Lehigh University Hiring for Professor of Practice in Sustainable Energy & Decarbonization at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Full Time

Lehigh University seeks applications for a Professor of Practice (PoP) to direct a novel, interdisciplinary graduate research training program on Stakeholder Engaged, Equitable Decarbonized Energy Futures (SEED-EF). Lehigh has recently received a 5-year National Research Traineeship (NRT) grant from the National Science Foundation to establish and train PhD and Masters students under the SEED-EF model. The trainees will be recruited from a host of departments and programs, crossing four of Lehigh’s colleges: P.C. Rossin College of Engineering, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, and College of Health. As the SEED-EF Program Director, the PoP will be responsible for overseeing program recruitment; student advising and mentoring; community building; internship opportunities; external partnerships; curriculum schedules; coordinating program evaluation in partnership with a dedicated, external evaluator; and teaching courses on stakeholder-engaged and interdisciplinary research. In addition, the PoP will oversee a few energy-related capstone undergraduate projects each year to support pipelines for the SEED-EF program. 

Candidates must have an earned PhD in either an energy-related engineering, science, or policy program, or a PhD or EdD in STEM and/or interdisciplinary education by January 15, 2024. The successful candidate must have prior experience managing interdisciplinary engineering graduate programs, preferably in an energy-related field. Multidisciplinary research programs are an important priority at Lehigh University, and include strong interactions with government agencies, industry, and existing interdisciplinary research institutes (IRIs) on campus. The selected candidate’s responsibilities for the research training program will be synergistic with research thrusts in the Lehigh Institute for Cyber-Physical Infrastructure and Energy (I-CPIE). The successful candidate will be affiliated with I-CPIE and may also engage with the Energy Research Center and/or the U.S. Department of Energy Atlantic Marine Energy Center (AMEC). The successful candidate will also create opportunities for broadening participation and support an inclusive and equitable educational environment in which a diverse student body can thrive. 

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 nearly 7,000 students. Lehigh University has some 5,000 undergraduates, 2,000 graduate students, and about 550 full-time faculty members. Lehigh University is located in Bethlehem, PA., a vibrant and historic area. Over 820,000 people live in the Lehigh Valley, which is in close proximity to New York City and Philadelphia. Lehigh is investing substantially in new innovative research and academic programs to enhance its intellectual footprint, including its new College of Health. These investments, based on faculty-driven initiatives, will advance the University’s commitment to research and to enhance student experiences. 

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. We specifically encourage applications from women and underrepresented minorities. Applications should be submitted online at https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/26420 by November 15, 2023 to be assured of full consideration. Candidates should provide the following materials:

(1) cover letter, (2) curriculum vitae, (3) teaching and research statement (up to 3 pages) that describes instructional philosophy and courses that the candidate would want to teach or develop, (4) diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statement that describes prior DEI experience and a candidate’s vision for enhancing community and culture at Lehigh (up to 2 pages; the Lehigh ADVANCE Center’s guide for understanding and preparing such statements is posted here), and (5) full contact details for 3 professional references.

Inquiries regarding this search should be directed to Barbara McGuire ([email protected]).

Lehigh University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital or familial status, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. We are committed to increasing the diversity of the campus community. 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 is the recipient of an NSF ADVANCE Institutional Transformation award for promoting the careers of women in academic sciences and engineering and is among institutions of higher education recognized for excellence in diversity with the INSIGHT into Diversity HEED Award. Additional information about Lehigh’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is available at https://diversityandinclusion.lehigh.edu/.      Lehigh University provides competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits, including domestic partner benefits. More information about Work/Life Balance for Faculty can be found at https://provost.lehigh.edu/work-life-balance. Lehigh University supports dual career efforts for spouses/partners of newly hired faculty https://provost.lehigh.edu/resources/faculty-dual-career-assistance-program/dual-career-guidelines.