Assistant Professor – CASFER

Position Description

The Institute for Sustainability and Circular Economy (ISCE) at Texas Tech University in Conjunction with the $51M NSF funded Engineering Research Center for Advancing Sustainable and Distribute Fertilizers (CASFER), and the Whitacre College of Engineering seeks outstanding applicants for two tenure-track positions starting starting September 1, 2025 in one or more of the following areas: Life Cycle Assessment; Sustainable Engineering Design; Sustainability and Materials for Advanced Separations. Candidates working at the forefront of industrial ecology, life cycle analysis, tecno-economic analysis, circular engineering/economy, and/or materials science for advanced separations are encouraged to apply.

About the University

Established in 1923, Texas Tech University is a Carnegie R1 (very high research activity) Doctoral/Research-Extensive, Hispanic Serving, and state-assisted institution. Located on a beautiful 1,850-acre campus in Lubbock, a city in West Texas with a growing metropolitan-area population of over 300,000, the university enrolls over 40,000 students with 33,000 undergraduate and 7,000 graduate students. As the primary research institution in the western two-thirds of the state, Texas Tech University is home to 10 colleges, the Schools of Law and Veterinary Medicine, and the Graduate School. The flagship of the Texas Tech University System, Texas Tech is dedicated to student success by preparing learners to be ethical leaders for a diverse and globally competitive workforce. It is committed to enhancing the cultural and economic development of the state, nation, and world.
About Lubbock: Referred to as the “Hub City” because it serves as the educational, cultural, economic, and health care hub of the South Plains region, Lubbock boasts a diverse population and a strong connection to community, history, and land. With a mild climate, highly rated public schools, and a low cost of living, Lubbock is a family-friendly community that is ranked as one of the best places to live in Texas. Lubbock is home to a celebrated and ever-evolving music scene, a vibrant arts community, and is within driving distance of Dallas, Austin, Santa Fe, and other major metropolitan cities. Lubbock’s Convention & Visitors Bureau provides a comprehensive overview of the Lubbock community and its resources, programs, events, and histories.

About the College

The Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering is home to seven academic departments (chemical, civil & environmental & construction, electrical & computer, industrial, mechanical, petroleum, and computer science), offers over 30 degrees to about 6,600 students, including more than 850 graduate students. Research funding has grown substantially, with over $18 million annual research awards in recent years. The major research strengths are in wind science & engineering, pulsed power and power electronics, microscale and nanoscale devices, and semiconductor materials, engineering medicine, bioengineering, energetics, and polymer materials.

About the Department/School/Area

The newly establish Texas Tech University Institute for Sustainability and Circular Economy (ISCE) is dedicated to developing solutions to major society problems while integrating sustainability, resiliency, and circular economy practices. ISCE provides an infrastructure for collaboration among multiple disciplines. CASFER is an example of a sustainability initiative. The vision of the NSF Engineering research center CASFER is to enable resilient and sustainable food production by developing next-generation, modular, distributed, and efficient technologies for capturing, recycling, and producing decarbonized nitrogen-based fertilizers. CASFER is led by Texas Tech University with four partner institutions, Georgia Tech, MIT, Case Western Reserve University, and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. CASFER has over 30 faculty and researchers and is supporting over 70 graduate students, undergraduate students, post-doctoral researchers.

Major/Essential Functions

In line with TTU’s strategic priorities to engage and empower a diverse student body, enable innovative research and creative activities, and transform lives and communities through outreach and engaged scholarship, applicants should have experience working with diverse student populations at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels within individual or across the areas of teaching, research/creative activity, and service.

Faculty Qualifications

Ph.D. in Engineering or a closely related field,
Record of submissions indicative of an active pursuit of publications of scholarly work,
Commitment to excellence in education, student mentoring, outreach and/or community engagement, as evidenced by a record including one or more of the following: record of student advisement, leadership of student organizations, formal mentorship activities or programming, etc.
Evidence of a sustained record of externally funded research programs as evidenced by the provision of funded grant applications,
Proven ability to build and maintain or develop multidisciplinary collaborations; proven ability to foster or develop partnerships with the industry,
Teaching core graduate and undergraduate courses (including online courses/micro credentials)

This is an interdisciplinary position. Candidates will have a department within the Whitacre College of Engineering as the tenured home department and are expected to perform research within ISCE and CASFER and support the vision and mission of both. They will also engage in strategic outreach, scholarship, and perform internal and professional service. This is an incredible opportunity to work with the multidisciplinary and convergent team of CASFER and contribute to the path of supporting a Nitrogen Circular Economy. Candidates will have the opportunity to engage in multidisciplinary research toward circular engineering design and sustainability, be active in public outreach on sustainability issues and policy, and in advancing ISCE strategic goals. We seek dedicated scholar who will provide inspiration, leadership, excellence in research, teaching, and service.

Preferred Qualifications

In addition to the required qualifications, individuals who have been part of a large research center (e.g., NSF Engineering Research Center, Science Technology Center, etc.) are encouraged to apply.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Curriculum Vitae
Cover Letter
Statement of research and teaching interests and how do these align with the mission and vision of both ISCE and CASFER
List of three references