Applied AI/ML - Open Rank - Assistant/Associate/Professor

Current research specialization in MAE includes dynamic systems and controls, vibrations, biomechanics, design optimization, smart materials and structures, precision engineering, MEMS and NEMS, advanced manufacturing, aerodynamics, UAV flight research, materials, renewable energy, combustion, hypersonics, propulsion, space exploration systems, and computational fluid dynamics.

The MAE department currently boasts 49 tenure-track faculty, seven non-tenure track faculty, and 24 staff. The faculty is highly recognized with 13 National Science Foundation CAREER Award recipients, six ASME Fellows, seven AIAA Fellows, 20 members in the NC State Academy of Outstanding Teachers, and eight named professors.

The MAE Department has an enrollment of over 1,450 undergraduates and 420 graduate students, and has conferred over 6,000 degrees since 2000. The department is housed in Engineering Building III, a four-story, 250,000-square foot facility built in 2010. An annex houses wind tunnels, an anechoic chamber, internal combustion engine dynamometers, and additional research labs. NC State’s location on Centennial Campus, combined with its proximity to the Research Triangle Park and neighboring universities, provides extensive opportunities for academic and industrial interaction and collaboration.

The mission of the MAE department is to be a flagship engineering department that benefits all people of North Carolina and the global society by making a profound impact on current and emerging science and technologies; fostering exemplary, synergistic multidisciplinary research and education programs in close partnership with industry and government; providing the environment for innovative professional and scholarly development; and graduating highly skilled, ethical engineers who will thrive in a rapidly changing world and be future leaders in technology and society.

Wolfpack Perks and Benefits

As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

What we offer:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Programs
• Disability Plans
• Life Insurance
• Accident Plan
• Paid Time Off and Other Leave Programs
• 12 Holidays Each Year
• Tuition and Academic Assistance
• And so much more!

Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership, and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.

Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.

Essential Job Duties

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) at NC State University invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in the College of Engineering. We seek innovative scholars whose work advances the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in mechanical and/or aerospace engineering, and who are eager to contribute to a thriving, research-intensive community.

Key Research Areas of Interest Include (but are not limited to):

• AI/ML-based autonomy and control systems
• Physical reservoir computing and embodied intelligence
• Digital twinning using AI/ML, including physics-informed and multi-modal approaches
• Novel experimental techniques leveraging AI/ML
• AI/ML-enabled state awareness and system diagnostics
• AI/ML-driven design methodologies
• AI-enabled autonomous manufacturing systems

Research Expectations:

• A strong interest in developing an active, externally-sponsored research program
• The potential to produce innovative, high-impact research that is internationally recognized
• The ability to work independently and engage in interdisciplinary collaborations, both within NC State and with external partners

Teaching Responsibilities:

• Delivering effective instruction at both undergraduate and graduate levels
• Supervising student research across academic levels
• Contributing to curriculum development in areas related to AI/ML in engineering

Minimum Education and Experience

Applicants are expected to have a doctoral degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or other closely related fields.

Other Required Qualifications

n/a

Preferred Qualifications

Applicants with expertise in applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in mechanical and/or aerospace engineering

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

n/a

Valid NC Driver's License required: No

Commercial Driver's License required: No

Job Open Date: 11/17/2025

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please include the following documents as a part of your application:

• Cover Letter
• Contact Information for References
• Research Statement
• Teaching Statement
• Resume/CV

Position Number: 00111714

Position Type: Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week): 1.0

Appointment: 9 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather: Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events: Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Department ID: 140901 - Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

EEO

NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.

NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Organization

NC State: Think and Do

NC State was founded with a purpose: to create economic, societal and intellectual prosperity for the people of North Carolina and the country. We began as a land-grant institution teaching the agricultural and mechanical arts. Today, we're a pre-eminent research enterprise with 12 colleges excelling in all major academic fields.

Our 34,000 high-performing students take what they learn in the classroom and apply it in the real world by conducting research, working in internships and co-ops, and performing acts of world-changing service. That experiential education ensures that they leave here ready to lead the workforce. NC State's 13:1 student-faculty ratio is one of the reasons why we're the best college for your money in North Carolina (Money) and the No. 5 best value among public universities nationally (U.S. News & World Report).

Overcoming Challenges, Improving Lives

NC State is one of only two universities in the nation leading two National Science Foundation Engineering Research Centers — one developing wearable, self-powered health monitors, and the other researching smart-grid technology. We’re also leading interdisciplinary efforts to curb nuclear proliferation, help farmers confront climate change and build a new American manufacturing sector.

Our research doesn't just get published in a journal or sit on a shelf; it makes an impact. NC State is No. 6 nationwide in commercialization agreements based on university research, and we're No. 2 among universities without a medical school. Our Cooperative Extension Service provides research-based information to citizens in all 100 North Carolina counties. In addition, our industrial extension unit — Industry Expansion Solutions — has created an economic benefit for the state's manufacturers averaging $149 million per year since 2005.

Bright Minds Creating a Bold Future

NC State’s 9,000 faculty and staff are world leaders in their fields, bridging the divides between academic disciplines and training high-caliber students to meet tomorrow’s challenges. NC State students won two Goldwater scholarships, five Fulbright scholarships, one Churchill scholarship and a record-breaking 25 National Science Foundation graduate research fellowships in the 2016-2017 academic year. In addition, 25 faculty are members of the National Academies.

Our Centennial Campus, an award-winning public-private research campus, is home to more than 70 partner organizations working alongside more than 70 NC State research and academic units. Centennial is also the location of the innovative Hunt Library, which Time magazine has dubbed “the library of the future.”

In Raleigh and Around the World

It all happens in one of the best cities in America. A top spot for job-seekers and tech professionals, Raleigh is nationally recognized as a leading urban center:

• No. 2 hot spot for tech jobs (Forbes, 2016)
• No. 3 best city for young professionals (Forbes, 2016)
• No. 4 best city for jobs (Glassdoor.com, 2017)
• No. 4 best place to live (U.S. News & World Report, 2016)
• Best big city in the Southeast (Time, 2016)
• Selected as a Google Fiber expansion city

With Durham and Chapel Hill, Raleigh anchors the Research Triangle, a national hotspot for high-tech enterprise. The top companies in the region — including IBM, Cisco Systems, SAS Institute, Biogen Idec and GlaxoSmithKline — are among the country’s best employers. They also lead the way in hiring new NC State graduates.

More than 130 years after its creation, NC State continues to make its founding purpose a reality. Every day, our career-ready graduates and world-leading faculty make the fruits of learning and discovery available to people across the state, throughout the nation and around the world.