Advanced Manufacturing - Assistant/Associate Professor
- Virginia Tech, Mechanical Engineering Department
- Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Oct 08, 2026
Job Description
The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech seeks applications for multiple tenure track faculty positions at the Assistant or Associate Professor level, depending on experience and qualifications, in the broad area of advanced manufacturing with an anticipated start date of August 2027.
We seek candidates who will establish an internationally recognized research program in advanced manufacturing. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, advanced materials and materials processing; additive, hybrid, and emerging manufacturing processes; manufacturing robotics and automation, including autonomous self-driving laboratories; data-driven, intelligent, and autonomous manufacturing; computational design and digital manufacturing; human–machine interaction; point-of-care and distributed biomanufacturing; and future-generation manufacturing systems. Candidates whose research bridges multiple areas, integrates advances across materials, processes, design, and systems, or establishes new directions in advanced manufacturing are particularly encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will benefit from and contribute to VT MADE (Virginia Tech Center for Advanced Manufacturing), which brings together interdisciplinary expertise and research capabilities in materials, manufacturing technologies, computational and data-driven design, robotics and autonomy, digital integration, and manufacturing systems, while fostering partnerships across Virginia Tech and with external organizations to advance manufacturing research, education, and innovation.
The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses, including core mechanical engineering courses and specialized courses in their area of expertise. The development of new courses that address emerging directions in advanced manufacturing is encouraged. The successful candidate will also mentor undergraduate and graduate students and contribute to the continued growth of advanced manufacturing research and education within the department and VT MADE.
Preferred and Required Qualifications
Required Qualifications
Applicants must hold a PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related discipline by the start of their appointment.
Preferred Qualifications
A history showing a strong record of academic accomplishments, a proven ability to work collaboratively, a commitment to interdisciplinary research and instruction, and a willingness to expand disciplinary boundaries to address complex technical and societal challenges.
Application Details (to apply use the Apply Now button below.)
Applicants must apply online at jobs.vt.edu (posting number 537884). Application materials include a cover letter, CV, a three-page statement describing research interests, a three-page teaching/advising statement, and contact information for at least five professional references. Review of applications will begin on November 6, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.
To see additional information about our job opening(s) or to apply, please click on the “Apply Now” button at the bottom of our job posting.
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Applicants with dual-career considerations can find university jobs such as professor jobs, dean jobs, chair / department head jobs, and other faculty jobs and professional and administrative staff employment opportunities with Virginia Tech and at other institutions of higher education in the region on AcademicCareers.com
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Application Deadline
Virginia Tech is committed to diversity and seeks a broad spectrum of candidates including women, underrepresented minorities, and people with disabilities. Virginia Tech is a recipient of the National Science Foundation ADVANCE Institutional Transformation Award to increase the participation of women in academic science and engineering careers (www.advance.vt.edu).
The Department of Mechanical Engineering (http://www.me.vt.edu/), which includes a Nuclear Engineering Program, has 67 faculty, 30 affiliate faculty, annual research expenditures of over $18M, and a current enrollment of 300 graduate students with 180 students at doctoral level, and over 1,100 undergraduate students. With about 400 BS ME degrees awarded each year, the Department is the third largest in the nation in graduating mechanical engineers (2017 ASEE Data.) The Department is ranked 15th (8th in public schools) and 23rd (12th in public schools) out of all mechanical engineering departments in the nation in undergraduate and graduate education, respectively, by the 2019 U.S. News and World Report. The department operates under five thrust areas: Robotics and Dynamical Systems (RADS); Bio, Micro, and Nano Systems (BMNS); Energy Engineering and Science (ESS); Design, Materials, and Manufacturing (DMM); and Nuclear Engineering and Science (NES). The Department includes several research centers, and its faculty members are engaged in diverse multidisciplinary research activities. The mechanical engineering faculty also benefit from a number of university-wide institutes such as the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS), the Biocomplexity Institute, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI); College-level centers such as the Rolls-Royce University Technology Center (UTC), the state-level Commonwealth of Virginia Center for Aerospace Propulsion Systems (CCAPS), the Virginia Center for Autonomous Systems (VaCAS), and the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM). Blacksburg is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains and is widely recognized by national rankings as a vibrant and desirable community with affordable living, world-class outdoor recreation, an active arts community, and a diverse international population.
To see additional information about our job opening(s) or to apply, please click on the “Apply Now” button at the bottom of our job posting.
Jobs at Virginia Tech. When inquiring or applying for jobs at Virginia Tech, please also reference AcademicCareers.com
Applicants with dual-career considerations can find university jobs such as professor jobs, dean jobs, chair / department head jobs, and other faculty jobs and professional and administrative staff employment opportunities with Virginia Tech and at other institutions of higher education in the region on AcademicCareers.com
To receive email alerts when new jobs at Virginia Tech are posted, please sign up for new job openings at Virginia Tech.