Assistant Professor

The Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science ( MEES) is the largest department in the William States Lee College of Engineering. Its 54 full-time faculty members and 16 staff members serve approximately 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The department currently has six active NSF CAREER awards, and several faculty members are Fellows of leading professional societies.

MEES has established research programs in advanced manufacturing, precision metrology, battery research, motorsports and automotive engineering, control systems, computational mechanics, hypersonics, transport phenomena, and autonomous vehicles.

The department is home to the Center for Precision Metrology, the Center for Additive Manufacturing of Advanced Ceramics, and the Battery Complexity, Autonomous Vehicle and Electrification Research Center. It has also recently launched an undergraduate concentration in Aerospace Engineering.

The College of Engineering leads initiatives in several strategic research areas, including Advanced Manufacturing and Metrology, Transformational Energy, and Transportation and Advanced Mobility. The College is also home to the newly established NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas. Other University initiatives supporting robotics and unmanned systems include the Charlotte Aviation Innovation and Research Institute ( AIR) and the National Defense and Intelligence Innovation Institute (NDI3).

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte recognizes the differentiation of mission, goals, and objectives inherent in the diversity of disciplines represented by its colleges and departments. Thus, the Job Responsibilities and Essential Functions for Tenured and Tenure Track Faculty should be interpreted in the context of the related departmental and collegiate goals.
Teaching, Advising, Curriculum and Instructional Development - Faculty responsibilities and essential functions with respect to teaching may include but are not limited to: subject matter competence, course design, course presentation, advising and consultation, directing student research, curriculum and instructional development, and grading student work.
Scholarly Research, Creative, and Other Professional Activities - All tenured and tenure-track faculty are expected to participate in expanding the knowledge base of their academic field by conducting research or engaging in other creative activities as appropriate to the faculty member's discipline. Faculty responsibilities and essential functions with respect to research may include but are not limited to: research/creative activity that generates new knowledge and/or synthesizes and/or integrates existing knowledge, publication, an on-going agenda for research, scholarly, and creative activity, and are expected to seek extramural support for their work.
Service to University, the Public, and the Profession - All tenured and tenure-track faculty are expected to engage in a program of service appropriate to their discipline. Faculty responsibilities and essential functions with respect to service may include but are not limited to: service to the administration and governance of the University, public service, and service to the profession.

This position is subject to research-security screening. As part of the application, applicants must disclose, either in their CV or in a separate document submitted with the application, all current appointments or affiliations with foreign institutions or organizations, foreign research support, and ongoing research collaborations with foreign institutions, organizations, or their personnel. Before candidates advance to an on-campus interview, the university will review this information and other publicly available information for relationships involving institutions on the current Section 1286 list and any other applicable U.S. restricted-party lists. A disclosed or identified relationship does not automatically disqualify a candidate. As a condition of employment, a selected candidate must resolve any relationship the university determines would violate applicable law or sponsor requirements or materially impair the candidate's or the university's eligibility for federal funding.

To view the complete Job Responsibilities and Essential Functions for Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty document visit our website: https://facultyhandbooks.charlotte.edu/full-time-faculty-handbook/

The Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte invites applications for a nine-month, tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor in robotics, with an expected start date of August 2027.

We seek candidates conducting foundational research in robotics and autonomy with broad applications across manufacturing, aerospace, space, defense, and energy.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

Research that complements and expands existing departmental strengths is particularly encouraged. Relevant faculty expertise includes digital twins and AI for manufacturing, human-robot interaction, assisted driving, traffic-flow automation, bio-inspired robotics, multi-robot systems and swarms, precision engineering, and path planning for unmanned aerial, marine, and space systems.

UNC Charlotte gives primary consideration to the earned doctorate or terminal degree in the teaching discipline or a related discipline.

Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics Engineering, or a closely related field by the time of appointment.

Priority will be given to candidates with strong research records, as demonstrated by peer-reviewed publications, relevant professional activities, evidence of or potential for securing external funding, and a research vision aligned with departmental and University priorities.

The successful candidate will be expected to:
* Establish a strong, externally funded research program;
* Publish in leading research journals;
* Teach undergraduate and graduate courses;
* Advise graduate theses and dissertations;
* Supervise undergraduate capstone projects; and
* Develop collaborations with faculty, industry partners, and national laboratories

Applicants must submit the following materials for Position 004407:
1. A one-page letter of interest;
2. A curriculum vitae;
3. A research statement of up to three pages describing the applicant's expertise and research vision;
4. A teaching statement of up to two pages; and
5. Contact information for at least three professional references.

Review of applications will begin on November 11, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled. Initial interviews are expected to begin in December 2026.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other protected status. In keeping with this commitment, UNC Charlotte ensures that persons of any background are invited, included, and treated equally in the terms and conditions of employment.