Description
Lehigh University
Department of Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Position
Post Date: October 2, 2025
Department(s):
Assistant or Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
Lehigh University. The Materials Science and Engineering Department (MS&E) within the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering & Applied Science at Lehigh University invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position as an Assistant or Associate Professor with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2026. Tenure on appointment is possible for senior candidates. The area of interest for this search is computational materials science.
The successful candidate will be expected to develop a thriving research program in materials modeling/simulation, in areas such as large-scale atomistic simulations (e.g., Monte Carlo, molecular dynamics) of structure–property relationships, mesoscale modeling of microstructures, first-principles electronic structure calculations (DFT), and emerging AI/data driven methods for materials discovery, property prediction, and design optimization. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to collaborate with researchers utilizing Lehigh University’s advanced characterization tools, which include one of the most comprehensive electron microscopy facilities. More information on the materials characterization facility can be found at: https://ifmd.lehigh.edu/facilities.
Applicants are required to have a doctorate in Materials Science and Engineering or a directly related field by the date of hire, and the ability and interest to teach core MS&E courses. The successful candidate will be expected to develop a strong funded research program, contribute to our educational mission, complement our existing strengths, and collaborate effectively with colleagues. The successful candidate must also be committed to the enhancement of our community and culture in which world-class faculty, staff, and students can thrive to their full potential.
Lehigh’s MS&E Department (https://materials.lehigh.edu/) maintains active research in the areas of ceramics, glasses, polymers, electronic materials, biomaterials, metals, modeling/simulation, and electron microscopy. The MS&E faculty includes fellows of professional societies and award-winning professors, including many NSF CAREER award winners. Opportunities also exist to collaborate with researchers from other departments within and outside the engineering college along with the three Interdisciplinary Research Institutes; namely the Institutes for Functional Materials and Devices, for Cyber Physical Infrastructure, and for Data, Intelligent Systems and Computation. (https://www1.lehigh.edu/research/research-centers-institutes).
Founded in 1865, Lehigh University has combined outstanding academic and learning opportunities with leadership in fostering innovative research. Recognized among the nation's highly ranked research universities, Lehigh offers a rigorous academic community for over 7,500 students. Lehigh University has some 5,800 undergraduates, 1,800 graduate students, and nearly 600 full-time faculty members. Lehigh University is located in Bethlehem, PA, a vibrant and historic area. Over 840,000 people live in the Lehigh Valley, which is in close proximity to New York City and Philadelphia.
Lehigh has five colleges, including the new College of Health, and is investing substantially in new innovative research and academic programs to enhance its intellectual footprint. These investments, based on faculty-driven initiatives, will advance the University's commitment to scholarship and to the student experience. Lehigh has recently invested in a new Health, Science, and Technology (HST) building, increasing the university's capacity for interdisciplinary
research related to health and biomedicine.
The P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science consists of eight departments; 18 and 11 research-based M.S. and Ph.D. programs, respectively; eight professional master's programs; and 11 undergraduate programs. The college also has multiple cross-college honors programs with the College of Business and with the College of Arts and Sciences. The College faculty includes approximately 120 tenure-track and 39 teaching faculty members. The student body includes over 1,800 undergraduate students and approximately 600 graduate students. The College has broad-based research activities across numerous areas of scholarly excellence and is committed to an academic culture in which all faculty, students, and staff can realize their fullest potential.
Review of Applications - For full consideration, applications should be received by November 15, 2025. Review of applications will continue on a rolling basis until the position is filled. All applications should be submitted online at https://apply.interfolio.com/174500 for the Assistant Professor position and for the Associate Professor position candidates should use https://apply.interfolio.com/174720. Candidates should submit the following materials: 1) a cover letter, 2) curriculum vitae (CV), 3) a research statement (not exceeding 3 pages) that describes past scholarly contributions and future research directions and possible funding sources, 4) a teaching statement (not exceeding 2 pages) that describes instructional philosophy and courses that the candidate would want to teach or develop, 5) a statement on Contributions to Lehigh’s Principles of Our Equitable Community that describes how your experiences, knowledge, and skills prepare you to effectively contribute to a learning and research community that holds these principles at its core (the Lehigh ADVANCE Center’s guide for understanding and preparing such statements is available here), and 6) names and contact information of at least three references. Any inquiries regarding this search should be directed to Prof. Nick Strandwitz, Chair of the Search Committee, at nis212@lehigh.edu.
Lehigh University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital or familial status, national origin (including shared ancestry), pregnancy or related conditions, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Lehigh University is committed to a culturally and intellectually diverse academic community and is especially interested in candidates who can contribute, through their research, teaching and/or service, to this mission. Lehigh University provides competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits, including domestic partner benefits, and supports faculty members’ work/life balance.
Requirements
Applicants are required to have a doctorate in Materials Science and Engineering or a directly related field by the date of hire, and the ability and interest to teach core MS&E courses. The successful candidate will be expected to develop a strong funded research program, contribute to our educational mission, complement our existing strengths, and collaborate effectively with colleagues. The successful candidate must also be committed to the enhancement of our community and culture in which world-class faculty, staff, and students can thrive to their full potential.
