Assistant Professor, Metallurgical Engineering

Job Description

The Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track faculty position in Metallurgical Engineering at the rank of Assistant Professor, with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2026. We seek dynamic and innovative candidates committed to excellence in teaching, research, and service, who will contribute to our department’s mission of advancing knowledge in mining, metallurgical, and critical minerals engineering.

Key Responsibilities:

Teaching

• Develop and teach undergraduate and graduate courses in mineral processing, comminution, and extractive metallurgy.

• Mentor and advise undergraduate and graduate students.

• Contribute to curriculum development, including the integration of modern technologies, sustainability considerations, and innovative teaching practices.

Research

Establish a strong, externally funded research program addressing critical challenges in mineral and metallurgical engineering. Preferred research areas include, but are not limited to:

• Mineral Processing and Beneficiation: Comminution, flotation, gravity/magnetic separation, and advanced process modeling.

• Critical Minerals Recovery: Extraction and beneficiation of rare earth elements (REEs), lithium, and other strategic minerals from primary ores, tailings, and recycling streams.

• Hydrometallurgy and Pyrometallurgy: Innovative leaching, solvent extraction, electrochemical methods, and smelting technologies for sustainable metal recovery.

• Process Intensification & Sustainability: Energy- and water-efficient processing, development of enhanced dry processing methods, and reduction of environmental impacts.

• Advanced Process Monitoring & Control: Application of particle tracking, image processing, machine learning, data analytics, and AI to optimize mineral and metallurgical systems.

• Materials and Metallurgical Engineering: Design, characterization, and processing of advanced materials relevant to mining, metallurgy, and resource recovery.

• Secure research grants and publish findings in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals.

Service

• Serve on departmental, college, and university committees.

• Support the department’s strategic initiatives, including program development, accreditation, and community outreach.

• Actively participate in professional societies such as the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME).

• Contribute to journal editorial and peer-review processes.

Required Qualifications

Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering, Mining Engineering, Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field by the start date of the appointment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong record of peer-reviewed publications and externally funded research.

• Experience in interdisciplinary collaborations and industry partnerships.

• Teaching experience in mineral processing, comminution, or metallurgical/process engineering.

• Professional experience in the mining/metallurgical industry; Professional Engineer (PE) licensure is a plus.

• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in teaching, research, and service.

Compensation Grade

Assistant Professor, 9 month

To view the salary schedule for this position, please visit: Salary Schedules and select Academic Faculty (Nine-month). Salary is competitive and commensurate with related education and experience.

Remarkable Retirement

Our retirement plan is beyond compare. The University generously matches your 19.25% contribution. With the faculty retirement plan, you are 100% vested on your first day. Sit back and watch your retirement dollars grow! All permanent employees on an annual "A" or "B" contract employed at least 50% full-time are eligible to participate in the NSHE retirement program unless they are members of PERS of Nevada.

Perks of Working at UNR!

• Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance

• Generous annual and sick leave and life insurance – Faculty Benefits

• E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers annual or semester memberships and spouse/domestic partner membership options. E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center

• Reno is proud to be a university town! Many local businesses offer discounts to Wolf Card holders.

• Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through difficult moments. Mountain EAP is in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services about personal or interpersonal issues.

• Faculty Senate is the principal representing body for faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. Faculty Senate

• No State Tax!

Grants-in-aid for Faculty Employees

The University is proud to provide a reduced-rate tuition benefit to faculty and qualified dependents. Faculty can take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate. Faculty dependents have unlimited credits, but to be eligible, children must be unmarried and under twenty-four. They must receive at least 50% of their financial support from the employee and/or the employee’s spouse or domestic partner. Faculty Grants-in-Aid

Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program

The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a dual career assistance program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them in identifying career opportunities in Northern Nevada. Dual Career Assistance Program

Department Information

The University of Nevada, Reno, has a deep-rooted history in mining, dating back 150 years to the Comstock Lode era. The Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, part of the Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, has played a central role in the university’s success and Nevada’s economic development. The state, historically known for its gold and silver production, is now a critical player in the sustainable resource sector, boasting seven of the largest lithium deposits in the United States. This positions UNR and the Mackay School at the forefront of modern mining, contributing to the nation's transition toward a sustainable, lithium-powered future. The department remains a hub for students and professionals seeking to advance their careers while shaping the future of responsible resource development. Please find more information here:

Contact Information

Search Committee Chair: Dr. Ehsan Vahidi,

Administrative Contact: Beth Jacobsen, (775) 682-8787,

Exempt

Yes

Full-Time Equivalent

100.0%

Required Attachment(s)

Please note, once you submit your application the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments, prior to the committee review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at <.

Application Materials: The following materials must be submitted with your application:

1) Resume/CV including a complete list of publications.

2) Cover Letter detailing qualifications and interest in the position (maximum 1 page).

3) Statement of teaching philosophy (maximum 2 pages).

4) Statement of research interests and future plans (maximum 4 pages).

5) Three (3) representative publications as one attachment.

6) Names and contact information for at least Three Professional References.

Posting Close Time

This posting will close at 12:00 am on the date listed below. The posting will no longer be available to apply to after 11:59 pm the day prior.

Posting Close Date

03/31/2026

Note to Applicant

A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.

Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.

The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes).

About Us

The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.

Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”

Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school – the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.

The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.

Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada – led by the University of Nevada, Reno – was named one of the inaugural 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (TechHubs). Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories. Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.

Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.

The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.

Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement – all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.

For more information, please visit the University’s website.

University of Nevada, Reno