Department Head

Department Head For Mechanical And Aerospace Engineering

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) at Utah State University (USU) invites applicants for a full-time Department Head with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2026. The MAE Department Head is responsible for strategic and visionary leadership to support USU's land- and space-grant mission including leadership of teaching, research, and service activities in a dynamic and ambitious department within the College of Engineering. The successful candidate will be an experienced leader with a demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching, research, mentoring, and service. MAE seeks a Department Head that can broaden the department's engagements with USU's Space Dynamics Laboratory (a University Affiliated Research Center), national labs and other federal and industrial partners; collaborate with other departments and colleges; and interact collegially with faculty, staff, students, administrators, alumni, and the community. This is a 12-month tenured position that reports to the Dean of the College of Engineering.

Applicants must have a Ph.D. degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or a closely related field. Candidate experience should be commensurate with appointment as a tenured full professor in MAE at USU. Applicants need to have demonstrated expertise in a relevant area of mechanical and aerospace engineering including but not limited to fluid dynamics, combustion and propulsion, flight mechanics, advanced air mobility, space dynamics, hypersonic flow, advanced manufacturing, advanced materials including composites, nuclear materials characterization, thermal hydraulics, controls, systems engineering, and computational modeling. Candidates should have a strong track record of research funding, teaching, service, mentorship, peer-reviewed publications or other research outputs, engagement with a broad array of partners, and a background in strong core fundamentals that allow them to work across multidisciplinary areas.

Responsibilities

Promote an ambitious vision and mission for the department consistent with the vision and mission of the College and University.

Mentor the department's faculty members in their teaching, research, and service activities.

Oversee curriculum development and delivery, assess educational outcomes, and accreditation.

Monitor the administrative, financial, and space management components of the department.

Raise extramural funds in support of the department's teaching, research, and service activities, and promote the development of research centers.

Engage productively with academic, industrial, and government partners to advance an ambitious and impactful research and training programs.

Enhance recognition of the department on national and international stages.

Lead new faculty recruitment efforts and facilitate processes related to recruitment, promotion, and tenure.

Actively participate in assigned college, university, and external duties.

Serve as a catalyst for attracting and supporting undergraduate and graduate students.

Participate in interdisciplinary efforts with other departments and initiatives at USU.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications :

Ph.D. degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or closely related fields.

Demonstrated achievements appropriate for appointment at the Full Professor level.

A strong background in engineering fundamentals.

Evidence of success as a Principal Investigator or leader of an independent research program.

Record of peer-reviewed publications in high-quality journals or other measures of research outcomes.

Ability to engage industry partners and connect curriculum to the practice of engineering in the field.

Effective interpersonal skills, including the ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, staff, students, and external partners.

Excellent written and oral communication skills, including demonstrated ability to teach, inspire, and mentor faculty and students.

Preferred Qualifications :

Active United States DoD or DoE Security Clearance

Positive experience in research with demonstrated success in program development and leadership.

Extensive experience in higher education and a commitment to the education mission of the college.

Demonstrated ability to engage productively with external research, training, and service partners

Experience working on multi-disciplinary research teams.

Teaching experience at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Experience in developing high-impact experiential learning curricula.

Record of involvement in seeking extramural funding.

Passed the Fundamentals of Engineering exam or earned a Professional Engineering license.

Job offer will be contingent upon the successful completion of a background check.