Log in or create an account

Chair and Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science

The Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Southern California is seeking applications and nominations for the position of Department Chair. The USC Viterbi School of Engineering is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty and welcomes applications from women, underrepresented groups, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

Competitive candidates will have an outstanding record of scholarly and technical achievements, a strong commitment to engineering education, effective management and interpersonal skills, and must be eligible for appointment at the full professor level. A Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Petroleum Engineering, or a related field, is required.

We seek visionary individuals who will lead the department into the 2020s and guide the further development of our research and educational missions while maintaining their own strong, externally funded, research program. The position of Chair includes administrative responsibilities and requires active engagement with leadership at the School and University.

The chair position is available starting July 1, 2019. Information about the department can be found at https://chems.usc.edu/. Applications should include:

A cover letter describing technical qualifications, thoughts on leadership, and vision of the fields moving forward;
A curriculum vitae detailing educational background, research accomplishments and work experience; a statement of current and future research;
A statement of teaching interests and philosophy;
Contact information for at least four professional references; and
A statement on fostering an environment of diversity and inclusion.
To receive full consideration, all materials should be received by January 2, 2019, but earlier application is encouraged. All application material will be held in the strictest confidence. Inquiries should be directed to the Search Committee Chair at the following email address: MFD-Chair-Search@sipi.usc.edu

The USC Viterbi School of Engineering is among the top tier engineering schools in the world. It counts 189 full-time tenure-track faculty members, 75 full-time teaching faculty, and 44 full-time research faculty. It is home to the Information Sciences Institute (ISI), two National Science Foundation Engineering Research Centers, a Department of Energy EFRC (Energy Frontiers Research Center), and the Department of Homeland Security’s first University Center of Excellence, CREATE. The school is affiliated with the Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering, the Institute for Creative Technologies and the USC Stevens Center for Innovation. As detailed on the website, there are several active research centers at the Mork Family Department. Research expenditures typically exceed $200 million annually. Recently, the School was awarded the ASEE President’s Award for its continuing efforts to “change the conversation” about engineering and develop a robust and diverse engineering pipeline nationally.

USC is committed to a vibrant and healthy work environment, being consistently honored as a “Great College to Work For” by the Chronicle of Higher Education. In addition to health, vision, and dental plans for employees, spouses/partners, and dependents, USC also provides services such as the Center for Work and Family Life, access to child care, and the Mindfulness program, as well as cultural events such as Visions and Voices. Deeply connected to the surrounding community, USC partners with local initiatives and encourages faculty to participate through programs such as Good Neighbors and CS@SC.