Department Chair - Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science

The Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science (MEMS) at the University of Pittsburgh invites applications for the position of Department Chair and Professor. We are looking for a scholar with a multi-disciplinary focus and strong leadership skills. A successful applicant must have a vision for the future of mechanical engineering and materials science at Pitt and a plan to realize that vision.

Applicants for the position must be qualified for appointment as a tenured, full professor in the Swanson School of Engineering. They should have an established record of conducting high-quality sponsored research; producing impactful publications in leading journals; and demonstrating a proven commitment to educational excellence at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels.

The MEMS Department at Pitt has state-of-the-art research and educational facilities and strong connections to local industry. Today, Pitt-MEMS features innovative undergraduate and graduate programs and world-class research in advanced manufacturing and design, materials for extreme conditions, soft matter biomechanics, computational and data-enabled engineering, cyber-physical systems and security, and nuclear and other sustainable energies. Our undergraduate and master’s students have an outstanding placement record at leading companies, and our doctoral students have successfully found faculty positions at major universities in the U.S. and abroad, as well as cutting-edge research positions in industry and national laboratories.

Pitt’s engineering program is ranked in the top 25 public engineering schools and is one of the oldest in the United States, celebrating its 180th anniversary in 2026. Mechanical engineering was Pitt’s second engineering program, established in 1868, and is now its largest by student population. The Swanson School of Engineering boasts 230 faculty, 2,721 undergraduate students, 771 graduate students, $63.5M in research expenditures, and 109 patents earned in FY25 (38% of all University patents).

Applicants should submit: 

·         A cover letter describing their interest in the position and relevant qualifications

·         Two-page statement of vision and plans for advancing the MEMS department

·         Detailed curriculum vitae

·         Research statement

·         Teaching statement

·         List of at least three professional references.

Applications will start being reviewed on November 10th , 2025, on an ongoing basis until the position has been filled. Please e-mail Jessica Pendrick (MEMS Administrative Coordinator) at jlp301@pitt.edu in confidence for any questions or recommendations that you might have for potential candidates. For more information about Pitt, please visit http://www.pitt.edu/about .

·         Research statement

·         List of at least three professional references.

The University of Pittsburgh is an equal opportunity employer / disability / veteran.