Job description

About El Paso, TX.

Located at the westernmost tip of Texas, El Paso is set against the backdrop of the Franklin Mountains and the Chihuahuan Desert in one of the largest binational communities in the world. El Paso is a family-oriented community and one of the safest large cities in the U.S. The cost of living in El Paso is very affordable, with an average home value of $224,000 in 2025, and Texas has no state income tax. The region’s rich culture includes a vibrant street art and mural scene, art galleries, a new children’s museum and science center, the state’s longest-running symphony orchestra and a full schedule of seasonal events and festivals. Sports fans will enjoy Division I college athletics, Triple-A baseball affiliate the El Paso Chihuahuas and professional soccer team El Paso Locomotive FC, and outdoor enthusiasts will be drawn to year-round hiking, mountain biking and rock climbing in nearby state and national parks.

About The University of Texas at El Paso

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is a Carnegie R1, opportunity, and community engaged university at the heart of the U.S.-Mexico border that is increasing access to excellent higher education in the region. We advance discovery of public value and positively impact the health, culture, education, and economy of the community we serve. UTEP enrolls more than 25,000 students, 85% of whom are Hispanic and half of whom are the first in their families to attend college. UTEP offers 171 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs as the only open-access, top-tier research university in America.

About The Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Department

The Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering offers five degree programs: ABET-accredited B.S. degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, M.S. degrees in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering. The Department also offers a Graduate Certificate in 3D Engineering and Additive Manufacturing. The Department has close to 1800 undergraduate students, making it one of the top awardees of mechanical engineering bachelor’s degrees in the country. The Department’s Graduate Program has over 140 graduate students, including 70 doctoral students and nearly all graduate students are full-time and research active. Both graduate and undergraduate programs see an approximate 7% growth rate annually. The Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering has annual research expenditures in excess of $20 million in FY 24, making it one of the top-producing departments in the University from both research and educational impacts. The Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (AME) partners with the Aerospace Center and the W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation. The new $80 million, 93,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing and Aerospace Center (AMAC) Building is home of these two research powerhouses. This advanced facility significantly enhances our research capabilities and increases opportunities for training the next generation of aerospace innovators in different areas such as spacecraft design, hypersonics, autonomy for space and aerial applications, materials for extreme environments, propulsion and AI-powered systems, among others. Additional information about the Department and College is available at

https://www.utep.edu/engineering/mechanical/ and https://www.utep.edu/engineering/.

Job Description:

The Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at El Paso is pleased to invite applications for two tenure-track Assistant Professor positions and one Associate/Full Professor position in Mechanical Engineering.

The department invites applications for tenure-track positions in the areas of design and additive manufacturing with emphasis on energy-related applications, including but not limited to energy conversion, energy storage, and nuclear energy. The tenure-track Assistant Professors will develop research programs that advance the fundamental understanding of energy storage systems. It is expected that the candidates foster novel fabrication strategies addressing high-performance multifunctional energy storage platforms. The department seeks a strong combination of experimental work supported by computational modeling to predict the properties and performance of energy storage platforms.

The department will also consider tenured Associate/Full-Professor applications in the area of design and advanced manufacturing, including in-situ and non-destructive quality inspection. The Associate/Full-Professor candidate will perform globally recognized, cutting-edge research in the material-processes qualification field. It is expected that the applicants advance impactful research and educational efforts in the area of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning based advanced manufacturing as well as build and expand collaborations across UTEP’s academic and research units, including the Aerospace Center, Keck Center, CAMINO-South and our new Institute or Applied AI Innovation.

Requirements:

Tenure-track Assistant Professor

• Candidates must hold a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering or in a related field with a strong background in both fundamental and applied research.
• Proven experience in advanced manufacturing, design, and materials processing for energy applications.
• Strong potential for securing external funding.
• Proven record of publishing impactful work in peer review Journals.
• Commitment to excellence in teaching and student mentoring.
• Strong potential and commitment to interdisciplinary leadership.
• Commitment to grow interdisciplinary collaborations with national laboratories, department of defense, industry, and academic partners.

Tenured Associate/Full Professor

• Candidate must hold a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering or in a related field with a strong background in both fundamental and applied research.
• Demonstrated expertise and leadership in advanced manufacturing including design, qualification materials/processes, and manufacturing simulation for applications in defense, space, extreme environments, and national security.
• Demonstrated international and national recognition as leader scholar in the field.
• Demonstrated ability to secure external funding to support research projects.
• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals.
• Strong international collaborations and interdisciplinary research.
• Demonstrated working experience with national and federal laboratories, academia, and industry.
• Demonstrated experience mentoring PhD students and teaching graduate and undergraduate courses.

Additional Information:

The initial salary is competitive, based on qualifications and experience, and comes with excellent fringe benefits. Hiring decisions are based on budget approval.

In keeping with its access, excellence, and impact mission, The University of Texas at El Paso is committed to an open, diverse, and inclusive learning and working environment that honors the talents, respects the differences, and nurtures the growth and development of all. We seek to attract faculty and staff who share our commitment.

The University of Texas at El Paso is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or sexual orientation and gender in employment or the provision of services in accordance with state and federal law. Discrimination on the basis of sex includes an employee’s or prospective employee’s right to be free from sexual harassment under Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972. Inquiries-including the filing of a Formal Complaint or reporting an incident-about the application of Title IX may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, who can be reached by phone at (915) 747-8358, by email at [email protected], or by mail at 500 W. University Ave., El Paso, TX, Kelly Hall, Room 312.

For accommodation information for employees and applicants with disabilities, please contact UTEP’s Equal Opportunity Office at [email protected].

To the extent that this position involves research, work, or access to critical infrastructure as referenced in Executive Order GA-48, being hired for and continuing to be employed in this position requires the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure.

How to apply

Review of applications will begin immediately, and applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Applicants should submit the following documentation: 1) Cover letter, 2) CV, 3) Teaching philosophy, 4) Research plans and interests, 5) Name of at least three references.

For information/inquiries regarding the position, please email, Dr. Pedro Cortes, [email protected].