Assistant Professor or Associate Professor, Sustainable Energy Systems

The OpportunityEnergy is one of the most important topics for a sustainable future that the entire humanity is facing. The world continues to move towards a low-carbon economy, with more than 110 countries and 200 of the world's largest companies pledging to achieve net zero carbon by 2050. One thing is clear: the energy transition must be clean, affordable, accessible, and reliable. A transition of this size requires collaboration across the government, public and private sectors, academia, NGOs, and communities around the world. As a leader in Sustainable Energy System (SES), the University of Central Florida (UCF) has committed to the challenge of shaping this transition through the SES initiativeAs part of this broad, university-wide strategic initiative, the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) at the College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS), invites applicants for a 9-month, full-time assistant professor (tenure track) or associate professor (tenured) faculty position, with core faculty status in the Center for Advanced Turbomachinery and Energy Research (CATER). The position and the technical fields include, but are not limited to:Rotordynamics and vibration,Bearings of high-speed rotors.The ideal candidates will work at the intersection of the relevant research areas associated with the aforementioned themes. They are expected to have research impact, as reflected in high-quality publications, and the ability to build a funded and sustainable research program and strengthen development of new collaboration and partnership paradigms to launch and scale research and business ventures. Such ventures should enable UCF to address the new challenges of rapid and disruptive innovation towards sustainable energy systems. We are looking for team players with a multi-disciplinary outlook who can help bring together current campus efforts in energy systems research. Prior experiences as a full-time researcher at a national lab or large interdisciplinary research center are preferred.This position has an anticipated start date of August 8, 2026. This hire will strengthen MAE and CATER. Both individual/interdisciplinary infrastructure and startup support will be provided with this new position. The position will carry a rank commensurate with the candidate's experience and record.UCF is one of the nation's largest universities with a diverse student body of nearly 70,0000 students and has grown substantially in size, quality, and reputation. Today, the university offers more than 240-degree programs. In 2019, UCF was officially recognized as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education and a "Green College" by the Princeton Review for our efforts in sustainability and environmental responsibility. UCF has been also recognized among the nation's most innovative universities according to U.S. News & World Report, while Kiplinger's and The Princeton Review have ranked UCF as one of the nation's best values for a college education. UCF is an economic engine, attracting and supporting industries vital to the region's future while providing students with real-world experiences that help them succeed after graduation. UCF's Orlando location also puts it at the center of the Florida High Tech Corridor. The corridor has an excellent industrial base that includes software, defense, space, simulation and training, and a world- renowned entertainment industry. Adjacent to UCF is a thriving research park that conducts over $2 billion in funded research, hosting more than 100 high-technology companies and UCF's School of Modeling, Simulation, and Training.UCF's students represent all 50 states and over 120 countries. UCF is in a centralized location that is 30 minutes to Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando and 60 minutes to the beach. UCF has 16 sports teams, including football, soccer, tennis, volleyball, and over 600 cultural, academic and social student clubs and organizations all led by faculty mentors.UCF houses 4 distinct energy-related research centers or clusters: Resilient, Intelligent and Sustainable Energy Systems (RISES), Renewable Energy and Chemical Transformation (REACT), and Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), and CATER (Center for Advanced Turbomachinery and Energy Research).Central Florida has been also home to several global energy companies. Orlando hosts major engineering firms, including Siemens Energy, Mitsubishi Power, Lockheed Martin, and Navy NAWCTSD. UCF is also close to other major engineering centers, including NASA Kennedy Space Center (