Employment opportunities

Professor and Department Head of Mechanical Engineering

Carnegie Mellon University College of Engineering invites applications for the position of Professor and Department Head of Mechanical Engineering.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering (MechE) is one of ten academic departments in the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and is ranked as a top-ten department in both undergraduate and graduate education (US News & World Report). A new world-class building with state-of-the-art research and educational facilities recently opened as the home for Mechanical Engineering. MechE has a long and distinguished tradition in education and research, and today its 44 core faculty continue to address the most important and challenging issues at the forefront of science and technology. As a highly interdisciplinary department, several of our faculty share joint appointments in different departments within the Carnegie Mellon College of Engineering, Mellon College of Science, and Integrative Design, Arts, and Technology (IDeATe). The department includes 541 undergraduate,  271 Masters, and 185 PhD students, and operations are managed by 38 full-time staff. Current research foci include Advanced Manufacturing, Micro/Nano/Bioengineering, Robotics & Controls, Energy and Environment, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

An accomplished academic leader is sought to provide strategic vision, leadership, and outstanding operational management; to oversee world-class research and educational programs; and to guide the Department of Mechanical Engineering to the highest level of accomplishment and impact. The Department Head will maintain and strengthen the culture of innovation in education and research; expand the reputation of the department; lead the department in strategic planning; develop a broad network of purpose-driven problem solvers to lead the world to a positive future; demonstrate a commitment to high-quality administration; and empower students with flexible, interdisciplinary, practice-oriented and applied education in a collaborative environment.

Qualifications

Individuals with expertise across a wide range of areas related to Mechanical Engineering will be considered. Applicants must have earned a Ph.D. in a field of engineering or science closely related to the disciplinary expertise of the department. An internationally recognized record of research, education, mentorship, and leadership is essential. Applicants must be qualified for an appointment at the rank of Professor with tenure.

Application Instructions

Review of applications will begin on August 3rd, 2026 and will continue until the position is filled. Full consideration of applications will be given until July 31, 2026. The expected start date is January 1, 2027, with flexibility available based on mutual agreement. E-mail inquiries concerning this position may be sent to the Search Committee at meche-dhsearch@andrew.cmu.edu.

Interested candidates should submit applications electronically at https://apply.interfolio.com/188135, including a cover letter that describes management experience and leadership philosophy as well as a vision addressing the future of Mechanical Engineering, both US and global (3-page limit). This application should also include a curriculum vitae and two statements: a statement of research experience and interests (3-page limit); a statement of teaching and mentoring experience and interests (3-page limit).  The search committee will solicit names of references and their contact information only for a subset of applicants after the initial review. Applicants will be notified in advance before letters are requested.

Carnegie Mellon University is an equal opportunity employer. It does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or related condition, family status, marital status, parental status, religion, ancestry, veteran status, or genetic information. Furthermore, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and is required not to discriminate in violation of federal, state, or local laws or executive orders.

Teaching-Track Faculty Position (2026-2027 Hiring Cycle)

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) invites applications for a teaching-track faculty position in the area of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AIML). This position represents an exciting opportunity to shape how AIML is integrated into the education of future mechanical engineers through innovative teaching, curriculum development, and departmental leadership. We welcome candidates with a broad range of backgrounds who have experience in the fundamentals of AIML and their application to mechanical engineering and scientific systems.

We are strongly committed to all members of our community: students, faculty, and staff. Our educational mission is to inspire and teach the next generation of engineers, who will conduct engineering-, science-, and technology-related work that addresses important societal challenges. We strive to accomplish this mission with the highest dedication to quality, integrity, and respect for others. We are particularly interested in applicants who demonstrate an eagerness to strengthen the values of collaboration and interdisciplinarity at CMU.

The Mechanical Engineering department consists of approximately 45 faculty, 550 undergraduate students, and 450 graduate students. We have a dynamic and passionate faculty who create a collaborative, intellectually vibrant, and supportive environment. Their work is defining the future of engineering. A new world-class building with state-of-the-art research and educational facilities recently opened as the home for Mechanical Engineering. The department provides a welcoming environment for educators to develop an academic career.

CMU has a well-established teaching-track faculty line. In Mechanical Engineering, teaching-track faculty are fully integrated into every aspect of departmental life and are strongly represented in department leadership positions. All faculty in the department, including teaching faculty, benefit from professional development opportunities and robust support for developing and conducting their courses.

Expectations: Teaching faculty are expected to teach graduate and undergraduate courses and to positively impact the educational experience of students inside and outside the classroom. The expected teaching responsibility for this position is the equivalent of six full courses per year (three each semester). However, course reductions may be made through engaging in scholarly activity to stay current with advances in AIML; providing formal AIML-related training for students, staff, and faculty; leading the department’s AIML Fellows program; and taking a leadership role in developing and coordinating future AIML initiatives within the department. Teaching faculty are expected to be passionate mentors and advisors, and to serve with colleagues on department, college, and university committees. Teaching faculty have the opportunity to conduct research or engage in other activities that advance their professional development, provided those activities are consistent with the department’s overall educational mission and goals of the position. Teaching faculty have a nine-month appointment and may pursue industry-based professional activities, or other activities, during the summer months, provided that such activities do not create a conflict of interest or interfere with the interests and responsibilities of the department.

Eligibility: We seek individuals who hold an earned Ph.D. in a relevant discipline and have demonstrated dedication to our core values: scientific truth, educational excellence, creativity, quality, innovation, and engineering problem solving. Candidates with a strong record of publication in AI-related venues and/or experience in developing engineering applications of AI, together with demonstrated excellence in teaching and mentoring students, will receive particularly strong consideration. Appointments are typically made at the rank of Assistant
Teaching Professor. Appointments may also be made at the rank of Associate Teaching Professor or Teaching Professor depending on your qualifications.

• A cover letter.
• Your curriculum vitae.
• A teaching and mentoring statement of no more than four pages that outlines your experiences and how they shaped your pedagogical philosophy. This statement should also list the CMU Mechanical Engineering undergraduate and graduate courses that you are interested in teaching.
• A statement of no more than two pages that describes your past and potential contributions to professional service, particularly in STEM fields. Your statement may include examples of science and engineering outreach to K-12 students, leadership in student or professional organizations, and organization of conferences/workshops.

You should request 4-5 professional references via the Interfolio system. Please also list these references and their contact information in your curriculum vitae.

Please visit: https://apply.interfolio.com/192024 to submit an application.

Applications should be submitted as a single PDF document, except for the letters of recommendation, which should be requested individually through the confidential letter request function in Interfolio. You may wish to send an email to each of your letter writers to alert them that they will receive an automated email from Interfolio requesting that they upload their letter of recommendation. The automated Interfolio emails are sometimes mistaken for spam.

Review of applications will begin immediately. Applications received by November 1, 2026 will be given full consideration. We encourage you to submit early.

CMU seeks to meet the needs of dual-career couples and is a member of the Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC) that assists with dual-career searches. Carnegie Mellon is an equal opportunity employer. It does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or related condition, family status, marital status, parental status, religion, ancestry, veteran status, or genetic information. Furthermore, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and is required not to discriminate in violation of federal, state, or local laws or executive orders.

For information about staff openings and other positions at the university, visit Careers@Carnegie Mellon.