Assistant Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Job Title
Assistant Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Requisition Number
FE05018

Working Title

Department Name
8H700:Mechanical Engineering

Work Location
Lexington, KY

Type of Position
Faculty

Position Time Status
Full-Time

Tenure Track Status
Tenure Track

Required Education

Applicants should hold a Ph.D. degree in mechanical, aerospace, electrical, or computer engineering, or a closely related field.

Required Related Experience

The successful candidate will have expertise in high-speed computational fluid dynamics with interest in turbulence and transitional flows. We welcome a broad range of related expertise, including but not limited to fluid-structure interaction, uncertainty quantification, and inference methods. Exceptional candidates at the associate- or full-professor level may also be considered.

Required License/Registration/Certification

N/A

Job Summary

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (https://www.engr.uky.edu/mae) at the University of Kentucky seeks to expand its strengths in hypersonics. The Department invites qualified candidates to apply for a tenure-eligible, 9-month appointment (Regular Title Series) faculty position at the assistant-professor level with an anticipated start date of fall 2027. The successful candidate will have expertise in high-speed computational fluid dynamics with interest in turbulence and transitional flows. We welcome a broad range of related expertise, including but not limited to fluid-structure interaction, uncertainty quantification, and inference methods. Exceptional candidates at the associate- or full-professor level may also be considered.

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is the largest in the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering with 41 faculty members, over 1,250 undergraduate students, and over 140 graduate students. The Department offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering, and a master’s degree program in manufacturing systems engineering. The Department is engaged in federally funded research projects from agencies such as NSF, NIH, NASA, DOE, DOW, DARPA, FAA, NIST, and USDA. The Department’s externally funded research currently averages over $22 million/year in new awards. The Department also houses the NASA Kentucky Space Grant and EPSCoR programs and has research centers and consortiums that collaborate extensively with industry.

This faculty search is part of the Department’s plan to expand in the strategic focus areas of hypersonics and aerodynamics, advanced manufacturing, autonomous systems and AI, biomechanics and biomaterials, and sustainable energy. Candidates must have a strong record of academic scholarship and high potential for building an externally funded research program, conducting high-impact research, advising graduate students, and teaching undergraduate and graduate courses.

The city of Lexington is ranked #3 Best City to Raise a Family, #21 Best Places to Live in America, and #31 Most Educated City in America. The University of Kentucky is the flagship university for the Commonwealth and is one of only eight universities in the United States that house colleges of agriculture, law, business, engineering, medicine, and pharmacy on a single campus. Employment at UK comes with many rewards, focusing on your total well-being and career development, with leadership striving to provide a strong work-life integration. To learn more about these benefits, please visit: https://hr.uky.edu/.

Applicants should submit a cover letter, a full curriculum vitae, a research statement (3-page limit), a teaching statement (2-page limit), and contact information for 3 professional references. We request that the teaching statement specifically address undergraduate and graduate teaching interests relevant to aerospace and mechanical engineering.

The priority application deadline is November 30, 2026. Review of applications will begin shortly thereafter and will continue until the position is filled. The desired starting date for this position is August 1, 2027.

Requests for further information regarding application procedures may be directed to Mr. Troy Howell (Senior Business Officer) at (859) 218-0650 or troy.howell@uky.edu. Questions for the chair of the search committee can be directed to Dr. Savio Poovathingal (Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering) at saviopoovathingal@uky.edu.

Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities?
No

Preferred Education/Experience

Deadline to Apply

Open Until Filled
Yes

Our University Community

We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.

The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status or whether the person is a smoker or nonsmoker, as long as the person complies with University regulation concerning smoking.

Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.