Open Rank Tenure Track Position

The College of Engineering at the University of Georgia is seeking to grow and diversify its programs through investments in faculty with expertise in Resilient Infrastructure for Stability and Equity (RISE). The position seeks to identify highly qualified candidates with expertise in the areas of Smart Infrastructure, and will be centered in the College of Engineering's School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural, and Mechanical Engineering.
 

The College invites applications for one open rank, 9-month tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor level. This position will start on August 1, 2023, and will be an academic year appointment (9 months) with an opportunity to supplement salary during the summer. Candidates considered for the associate or full professor rank must have qualifications and academic credentials that are commensurate with the promotion and tenure guidelines at the University of Georgia. These guidelines can be found at the College of Engineering Criteria for Promotion and Tenure.

The hiring is part of a campus-wide Presidential Interdisciplinary Faculty Hiring Initiative in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence that aims to recruit 50 faculty members who will educate students and advance research in data science and AI. Rather than being housed exclusively in a single department, however, the majority of UGA’s newly recruited faculty will focus on the fusion of data science and AI in cross-cutting areas such as biomanufacturing, infectious diseases, integrative precision agriculture, ethics, cybersecurity, resilient communities, and the environment.
 

This position supports the major Resilient Infrastructure for Sustainability and Equity (RISE) hiring initiative. Aging infrastructure, urbanization, pollution and climate change are impacting communities and livelihoods with significant investments being made in infrastructure. Applicants in the area of Smart Infrastructure are encouraged to apply. Designing the next generation of infrastructure requires a deeper examination into the realities of today’s challenges (e.g. equity, access, and climate change) coupled with future, evolving and uncertain changes (e.g. electric mobility and Internet of Things). Traditional methods must evolve and leverage the multisource Big Data (traditional, new and emerging data sources); utilize machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies to understand the shifting mobility trends of people and goods; examine the inequities and impact in under-investing and access in transportation infrastructure; and address the vulnerability and risk associated with climate change. Research is needed to develop new, innovative, data-driven, and multifaceted decision-making solutions in transportation infrastructure with considerations of mobility, resiliency, safety, accessibility, equity, and sustainability within the broader context enriched by emerging technologies. Close collaboration with large multidisciplinary teams is expected to enable convergence research.
 

The RISE interdisciplinary cluster will unite and catalyze strengths in data science, engineering, environmental and atmospheric sciences, urban systems, public service and outreach, public administration, and law and policy to establish UGA as an international leader in smart and resilient infrastructure systems that protect people, their livelihoods, and their communities from severe weather impacts, climate change, man-made hazards, pollution, unsafe or degraded infrastructures, and other disruptions. The RISE cluster will produce fundamental research on next generation infrastructure and systems with emphasis on vulnerable communities connected with important assets including critical transportation infrastructure, military installations, ports and urban systems. Applications are sought in areas interfacing with data science and artificial intelligence that may include: Smart Interconnected Infrastructure Systems, Operations Research Using AI for Vulnerability and Risk Analysis of Critical Infrastructure Systems, AI Geotechnics, and AI-Empowered Intelligent Transportation Systems. The College of Engineering creates an ideal environment for candidates seeking opportunities to work in interdisciplinary collaborations across campus and address resilience issues in communities, especially those most at-risk, and infrastructure systems around the world.

The UGA College of Engineering will utilize this initiative to demonstrate our commitment to diversifying our faculty and ensuring that we maintain and grow the culture of equity and inclusivity present in our College. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values of the University and the College of Engineering's Strategic Plan, and this hiring initiative will make use of the best practices to ensure an inclusive search process. The Diversity and Inclusion Plan for the College of Engineering identifies priority areas for our investments and through the 2022-2023 academic year we are working to finalize a Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Plan. The College offers structured mentoring programs for all faculty that support professional development. Several programs exist to enhance the inclusiveness of our College, including a student-led Engineering Equity Council and facilitated dialogue that promotes discourse on topics in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
 

The College of Engineering already has significant expertise in the areas of Transportation and Structural Systems, Geotechnical Engineering, Resilient and Natural Infrastructure, Water Management, Urban Systems, and New Materials. Examples are the interdisciplinary team of researchers and educators in the School of Environmental, Civil Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering and colleagues affiliated with the Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems, New Materials Institute, as well as with other departments, institutes, and public service and outreach units within and outside the College of Engineering.
 

Faculty hired as part of this initiative will join a rapidly-growing College of Engineering that combines interdisciplinary research and scholarship with excellent instruction and service. The UGA College of Engineering currently enrolls over 4,000 engineering majors and has over 125 full-time faculty across 15 degree programs. The College of Engineering is comprised for four interdisciplinary schools: The School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural, and Mechanical Engineering, The School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The School of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, and The School of Computing --an innovative joint program shared with Franklin College of Arts and Sciences which launched this year.

Significant investments in infrastructure have resulted in an expansion of laboratory facilities for research and scholarship and new classrooms and instructional labs. College of Engineering faculty will have space in two major capital projects on campus to create interdisciplinary research facilities. Our main instructional facility, Driftmier Engineering Center, has also undergone complete renovation to create flexible classrooms that enable a range of teaching modalities and the incorporation of interdisciplinary instructional labs. The common instructional facilities also foster diversity by allowing faculty, staff, and students to interact and collaborate in a single facility.

 Minimum Qualifications 

A Ph.D. in civil engineering discipline relevant to the field of resilient and smart infrastructure.

Relevant/Preferred Qualifications, Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• A strong record of research, scholarship, and instruction that is commensurate with the stage in their professional career and aligned with the areas of research and scholarship associated with this position; a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; a focus on interdisciplinary scholarship that addresses critical societal challenges. 
• A demonstrated record exhibiting leadership traits, effective communication, and ability to develop innovative programs is desired.  
• Candidates with Professional Engineering (PE) license or completion of the FE examination with plans to pursue PE registration are preferred.
• Evidence of a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through scholarship, teaching, and/or service endeavors.

Application Procedure 

To apply, please submit applications to https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/284415

Selected applicants will be required to submit transcripts and a background investigation demonstrating eligibility for employment with the University of Georgia.

Applicants are asked to submit the following information along with their application:

• A detailed curriculum vita.
• A cover letter (not to exceed one page) addressing the candidate’s experience relative to the responsibilities of the position.
• A statement describing the candidate’s commitment to diversity, equity, an inclusion as well as the creation of an equitable and inclusive professional environment not to exceed 2 pages.
• A teaching statement not to exceed 2 pages.
• A research statement not to exceed 2 pages.
• The names, titles, and contact information for three professional references.  

Questions related to the position may be directed to Dr. Stephan Durham at sdurham@uga.edu.

All applications received by December 4, 2022 will receive full consideration.

About the University of Georgia

Since our founding in 1785, the University of Georgia has operated as Georgia’s oldest, most comprehensive, and most diversified institution of higher education (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 235 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 1,800 full-time instructional faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 40,000 students including over 30,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 18 schools and colleges, as well as a medical partnership with Augusta University housed on the UGA Health Sciences Campus in Athens.

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, genetic information, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).