SPX Distinguished Scholar/Professor and Director of BATT CAVE

Position Information

General Information Position Number 004434 Working Title SPX Distinguished Scholar/Professor and Director of BATT CAVE Classification Title 9-Mo Tenure-Track/ Tenured Faculty College College of Engineering (Col) Department Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science Position Designation Faculty Employment Type Permanent - Full-time Months per year 9 Primary Purpose of Department The William States Lee College of Engineering at UNC Charlotte is currently seeking candidates for the SPX Distinguished Scholar/Professor and Director of BATT CAVE, with an expected start date of July 1, 2026 A distinguished scholar/professor is an honorary position for tenured faculty who are recognized as a national or international leader in their field and a scholar who has demonstrated a high level of productivity. BATT CAVE is the North Carolina Battery Complexity, Autonomous Vehicle and Electrification Research Center. The BATT CAVE focuses on the advancement of battery technology and autonomous vehicles. Battery research aims to enable new battery technology, design new materials, and develop mechanistic modeling to enhance battery performance and address safety concerns. Autonomous vehicle research focuses on modeling, estimation, control, and autonomy for vehicles and battery systems, including AI-based human-machine autonomous vehicle interfaces. BATT CAVE has close proximity and established relationships with the new Toyota Battery Manufacturing plant in Liberty NC, Albemarle, Duke Energy, Honeywell, Celgard, ATOM, and other battery OEMs.

As North Carolina’s urban research university, UNC Charlotte is a diverse and inclusive institution with local-to-global impact that transforms lives, communities and industries through access and affordability, exemplary undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, scholarship, creative work, innovation and service. Discover the University that lives on the pulse of the city. From professional sports and polished culture to outdoor adventure and recreation, Charlotte is a top destination

Charlotte by the Numbers

• 8 Fortune 500 businesses
• 52 miles of greenways
• 3 lakes
• 40+ breweries
• 5 pro sports teams
• International airport with 48 million passengers per year
• Light rail access to Uptown and UNC Charlotte campus

UNC Charlotte

• R1 status as a Top-Tier Research University
• Approximately 32,000 undergraduate students enrolled
• Approximately 6,000 graduate students enrolled
• 50 states and 128 countries represented
• 20:1 student to faculty ratio

William States Lee College of Engineering

• Approximately 3,600 undergraduate students enrolled
• Approximately 500 graduate students enrolled
• 9 active CAREER Awards
• Leader in research awards on campus
• 20+ engineering
• 100% of undergraduate engineering students participate in the , UNC Charlotte’s largest industry/academic experiential learning initiative on campus (80% of projects are industry funded and mentored, enabling seniors to solve actual company challenges)

As leaders in battery technology and electric vehicles converge to establish research and manufacturing centers, North Carolina emerges as a frontrunner in advancing battery research, material processing, and end-to-end manufacturing. The North Carolina Battery Complexity, Autonomous Vehicle and Electrification Research Center, the BATT CAVE, is driving innovation by unraveling the intricate world of batteries and their applications that will drive the next generation of autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and intelligence systems

Vacancy Open to All Candidates Description of Work The University of North Carolina at Charlotte recognizes the differentiation of mission, goals, and objectives inherent in the diversity of disciplines represented by its colleges and departments. Thus, the Job Responsibilities and Essential Functions for Tenured and Tenure Track Faculty should be interpreted in the context of the related departmental and collegiate goals.
Teaching, Advising, Curriculum and Instructional Development – Faculty responsibilities and essential functions with respect to teaching may include but are not limited to: subject matter competence, course design, course presentation, advising and consultation, directing student research, curriculum and instructional development, and grading student work.
Scholarly Research, Creative, and Other Professional Activities – All tenured and tenure-track faculty are expected to participate in expanding the knowledge base of their academic field by conducting research or engaging in other creative activities as appropriate to the faculty member’s discipline. Faculty responsibilities and essential functions with respect to research may include but are not limited to: research/creative activity that generates new knowledge and/or synthesizes and/or integrates existing knowledge, publication, an on-going agenda for research, scholarly, and creative activity, and are expected to seek extramural support for their work.
Service to University, the Public, and the Profession – All tenured and tenure-track faculty are expected to engage in a program of service appropriate to their discipline. Faculty responsibilities and essential functions with respect to service may include but are not limited to: service to the administration and governance of the University, public service, and service to the profession.

To view the complete Job Responsibilities and Essential Functions for Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty document visit our website: https://provost.charlotte.edu/academic-budget-hr/academic-personnel-procedures-handbook/ Essential Duties and Responsibilities A Distinguished Scholar/Professor is expected to enhance the academic and research programs of their department and college. The expectation is that the individual in the Distinguished Professorship position will:

• Establish a strong externally funded research program
• Lead multidisciplinary proposal efforts across teams of faculty and industry partners
• Provide visionary guidance toward growing the resources and productivity of the BATT CAVE
• Assist the development of junior faculty and support staff
• Expand collaborations with the other UNC Charlotte units such as Chemistry and Nanoscale Science graduate programs, School of Data Science
• Improve national visibility of the center through scholarly accomplishment, invited research talks, and conference exhibition
• Teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels and supervise undergraduate capstone projects and graduate theses/dissertations

Minimum Experience/Education UNC Charlotte gives primary consideration to the earned doctorate or terminal degree in the teaching discipline or a related discipline. Preferred Education, Skills and Experience This tenured position is open to applicants with credentials and experience commensurate with an associate or full professor. Candidates should have:

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Material Science, or other related fields
• a proven academic record of scholarly accomplishment, teaching, and leadership,
• demonstrated an ability to work across disciplines,
• demonstrated the ability to collaborate and build working partnerships nationally and internationally

An ideal candidate would have broad backgrounds in battery material science, battery engineering, and/or vehicle autonomy to help facilitate blended projects between faculty members in all research areas of BATT CAVE. Preference will be given to candidates with expertise in novel batteries (including novel materials, modeling and control, and battery recycling), vehicle autonomy and control, connected vehicles, and other advanced applications of energy storage for grid modernization. Candidates with established industrial ties are preferred. Necessary Licenses/Certifications n/a Special Notes to Applicants Hiring is subject to budget availability.

Applicants are required to submit the following documents: 1. Cover Letter / Letter of Interest2. Curriculum Vitae3. Statement of Research, Teaching & Leadership4. Contact Information for References
Review of applications will begin on October 20th. The candidate chosen for this position will be subject to a criminal background check and will be required to submit the official transcript of their highest earned degree.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other protected status. In keeping with this commitment, UNC Charlotte ensures that persons of any background are invited, included, and treated equally in the terms and conditions of employment. Job Open Date 09/18/2025 Job Close Date Open Until Filled Yes Date Review of Applications will Begin 10/20/2025