Chair, Professor 9 Month, Salaried (Materials Science and Engineering Department-FAMU-FSU College of Engineering)

Department

The newly established Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) applications from highly qualified individuals for the position of Chair and Professor.

Responsibilities

The inaugural Chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering will provide visionary, strategic, and collaborative leadership to build and grow a department. Reporting to the Dean of the joint College, the Chair will play a pivotal role in shaping the department's identity and trajectory.

The Chair will lead the rapid establishment and growth of the department. The Chair will play a leading role in developing curricula, faculty recruitment and onboarding, faculty development, increasing research expenditures, and growing graduate production in a department that currently enrolls 18 Ph.D. students and benefits from over 20 affiliated faculty.

Key priorities for the Chair include:

• Building and expanding the department through strategic hiring, mentorship, and program development.
• Developing and executing a strategic plan for the department aligned with the College's Engineering Our Future (2024-2029) plan and using data-driven approaches to guide growth, assess impact, and ensure continuous improvement.
• Recruiting high-caliber faculty and quality graduate students.
• Setting the academic and research direction of the department, including establishing research priorities and funding strategies, as well as critical and shared research infrastructure development.
• Overseeing graduate curriculum development, with opportunities to expand existing MSE-related offerings across the College.
• Fostering multidisciplinary collaboration across departments and with external partners, including industry.
• Strengthening relationships with national laboratories, including leveraging proximity to the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and FSU's membership in the Oak Ridge Associated Universities.
• Advocating for students, ensuring robust mentorship, support structures, and career development.
• Maximizing the use of new facilities, including the IRCB, which houses MSE offices and laboratories, and the forthcoming Engineering Building C, designed to expand instructional and research space.
• Engaging in fundraising and external relations, including establishing advisory councils and collaborating with College level advancement staff.

The Chair will serve as a key advocate for the department within the College and across both universities, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and the College's strategic priorities.

Qualifications

Candidate must possess an earned Ph.D. in materials science, or a closely related discipline.

The successful candidate will be a visionary and strategic leader with a clear ability to build and grow academic and research programs. They will possess a strong record of scholarly achievement and be research-active, with credentials appropriate for appointment as a full professor. Exceptional candidates with equivalent qualifications may also be considered.

Ideal candidates will demonstrate:

• A proven record of leadership through developing a high-impact, well-funded Ph.D.-level research program within their own area of research.
• Demonstrated success in leading major department or college-level initiatives and task forces and/or large research centers or programs in the related engineering fields.
• A long-term vision for the future of materials science and engineering, including curriculum development, research impact, and student success.
• Relevant experience in academic administration, strategic planning, and organizational development.
• The ability to drive rapid growth, creativity, and ambition to shape a new department.
• Strong management and people skills, with the ability to support and guide faculty, staff, and students.
• A collaborative spirit, with evidence of interdisciplinary research and programmatic partnerships.
• A commitment to mentorship, particularly of graduate students and early-career faculty.
• Diplomacy, emotional intelligence, and empathy, with the ability to navigate complex institutional structures and foster a collegial and inclusive departmental environment.
• Resilience and adaptability, with the capacity to lead through change and uncertainty.
• Listening and communication skills, with a transparent and inclusive leadership style.
• A track record of recruiting and retaining talent, and the ability to develop strategies that attract various faculty and students.

The Chair must be comfortable operating within a unique joint college structure, where faculty hold tenure at either FAMU or FSU and maintain joint appointments. The Chair will create synergies and operationalize opportunities for collaboration and customized initiatives and programs. The role requires navigating two institutions and partnering across administrative boundaries.

