Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering - Wildfire Science and Engineering

Position Rank and Title: Assistant Professor - Wildfire Science and Engineering

School/Department Name: Mechanical Engineering

Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications, experience, and rank as established by the CSU Salary Schedule. Anticipated hiring academic year annual salary range: $101k - $124k

Faculty employee benefits are very competitive for the higher education sector. See the CSU Employee Benefits Summary for details about the CSU’s excellent benefits package.

Target Start Date: August 1st, 2027

Application Deadline: November 1st, 2026 (Applications accepted until filled or closed)

Position Description

The Mechanical Engineering Department at San José State University is pleased to announce a search for an assistant professor (tenure-track) with expertise in wildfire science research and teaching potential in thermo-fluids beginning in August 2027. We seek candidates with a strong engineering, computational, or physical-science background whose research directly addresses problems in wildfire or fire science and engineering A key aspect of this position is that the faculty member will actively collaborate with the SJSU Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center (WIRC, https://www.sjsu.edu/wildfire/, a National Science Foundation, Industry-University Cooperative Research Center) to seek funding and conduct research related to wildfire science and management. The Center is dedicated to developing strategies, technologies, and science-based approaches to improve wildfire science and management. Specific areas of research interest include, but are not limited to: fire and fluid dynamics; coupled fire-atmosphere modeling; wildfire behavior and spread; wildland-urban interface fire; combustion and heat transfer in wildland and urban fuels; computational fluid dynamics and multiphysics modeling; high-performance scientific computing; data assimilation; scientific machine learning and AI applied to wildfire prediction; smoke and fire-atmosphere interactions; and experimental or observational approaches supporting wildfire model development and validation.

The successful candidate will join SJSU's Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center (WIRC), an NSF Industry–University Cooperative Research Center that brings together expertise in wildfire dynamics, fire weather, fire ecology, remote sensing, modeling, and related disciplines. WIRC offers extensive observational and computational capabilities, as well as access to operational systems for fire danger, fuel moisture, fire spread, and smoke prediction. Strong partnerships with industry, government agencies, utilities, and other wildfire stakeholders provide opportunities to connect fundamental research with operational applications. The successful candidate will establish an independent research program that complements and expands these capabilities while leveraging WIRC's interdisciplinary expertise, infrastructure, and external partnerships.

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, SJSU Mechanical Engineering provides an exceptional setting for teaching, research, and collaboration. The department has strong programs in robotics and mechatronics, advanced manufacturing, thermal and energy systems, and mechanical design, supported by hands-on laboratories and interdisciplinary research. Its proximity and connections to Silicon Valley's technology, semiconductor, manufacturing, and emerging engineering industries create opportunities for faculty to develop industry partnerships, pursue applied research, and bring real-world engineering challenges into the classroom.

The Mechanical Engineering Department and San José State University value institutional excellence and are committed to advancing equity through research, teaching, and service. We enroll more than 40,000 students, many of whom are historically underserved; approximately 45% of our undergraduate students are first-generation college students and 38% are Pell Grant recipients. In addition, we are both a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI). SJSU aspires to create holistic learning environments that facilitate both individual and collective transformation. We seek teacher-scholars who cultivate inclusive, empowering spaces for mutual learning, skill-building, and knowledge exchange for all students. Our commitment to lifelong learning supports meaningful connections among faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the broader communities we serve.

We invite all applicants to include a Statement of Institutional Excellence (or incorporate it into your cover letter) to share how your lived and professional experiences will contribute to the SJSU community—particularly in relation to student success. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Institutional Excellence Statement Guidelines.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering or closely related engineering, computational, or physical-science discipline by the time of appointment.
• Ability to teach & develop courses in the thermo-fluids area for Mechanical Engineering students at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Demonstrated research experience directly relevant to wildfire or fire science and engineering.
• Applicants should demonstrate an awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching, and other comparable experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Priority will be given to candidates who possess one or more of the following:

• Strong track record of publication.
• Experience and/or demonstrated interest in teaching and pedagogical methods.
• Experience/exposure to the funding acquisition process.
• Demonstrated interest in establishing industrial partnership in the Silicon Valley area.
• Project supervision experience with undergraduate or masters level students.
• Interdisciplinary project experience in a collaborative environment.

Key Responsibilities

• The candidate will teach graduate and undergraduate courses in mechanical engineering and other areas consistent with their professional interests. The instructional responsibilities also include preparation of classes, assessment of course learning outcomes, and development of pedagogical improvements.
• The candidate will conduct research in their area of expertise, publish results in reputable peer-reviewed journals, generate grants, and supervise student research.
• The candidate will actively work with other faculty at SJSU Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center to seek funding and conduct research related to wildfire science and management.
• The candidate will participate in shared governance, usually in department, college, and university committees and other service assignments.
• Faculty shall organize all their classes within the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS).
• The candidate must demonstrate awareness and experience in understanding the needs of a student population of great diversity – in age, abilities, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, economic background, primary language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and academic preparation – through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies, and advisement.

Other Duties

Note that all San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, some faculty duties may lead to designation as a Campus Security Authority (CSA). CSAs are required to complete Clery Act training and to immediately report Clery incidents to the institution.

Faculty employees must complete CSU employee training as assigned and required based on their role (e.g., Data Security, FERPA, Preventing Discrimination and Harassment, Title IX, Health and Safety). The President may recommend or require compliance with safety measures that decrease the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission or illness and allows the core mission and activities of the campus to continue.

Application Procedure

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

• letter of interest (2 page max)
• curriculum vitae
• institutional excellence statement (dedicated statement or addressed in letter of interest, 2 page max)
• statement of teaching interests/philosophy (2 page max)
• research plans (2 page max)
• Minimum of three references with contact information

Inquiries may be directed to the Department Chair or Search Committee Chair: Hohyun Lee, hohyun.lee@sjsu.edu

Pursuant to California Education Code 89521, applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.

Conditional Offer

The work for this faculty position may only be performed in the State of California and requires establishing an on-campus presence. Employment is contingent upon US residence and proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Satisfactory completion of background and reference checks (including criminal records and prior employment) are required. SJSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background and reference checks reveal disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background and reference checks may affect the continued employment of a current employee who was conditionally offered the position.

San José State University: Silicon Valley's Public University

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley — one of the most innovative regions in the world — San José State University is the founding campus of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system and the first public university in the West. Recognized as a leading transformative educational institution, San José State is an essential partner in the technological, economic, cultural, and social development of Silicon Valley, the Bay Area, and California. SJSU is a top-200 school nationally in research funding and second highest in research productivity in the CSU system. Cutting-edge research, world-class scholarship, student-centered learning, diverse communities, and commitment to social justice, allow SJSU to provide life-changing opportunities and advance the public good locally and globally.

Equal Employment Statement

San José State University prohibits discrimination on the basis of Age, Ancestry, Caste, Color, Disability, Ethnicity, Gender, Gender Expression, Gender Identity, Genetic Information, Marital Status, Medical Condition, Military Status, Nationality, Race, Religion, Religious Creed, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Sex Stereotype, and Veteran Status. This policy applies to all San José State University students, faculty, and staff as well as University programs and activities. Reasonable accommodations are made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose.