protected group. The University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. The University of Denver also recognizes the importance of protecting personal privacy. Read our Privacy Policy, including notifications for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
For more information about the Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science, please visit: https://ritchieschool.du.edu/
Denver, the Mile High City, consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the United States. Denver’s economy is rapidly growing and diversifying, with strengths in the aerospace, healthcare, financial tech, telecommunications, and IT-software sectors. Our region features a dry climate with 300 days of sunshine annually and mild winters. The nearby Rocky Mountains provide beautiful views and abundant recreational opportunities year-round. The city of Denver is home to several major league sports teams, diverse neighborhoods, and strong cultural and food scenes.
Position Summary
The Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering (MME) at the University of Denver (DU) is building an academically and culturally diverse faculty and staff with a strong commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor. A start date of September 1, 2024, is anticipated for this hire, and the position features a competitive start-up package.
Candidates with proven expertise in either or at the interface of the following subfields are strongly encouraged to apply:
Essential Functions
The successful candidate will create new research synergies with colleagues across departments and have access to the state-of-the-art facilities within the Center for Orthopaedic Biomechanics, which currently includes expertise in the areas of modeling and simulation of human movement and the detailed measurement of joint mechanics. Candidates from the field of robotics will have the potential for strong collaboration with researchers across the department. The candidate will be expected to contribute to the growth of the Ritchie School by developing a strong externally-funded research program, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, authentically supporting DEI, and being involved in service to the department, school, and profession. Excellent communication skills and a high level of personal motivation are required.
Required Qualifications
- PhD or terminal degree in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or a closely related field.
- A commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Good communication skills and a teamwork mindset
- Demonstrated knowledge and experience with culturally-responsive teaching methods to effectively engage broadly diverse student populations
- Interest in working on multi-disciplinary problems that contribute to the public good
- Post-doctoral and grant writing experience
- Previous teaching experience
Working Environment
- Standard office environment.
- Unexpected interruptions occur often and stress level is moderate to high.
- Noise level is quiet to moderate.
Physical Activities
- Ability to sit in front of a computer for an extended period of time.
- Occasionally required to move about the office/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 20 lbs.
Work Schedule
While the University's administrative offices are open Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, faculty schedules vary from term to term and are based on courses taught, service commitments, and research agendas. The University's academic calendars are posted on the registrar's website (the law school is on a semester system and has a different academic calendar).
Application Deadline
For best consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) December 1, 2023.
Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.
Salary Grade Number
The salary grade for the position is UC.
Salary Range
The salary range for this position is $100,000-$110,000.
The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.
Benefits
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.
Please include the following documents with your application:
- A cover letter detailing your qualifications, your interest in the position, and potential synergies with DU faculty. Please specify the research area(s) (i.e., robotics, and or biomechanics)
- A current CV
- A statement describing your vision for promoting a more inclusive experience at DU through research, teaching, or service (1 page max)
- A statement on research, detailing short- and long-term goals, opportunities for collaboration, and funding records and/or plans (2 pages max)
- A statement on teaching, describing ways you would contribute to the undergraduate and graduate academic programs and support inclusive teaching (1 page max)
The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. The University of Denver prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, military enlistment, or veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the University's educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; Equal Pay Act; Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Workers' Rights ("POWR") Act; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For more information, please see the University of Denver's Non‑Discrimination‑Statement.
The University of Denver recognizes that its success in being a great university dedicated to the public good depends greatly on how well it engages, supports, and champions the values of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice. As part of our intentionality in recruiting and retaining faculty from a wide variety of historically excluded intersecting identities, including those from communities of color, with diverse gender and sexual identities, first-generation college graduates, or with disabilities, new faculty will have the opportunity to choose to participate in a pilot University-wide initiative. This initiative will connect new colleagues in a cohort, building community across units with supportive programming led by the Office of the Vice Provost of Faculty Affairs in collaboration with the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and each faculty participant’s academic unit. To learn more about the University of Denver’s commitments and work in support of DEI and J, please visit: https://www.du.edu/equity. For more information about this program or if you have any questions, please email inclusion@du.edu and/or visit https://duvpfa.du.edu/faculty-resources/prospective-faculty/.
All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.