Other Information

The newly established Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) represents a transformative opportunity to build on the foundations of an established interdisciplinary Ph.D. program. This includes defining MSE's vision, recruiting faculty, developing academic programs, and training the next generation of materials scientists and engineers. The department currently offers graduate programs but is well-positioned for future expansion, potentially including undergraduate offerings as strategic priorities evolve. The MSE Department is centered in the brand-new Interdisciplinary Research and Commercialization Building (IRCB)- a state-of-the-art, 116,000-square-foot facility designed to accelerate interdisciplinary discovery and commercialization, which just opened in March 2025. Located in Innovation Park, the IRCB offers flexible open laboratories, core instrumentation, and collaborative spaces, placing the department at the center of a vibrant research ecosystem. This ecosystem includes:

• National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL)
• High-Performance Materials Institute (HPMI)
• Applied Superconductivity Center (ASC)
• Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion (FCAAP)
• Center for Advanced Power Systems (CAPS)
• Center for Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response (RIDER)
• Aero-Propulsion, Mechatronics, and Energy Center (AME)

Together, these leading research centers and national labs create one of the most concentrated engineering research environments in the country, enabling collaboration across advanced materials, energy, aerospace, and national defense. Further enhancing the department's capabilities will be the construction of Building C, a new 164,000-square-foot engineering facility that will expand research and instructional space. Designed for flexibility and growth, Building C will support cutting-edge laboratory development and will be tailored to the needs of new faculty and interdisciplinary research teams.

MSE is also strategically aligned with initiatives in Quantum Science and Engineering and the Quantum Engineering Center, which includes new faculty hires and research in quantum materials, advanced manufacturing, and superconductivity.

The MSE Department will benefit from the new Institute for Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Research, and Education (InSPIRE) in Panama City. Supported by a $98.4 million grant from Triumph Gulf Coast, InSPIRE connects materials research with regional economic development, workforce training, and national security applications-particularly in aerospace-related materials and manufacturing.

University Information

One of the nations elite research universities, Florida State University preserves, expands, and disseminates knowledge in the sciences, technology, arts, humanities, and professions, while embracing a philosophy of learning strongly rooted in the traditions of the liberal arts and critical thinking. Founded in 1851, Florida State University is the oldest continuous site of higher education in Florida. FSU is a community steeped in tradition that fosters research and encourages creativity. At FSU, there's the excitement of being part of a vibrant academic and professional community, surrounded by people whose ideas are shaping tomorrow's news!

Learn more about our university and campuses.

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How To Apply

If qualified and interested in a specific Faculty job opening as advertised, apply to Florida State University at https://hr.fsu.edu/facultyjobs. If you are a current FSU employee, apply via myFSU > Self Service.

Applicants are required to complete the online application with all applicable information. Applications must include curriculum vitae and letter of interest.

Faculty Information

The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering is a unique institution, established by the Florida Legislature in 1982, serving as the joint college of engineering for both Florida A&M University and Florida State University. Located in Innovation Park in Tallahassee, Florida, adjacent to the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory home to the world's most powerful magnets. The college is a hub for cutting-edge research and global collaboration.

The FAMU-FSU joint college model is the only one of its kind in the United States, combining the strengths of two major public universities: FSU, a top-tier R1 research institution, and FAMU, a leading HBCU and land-grant university. This partnership fosters a dynamic and unique academic environment that merges the rigor of high-impact research with the mission-driven focus of historically Black colleges and universities. It results in one of the most pluralistic educational environments for engineering in the nation, giving students the opportunity to operate in teams that are closer to the real world than any other engineering school.

The College of Engineering boasts over 3,200 enrolled students, including 2,727 undergraduates and 564 graduate students. Over the past five years, enrollment has surged across all levels: +22% in undergraduate, +44% in graduate, +74% in master's, and +25% in doctoral programs.

The College of Engineering is home to 13 degree areas, 8 Ph.D. programs, 6 academic departments, and 4 certificate programs. The research enterprise is growing at an extraordinary pace, reaching $83.8 million in annual research expenditures, representing a 234% increase since 2020. Research productivity per faculty has grown by 168%, now averaging $586,000 per faculty member, a powerful reflection of the College's remarkable energy, drive, and upward trajectory.

Considerations

This is a Faculty position.

This position requires successful completion of a criminal history background check.

Equal Employment Opportunity

FSU is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.