Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

Department
Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

Rank
Professor of Practice

Position Summary
The Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (MTE) and the College of Engineering at The University of Alabama invite applications for a renewable contract Professor of Practice within the department. Candidates with interests in foundry practice are strongly encouraged to apply.

Detailed Position Information
The Professor of Practice position is designed for individuals with a distinguished career in foundry practice. The position aims to bring practical, real-world expertise to the academic environment and enhance the learning experience for students. The individual will contribute to the teaching, mentorship, and curriculum development within the department while also fostering connections between the academic and professional communities.

The College of Engineering and the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering also pride themselves on the outstanding educational experience provided to their students, and thus faculty candidates must demonstrate an ability to develop and teach classes at the undergraduate level in the faculty member's area(s) of expertise as well as to teach courses that support the delivery and accreditation of the Department's core degree programs.

Minimum Qualifications
20 years of experience in foundry practice with a proven record of professional success and leadership.

Preferred Qualifications
Master's degree in Metallurgical Engineering from an accredited institution. 20+ years of experience in foundry practice. Proficient in the safe use of complex and hazardous foundry and casting equipment and common laboratory tools. Ability to translate professional experience into relevant learning outcomes for students. Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.

Instructions and Required Materials for Application
Required application documents include: (1) resume/curriculum vitae, (2) the names and contact information for at least four professional references.

Review of applications will begin immediately, and search will continue until the position is filled.

About the College of Engineering
As the premier flagship university for the state of Alabama and as one of the first five universities in the nation to offer engineering instruction, The University of Alabama has more than 175 years of proud engineering history. UA's College of Engineering is committed to conducting cutting-edge basic research that advances the frontiers of science and engineering, to translating such fundamental advancements and knowledge through applied research and technology commercialization into impactful solutions which improve the human condition and address the challenges facing humankind, and to using that immersive research environment to provide unparalleled educational experiences and opportunities for our students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. As a College, we pride ourselves on educating and preparing the next generations of engineering and computer science scholars and professionals who will positively shape the future around us. Through our educational, research, and service activities that support our overall vision to be one of the most impactful engineering programs in the nation, our College continues to provide leadership in the many professional disciplines represented by our College and to the community, state, and nation as we advance our professions, the economy, and the lives of all those whom we serve.

The UA College of Engineering is comprised of seven departments: (1) Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, (2) Chemical and Biological Engineering, (3) Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, (4) Computer Science, (5) Electrical and Computer Engineering, (6) Mechanical Engineering, and (7) Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. These departments currently deliver 13 different undergraduate degree programs and 15 different graduate degree programs. Overall, the College enrolls approximately 6,000 students, making it one of the largest colleges out of the more than 40,000 students on the UA campus.

While the university has been on a constant mission to advance in every aspect of its operations since its inception, The University of Alabama has in particular seen transformative growth in its research enterprise over the past decade. Through the efforts of the University, the UA Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED), and in particular the departments, centers, and faculty of the College of Engineering, UA's research enterprise has indeed surged dramatically higher in just the last five to ten years. In the last five fiscal years alone , total sponsored awards across UA have increased by more than 80% and are well on track to more than double by the end of the current strategic plan period in 2024. This growth rate strengthens UA's position as one of the two fastest growing research institutions in the nation. For the College of Engineering specifically, total research awards have well more than doubled in the last five years, growing by 250% in 2023 as compared to their level in 2018.

The educational activities of the College of Engineering and its constantly increasing volume of impactful research are enabled and supported by a tremendous combination of amazing faculty and staff, an outstanding array of modern new facilities that are the envy of its peers, and a world-class student body at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The College of Engineering currently has more than 180 faculty members, and it is in a period of rapid faculty growth having added approximately 50 new faculty in the last two years and with plans to add an additional approximately 30 faculty this year. In terms of facilities, the College of Engineering has one of the largest overall footprints of any college at UA, currently occupying all or significant portions of 15 different facilities across campus. Some of the most recent additions to that space are the state-of-the-art facilities provided for many of the College's departments in the recently completed Shelby Science and Engineering Quad that was built at a cost approaching $400 million.

In addition to the traditional engineering departments and their facilities, there are also more than 10 different major research centers housed within the College that span and support a wide-ranging set of research thrust areas including: artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, additive manufacturing, advanced materials, functional polymers and soft matter, water resources and water technology, advanced transportation and vehicle technology, and many more. These centers bring together faculty from across the College and from around the University to capitalize on emerging technological opportunities and to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing humankind and the planet both today and well into the future. In addition to these College research centers, a number of university-level research institutes and centers including the Alabama Water Institute, the Alabama Transportation Institute, the Cyber Institute, and the Alabama Mobility and Power Center, also provide support and infrastructure to an array of research thrusts and projects that engage faculty from across the College and from around the university. This synergistic combination of outstanding people, facilities, and resources will continue to fuel the College of Engineering's advancement and growth well into the future.

Overall, with its hundreds of award-winning faculty and staff members, its outstanding and growing student body, its tremendous array of state-of-the-art facilities, its diverse offerings of nationally accredited degree programs, and the strong support of its local, state, and national partners, the UA College of Engineering has positioned itself for continued success and rapid advancement as a leader in engineering science, education, and practice. The College is looking for new faculty who want to build or continue their career in a dynamic organization with truly unlimited potential.

It is indeed an exciting time to join The University of Alabama and the College of Engineering. The UA College of Engineering has recently embarked on its "Top-30+ by '30" initiative which aims to have the College and all of its departments and programs achieve top-30 impact in all dimensions of our operations. Those impacts and dimensions include offering a comprehensive set of innovative degree program covering the full spectrum of engineering and computer science fields, enrolling a number of students and conferring a number of degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate levels to be one of the largest producers of engineering talent in the nation, achieving continued outstanding growth in research awards and expenditures to enable continued expansion of our graduate programs and research activities, continuing to scale scholarly research productivity to be a major force in pushing the frontiers of our disciplines, and to playing an ever more important role in shaping our disciplines and the future of computer science, engineering, and technology through local, national and international service. To achieve those goals, the College, with strong support of the University, is deploying substantial resources in hiring new faculty, expanding our staff network supporting our operations, developing new facilities including both laboratory and computing resources, and expanding our research and educational programs . click apply for full job details