Clemson University: College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences: School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering
Director of the Clemson Composites Center, Professorship in Sustainable Materials

Location: Greenville, SC

Clemson University’s School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering is searching for the Director of the Clemson Composites Center (CCC), a leading national research center in fundamental sustainable materials research applied to lightweight structural design for environmental and economic impact. This is a tenure track faculty position; we are seeking candidates at the full professor level with an outstanding international reputation in the field. An endowed chair or titled professorship may be available for an exceptional candidate.

Clemson Composites Center is a multi-million dollar research facility comprising some of the most advanced material characterization and processing equipment available in an academic setting, and allows for basic characterization through large-format manufacturing and testing. The center is located at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville, South Carolina, a campus dedicated to providing talent and technical solutions to the mobility industry. The CCC Director will be responsible for a multi-million dollar budget and a thriving group of faculty and staff researching sustainable materials, manufacturing, and application of composite design across industries.

The position will have the opportunity to provide intellectual input to the Deep Orange vehicle development education program (http://cuicardeeporange.com), the flagship educational program of the Department of Automotive Engineering.

The position is based in Clemson’s Department of Automotive Engineering, a fully integrated tenure-granting department within the College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences at Clemson University. The department offers B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Automotive Engineering and is partially funded with $36 million in endowments. The department is located on Clemson’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) campus in Greenville, South Carolina, which currently houses 20 on-site campus partners and is engaged with over 130 industry partners, including top global manufacturers and suppliers. More information about CU-ICAR and the Automotive Engineering Program can be found at http://www.cuicar.com and http://www.clemson.edu/ces/automotive-engineering/.

Leading candidates should possess the following:

•  A Ph.D. or equivalent in a relevant technical discipline (such as Materials Science, Polymer Chemistry, or Mechanical Engineering);
• Renowned scholarship and research areas of special interest include:  
  •  Composite Materials Design and Simulation: .
  • Sustainable and Recyclable Composite Materials: .
  • Composites Manufacturing Processes and Systems: .
• Experience with transportation applications, particularly automotive technologies with significant connections to the industry;
• The qualities of an “entrepreneurial scholar.” This means an individual who converts a vision into reality through superior strategic planning and execution skills while leading the intellectual exploration of new methods, processes, and tools;
• A research and funding track record and demonstrated management of research groups, programs, and associated budgets;
• Experience as an educator, graduate student advisor, or mentor in academic/industrial settings;
• A grand vision to continue growing the Clemson Composites Center to new levels of internationally recognized excellence.
• Demonstrated ability to support economic development by partnering with internal and external stakeholders that include industry, state and federal agencies, and community and economic development organizations.

Expectations for the position include:

• Being a leader and role model in research, education, and scholarship in the areas of Mechanical or Automotive Engineering.
• Successfully securing extramural funded research at a high level.
• Advising the thesis and dissertation research of a substantial number of graduate students, especially PhD students.
• Providing leadership in the scholarship of discovery, integration, and application through a high level of publication in the archival literature.
• Developing courses and teaching in the School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering.
• Enhancing the national and international reputation and status of Clemson University and the School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering through professional or other forms of service.
• Actively engaging in research and innovation activities that advance South Carolina’s economy and help fuel the state’s knowledge-based economy.
• Lead faculty teams to develop a highly funded, word-class research and education program in Mechanical or Automotive Engineering.

The vision of this position is a person who establishes a globally reputable research program around composite materials, structures, and processes. Automotive-focused products/processes are a primary demonstration platform, but the technologies are open to other industry applications. This position is open to a wide interpretation of the ideal area(s) of specialization.

The position includes a competitive salary and startup package, and an annual discretionary fund to support the research, education, and translational vision of the center and its research. Internationally reputed individuals with scholarly excellence and leadership in composite material design, manufacture, and education, both from industry and academia, are invited to apply. The successful candidate is expected to work closely with industry and be a researcher, entrepreneur, mentor, and educator.