Opportunities

DOD–SMART Scholarship

Learn more about the SMART Scholarship Program

As a means of increasing the number of U.S. citizens and nationals trained in science and engineering disciplines of military importance, the Department of Defense offers the Science, Mathematics And Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program. SMART is a competitive offering open to undergraduate or graduate students in (most) STEM programs who are citizens of the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, or the UK. Scholarships include full tuition and fees, a monthly stipend, a books & supplies allowance, and a health insurance allowance. Applicants select a DoD facility or agency where they would prefer to work. Recipients are obligated to participate in summer internship programs and accept DoD employment after graduation.

The application period for scholarships beginning in 2027 opens August 01, 2026, and runs through December 4, 2026.

For more information about the SMART Scholarship Program and to apply, go to https://www.smartscholarship.org/smart.

3 Tenure Track Positions in Mechanical Engineering

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley seeks applicants for three tenure-track faculty positions at the Assistant Professor level. This search covers multiple areas of critical need in Mechanical Engineering as well as its nexus with Aerospace Engineering. Priority areas for this search include:

Combustion, reacting flows, propulsion, hypersonics, thermal management at all scales, and energy technologies for sustainability.
Dynamics and structural mechanics, acoustics, dynamical systems, astrodynamics/orbital mechanics, as well as any other topics at the ME-AE nexus such as aerospace systems engineering, spacecraft/mission design, space debris management, and remote sensing.

All qualified applicants whose work supports contemporary topics in any of these priority areas will be considered.

More information and application details are at https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05542. The application deadline is Monday, Nov 9, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

2 Assistant or Associate Professor in ME

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Pennsylvania State University in University Park invites applications for a tenure-line position in Mechanical Engineering at the Assistant or Associate Professor level in the area of construction robotics. Funding for construction robotics is seeing explosive growth, with global construction-tech markets surging and major startups raising massive funding. This position would align with efforts across Penn State in the areas of robotics and the built environment. The position is co-funded by the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation.

Nominations and applications will be considered until the position is filled. Screening of applicants will begin on November 16, 2026. For more information and application instructions, see https://psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/PSU_Academic/job/Penn-State-University-Park/Assistant-or-Associate-Professor-in-the-Department-of-Mechanical-Engineering_REQ_0000082914-1.

The department also has an open tenure-line position in Mechanical Engineering at the Assistant or Associate Professor level in the area of solutions for thermal management in large-scale electronics packaging. Those solutions can include modeling and/or experiments exploring electro-mechanical-thermal management of a range of electronics applications. Electronics for data centers and other high-capacity computing are a critical growth area for the AI revolution. This growth challenges the world energy supply, climate, reliability of the systems, and the economics of the AI revolution. This position would align with a new center at Penn State focusing on all aspects of semiconductor innovation. The position is co-funded by the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Materials Research Institute. Further information on MRI can be found at https://www.mri.psu.edu/ .

Assistant Professor in Aerospace Engineering

The Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin invites applicants for a full-time tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor. The field of aerospace engineering is undergoing revolutionary transformation in 1) Space discovery, observations, and connectivity and in 2) Advanced air mobility solutions. Applicants with expertise in all disciplines pertinent to these two application areas are encouraged to apply for the position. We seek exceptional candidates who hold promise for leading these transformations. An emphasis will be placed on applicants who have a clear vision about how they will contribute to these emerging areas of aerospace engineering.

Additional information and application instructions are available on the careers page, https://ae.utexas.edu/people/careers/.

Please address questions to the Faculty Search Committee Chair, Prof. David Goldstein (david@oden.utexas.edu).

Assistant Professor in Aerospace Engineering

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of California Merced invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant Professor level. Candidates from all areas of Aerospace Engineering will be considered, with particular interest in applicants whose research complements or expands the department’s existing strengths. Such topics include Advanced Air Mobility/Urban Air Mobility, autonomous and unmanned aerial systems, Hypersonic systems, AI and machine learning for aerospace applications, Digital Twins for aerospace Vehicles, Sustainable Aviation, Space Exploration, Aerospace cyber-physical systems, Electric and hybrid-electric aircraft, Space systems and exploration, Multi-Body Flight – Dynamics and Control, and Solid mechanics, aerospace structures, and Structural dynamics.

The review date is Sunday, Sep 20, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee. Applications will continue to be accepted until Wednesday, Jun 30, 2027, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled. For more information and the application link, go to https://aprecruit.ucmerced.edu/JPF02221

Several T/TT Positions

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in the Edward J. Whitacre College of Engineering at Texas Tech University (TTU) invites applications for multiple faculty positions beginning in the Fall of 2027.

Three openings are in aerospace engineering areas, including (1) astronautics, (2) aircraft control, (3) aerospace design, and (4) propulsion. Review of applications will begin on November 15, 2026, and continue until the position is officially closed on the TTU job links. For more information and to submit application materials, go to https://sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/Home/Home?partnerid=25898&siteid=5637#jobDetails=918163_5637.

Another opening is in the hypersonic areas, including (1) hypersonic propulsion, (2) hypersonic materials characterization, and (3) high speed aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic phenomena. Review of applications will begin on November 15, 2026, and continue until the position is officially closed on the TTU job links. For more information and to submit application materials, go to https://sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/home/HomeWithPreLoad?partnerid=25898&siteid=5637&PageType=JobDetails&jobid=919559#jobDetails=919559_5637.

For additional information regarding TTU or the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and this position, please contact Professor Changdong Yeo, Changdong.Yeo@ttu.edu.

2 Tenure-Track Faculty Positions

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at California State University Fullerton is looking to hire two tenure-track faculty with appointments to begin in Fall 2027. We are especially interested in Ph.D. candidates who expect to complete their degree by August 2027, as well as postdoctoral scholars who may be interested in pursuing a tenure-track faculty position.

The College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) at CSUF is one of only two ABET Accredited engineering programs in Orange County, California. US News & World Report ranks us as one of the “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs” at schools where a doctorate is not offered. We are dedicated to educating and preparing professionals to harness the power and potential of the engineering sciences for the benefit of society. We are home to more than 5,700 talented undergraduate and graduate students and each year we award approximately 1,200 undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering and computer science. For more information about the college and department, please go to the department’s website, https://www.fullerton.edu/ecs/me/ .

California State University, Fullerton is not currently sponsoring any new H-1B petitions for any staff, management, or faculty positions. For tenure-track faculty positions, California State University, Fullerton is currently not sponsoring H-1B applicants subject to the $100,000 fee established by the “Presidential Proclamation: Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” issued on September 19, 2025. Individuals in the U.S. who hold a valid lawful nonimmigrant status visa can have a petition filed on their behalf to change their status to H-1B without being subjected to the fee. For example, the fee does not apply to an H-1B petition filed by an individual presently in the U.S. who is an F-1, J-1, or O-1 status holder.

If interested applicants have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Prof. Justin Tran at mefacultysearch@fullerton.edu.

Application link: https://careers.pageuppeople.com/873/fl/en-us/job/558587/assistant-professor-of-mechanical-engineering .

Postdoc in Bio Fluid Mechanics

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research position in biological fluid dynamics and artificial intelligence at the University of Rochester. Broadly, the scientific goal is to build models of the glymphatic system, which circulates water-like fluids around and through the brain. Those models will predict connections and interactions among fluid pathways, flow drivers, and effects of flow on waste clearance and drug delivery, with implications for diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Physics-informed machine learning will accelerate training, improve accuracy, and leverage large archives of in vivo data. The postdoctoral researcher will work collaboratively with an integrated team, mentor junior colleagues, publish in leading journals, and make impactful public presentations. Experience with computational fluid dynamics and machine learning are key, whereas experience with neuroscience is desirable but not required. More information is available at https://hajim.rochester.edu/me/sites/kelley/people.html.

The position will be available as of fall 2026, and the project extends through summer 2028. For full consideration, applicants should email a curriculum vitae and cover letter to d.h.kelley@rochester.edu by July 15, 2026.

Postdoc in Fluid Mechanics

The research group of On Shun Pak in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Santa Clara University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position in fluid dynamics and its cross-disciplinary applications. Current research interests include microswimmers, phoretic transport phenomena (e.g., diffusiophoresis and thermophoresis), electrohydrodynamics, complex fluids, interfacial flows, and machine-learning approaches for fluid dynamics.

Research projects may involve theoretical analysis, numerical simulations, and machine learning, depending on the candidate’s background and interests. Experience with computational modeling and simulation tools, such as COMSOL Multiphysics, is desirable but not required.

If you are interested in the position, please contact On Shun Pak (opak@scu.edu) with a copy of your CV.

3 Teaching Positions

The J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering at Texas A&M University invites applications for three full-time, academic professional track (non-tenure) positions at the instructional assistant professor, instructional associate professor, or instructional professor level, with a 9-month academic appointment, and the possibility of an additional summer appointment contingent upon need and availability of funds, beginning Fall 2026 or Spring 2027.

The successful applicant will be required to teach undergraduate courses in one or more core areas of mechanical engineering: Design & Computer-Aided Engineering, Dynamics & Controls, Materials Manufacturing & Mechanics, and Thermo-Fluids & Heat Transfer. The successful applicant is expected to participate in all aspects of the department’s activities and serve the profession.

