The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MS&E) within the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science invites applications for a tenure track assistant professor with specialization in design of materials for extreme environments exploiting transmission electron microscopy tools. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2027.
The successful candidate will be expected to develop a strong funded research program, contribute to our educational mission, complement our existing strengths, and collaborate effectively with colleagues. The successful candidate must also be committed to the enhancement of inclusive excellence so that world-class faculty, staff, and students can thrive to their full potential.
Lehigh’s MS&E Department (https://engineering.lehigh.edu/mse) maintains active research in the areas of ceramics, glasses, polymers, electronic materials, biomaterials, metals, modeling/simulation, and electron microscopy. The MS&E faculty includes fellows of professional societies and award winning professors, including many NSF CAREER award winners. Opportunities also exist to collaborate with researchers from other departments within and outside the engineering college as well as with Lehigh University’s research centers and institutes which information can be found here: https://www2.lehigh.edu/research/research-centers-institutes. Lehigh maintains one of the most comprehensive electron microscopy facilities in the U.S., with a suite of nine scanning, transmission, and scanning/transmission instruments. The facility also houses the world's highest resolution analytical electron microscope that is custom designed for nanoscale analysis and atomic resolution imaging. More information on the materials characterization facility can be found at: https://ifmd.lehigh.edu/facilities.
Founded in 1865, Lehigh University has combined outstanding academic and learning opportunities with leadership in fostering innovative research. Recognized among the nation's highly ranked research universities, Lehigh offers a rigorous academic community for over 7,500 students. Lehigh University has some 5,800 undergraduates, 1,800 graduate students, and nearly 600 full-time faculty members. Lehigh University is located in Bethlehem, PA, a vibrant and historic area. Over 840,000 people live in the Lehigh Valley, which is in close proximity to New York City and Philadelphia.
Qualifications
The successful candidate will have a strong background in metallics and/or ceramic structures, phase transformations, microstructural evolution, and structure-property relations of metallic and/or ceramic systems as pertaining to defect evolution during processing and under exposure to extreme environments such as high temperatures and radiation. The successful candidate is also expected to have expertise in electron microscopy and become an extensive user of Lehigh’s electron microscopy facilities. Highly qualified candidates in other research areas may also be considered. Applicants are expected to have earned a doctorate in Materials Science and Engineering or a directly related field by the date of employment, and the ability and interest to teach core MS&E courses.
Application Instructions
Review of application will begin on November 11, 2026 and will continue until December 11, 2026. For full consideration, applications should be received by December 10, 2026. Applicants should submit their materials at https://apply.interfolio.com/197135. Candidates should submit the following materials:
- Cover letter
- Curriculum vitae
- Research statement (not exceeding 3 pages) that describes past scholarly contributions and future research directions and possible funding sources
- Teaching statement (not exceeding 2 pages) that describes instructional philosophy and courses that the candidate would want to teach or develop
- A statement on Contributions to Lehigh’s Principles of Our Equitable Community (not exceeding 2 pages) that describes how your experiences, knowledge, and skills prepare you to effectively contribute to a learning and research community that holds these principles at its core (the Lehigh ADVANCE Center’s guide for understanding and preparing such statements is available here)
- Names and contact information for at least three references. We may request letters of recommendation from qualifying candidates at a later stage of the search.
Any inquiries regarding this search should be directed to Prof. Nicholas Strandwitz, Chair of the search committee, at nis212@lehigh.edu.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Lehigh University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital or familial status, national origin (including shared ancestry), pregnancy or related conditions, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Lehigh University is committed to a culturally and intellectually diverse academic community and is especially interested in candidates who can contribute, through their research, teaching and/or service, to this mission. Lehigh University provides competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits, including domestic partner benefits, and supports faculty members’ work/life balance.