More information and to apply, go to https://apply.interfolio.com/185123.

Teaching Faculty in CAD, Thermal & Fluids

University of Louisiana Lafayette Mechanical Engineering is looking for recent Doctoral Graduates and/or Post Docs that need a transition year in AY 2026-2027. We need an instructor that could be considered a “First Year Specialists” to help us to cover three sections of our introduction to Mechanical Engineering course and perhaps a section of Graphics and CAD. We are also looking for Thermal/Fluids folks in the same stage of transition to help us cover two sections of Heat Transfer and a section of Thermo II and perhaps a section of Thermal Systems Laboratory. An energy person in the thermal/fluid realm may also be directed to cover a senior elective is solar energy in lieu of another course if expertise so warrants. Service activity will also be expected, as well as capstone design team mentoring if appropriate.

We anticipate a full time line for a Freshman Engineering Specialist on the Professional Teaching Track in AY 27-28 or AY 28-29 so this temporary opportunity is likely an experience lever. We also anticipate up to four tenure track positions in these same coming years to be hired for clusters, one or more broadly in energy. Properly executed, these gap year(s) positions can be used to bolster a curriculum vita by joining research activity in the department and college or by completing any personal ongoing work.

If interested, please send Prof. Alan A Barhorst (alan.barhorst@louisiana.edu) a short letter of interest and career particulars as appropriate and your curriculum vita. Start date will be August 1, 2026. We will conduct phone interviews in the middle days of May 2026.

PhD Research—Simulating Heat Transfer in Turbulent Flows

A PhD position is available in Davide Modesti‘s group at the Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI).

The position is part of the HEATFORCE project (FIS2), which focuses on heat transfer in turbulent flows with temperature-dependent fluid properties. The research will rely on direct numerical simulations to investigate how variable properties affect wall friction and heat transfer, in both smooth and rough configurations, and across different fluids (air, water, molten salts, liquid metals).

The position is fully funded for four years within the PhD program in Mathematics in Natural, Social and Life Sciences at GSSI, with additional support (housing or rent contribution, meal vouchers, HPC access). The PhD researcher will run large-scale simulations, analyse high-fidelity data, and present results at international conferences.

Start date: 1 November 2026
Deadline: 15 May 2026 (15:00)
Apply here: applications.gssi.it/phd

Feel free to contact Dr. Davide Modesti for informal questions.

Multiple T/TT ME Faculty Positions

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS) is looking to expand our tenure-track faculty cohort over the next few years. Our department is now one of the largest in the region, and is ranked 9th globally in Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering (QS 2025). We are building on this position with a clear 4×2 research framework and a significantly expanded education portfolio.

We welcome strong candidates who are excited to help shape the future of mechanical engineering at the intersection of:
4 Verticals

Advanced manufacturing
Robotics & Machine Intelligence
Thermal & energy systems
Decarbonization, resilience & circular economy

2 Horizontals

Smart & functional materials
Computational engineering

We are particularly keen on colleagues who can 1)lead or co-lead research groups and large-scale projects, 2)work across disciplines within the College of Design & Engineering (CDE) and the wider NUS, and 3)engage industry and government on real-world problems in Singapore and the region.

We have tenure-track openings at all ranks (Assistant / Associate / Full Professor) and will be hiring ~5 tenure-track faculty every year for the foreseeable future to build a sustainable and vibrant faculty cohort.

For more information & application: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/me/about-us/careers/multiple-positions-acad/.

Faculty Positions (Space Technology)

The Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan invites applications for full-time tenure-track faculty positions at all ranks. We seek faculty members who commit to excellence in graduate and undergraduate education and will develop impactful, productive and novel research programs recognized by the international community. Candidates will be expected to complement existing research areas in the Department and across campus and to assume a leadership position in aerospace-related research.

We are especially interested in candidates with expertise related to space technology with a particular emphasis on the design, analysis, fabrication, testing, and deployment of structural systems specifically intended for use beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Candidates with either a modeling, computational, and/or experimental focus are encouraged to apply. Exceptional candidates with a strong connection with other aspects of our strategic research areas related to space technology will also be considered. More information about our department can be found at https://aero.engin.umich.edu.

The chair of the search committee is Prof. Ben Jorns (bjorns@umich.edu).

2 Assistant Professors in ME

The Mechanical Engineering Department at San José State University is pleased to announce a search for assistant professor (tenure track) beginning in July 2026. We are seeking candidates with a strong academic background in mechanical engineering and wildfire science. A key aspect of this position is that the faculty member will actively collaborate the SJSU Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center (WIRC, https://www.sjsu.edu/wildfire/, a National Science Foundation, Industry-University Cooperative Research Center). For more information and to apply, go to https://jobs.sjsu.edu/sj/en-us/job/552002?lApplicationSubSourceID=.

Instructor

We have an opening for someone to teach our junior/senior level Compressible Flow class at Havey Mudd College in the spring. The class would be 15-20 students who loved their junior level fluid mechanics class and are very excited for this one. While we would be happy to share materials from previous course offerings, the instructor would not be constrained by them. Compressible (and incompressible) aerodynamics and propulsion are previous directions the course has taken.

In addition to people with significant teaching experience, we would also be able to hire a senior PhD student.

If interested, contact Lori Bassman, Associate Chair of Engineering at Harvey Mudd.

Instructor in Aerospace Engineering

Trine University has an opening for an instructor in aerospace engineering. Essential duties and responsibilities include instructing aerospace, aeronautical and mechanical engineering courses (e.g. Applied Aero, Aero Lab, Gas Turbines, Rocket Propulsion, Aircraft Stability and Controls, Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics), advising students regarding academic issues, working with the Indiana Space Grant Consortium, serving the department, school, and university in the form of committee work and as needed, and engaging in ongoing professional development activities.

For more details about the job and to apply, go to https://www.trine.edu/human-resources/careers/instructor-mechanical-engineering-aerospace.aspx.

Three Faculty Positions in Aerospace Engineering

The Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at El Paso is pleased to invite applications for two tenure-track Assistant Professor positions in aerospace engineering and a tenure/tenure-track Associate/Full Professor for the Regents’ Research Excellence Program starting Fall 2025. The department will consider applications in the general area of aerospace engineering, including but not limited to aircraft and spacecraft design, structural dynamics and aerodynamics, air mobility, directed energy (multiscale modelling and simulation), robotics and autonomy for space and aerial domains, GNC, and mission design. Still, applicants outside these areas are also encouraged to apply. Also, those hired at the Professor level will be given the title Regents’ Distinguished Research Professor, and those hired at the Associate Professor level will be given that title upon promotion to the rank of Professor.

Here is the link to The University of Texas at El Paso’s Job Posting: https://utep.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp;jsessionid=4156B7965319D371936E3FE17943543F;jsessionid=17D3D63300058796716678D6A232CEAE?JOBID=193332. Review of applications will begin immediately, and applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Open Rank Faculty Positions in ME

The International Center for Applied Mechanics at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT-ICAM) has several open rank positions in ME available. HIT-ICAM is looking for applicants with expertise in Solid Mechanics, Smart and Multifunctional Materials and Structures, Mechanics of Composite Materials, Dynamics and Control, Fluid Mechanics, etc. ICAM is a platform for international exchanges and collaborations in applied mechanics.

For more information, see the position announcement, https://icam.hit.edu.cn/15925/list.htm. For questions or to apply, contact the center’s secretary, Yingying Zhu, at hit-icam@hit.edu.cn. Knowledge of Chinese is not required, but is a plus.

TT Positions in Thermal-Fluids and Other Areas

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Villanova University an opening for a tenure-track faculty member in thermal-fluids science. We invite applications from outstanding candidates with expertise in all areas of thermal-fluids science including but not limited to, renewable and sustainable energy, biomedical engineering, and advanced manufacturing applications. The integration of artificial intelligence into research plans is a plus. The appointment begins in August 2024.

More information and a link for application submission are available in the posting, https://jobs.villanova.edu/postings/27653.

Multiple Positions in 5 Research Areas

The Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Texas at Dallas now has five research thrusts of state and national significance including advanced manufacturing; energy science and technology; health innovations; semiconductor science and technology; and transportation science and engineering. Located in one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country, the Jonsson School is positioned to lead. Open positions are available at all ranks. The Department of Mechanical Engineering anticipates 2-3 positions from this search.

For additional information on the research thrusts and to apply, visit https://pulsar.utdallas.edu/career-landing-page/.

Honda Performance Development–CFD

Honda Racing logo.

Honda Performance Development (Honda Racing), located in Santa Clarita, CA, has an opening for a CFD position in their Aerodynamics Group.

The job duties involve using Ansys CFD tools to calculate aerodynamics and cooling performance of Honda racing cars and working with the Design Dept. on vehicle geometry preparation and supporting development work in the Wind Tunnel. (Cf. Description of CFD work in the other HPD announcement located below.)

This is a contract employment for duration of 12 months, with a follow-up possibility of transfer to a permanent associate position with Honda.

For further information, contact
HPD Contact: Dr. Ante Soda, Tel: (661) 414-4389 E-mail: asoda@hra.com

Published on January 16th, 2018Last updated on October 2nd, 2026