"Assistant Professor or Associate Professor in Marine Energy"

Job Description

The Department of Ocean and Resources Engineering (ORE) and the Hawai‘i Natural Energy Institute (HNEI) within the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM) invite applications for a full-time, tenure-track, 11-month faculty position in Ocean Engineering at the rank of Associate Professor, or Assistant Professor for exceptionally qualified investigators.

Hawaii’s unique location, climate, and marine-oriented activities make UHM an ideal place for education and research in marine energy harvesting and ocean and resources engineering in general. The Hawai’i Marine Energy Center (HMEC), within HNEI, is focused on growing as a Hawai’i and Pacific Island center of outreach and expertise in the field of marine energy applied to the unique needs of island communities, and on expanding its reach as one of four Department of Energy funded National Marine Energy Centers. Educational and research emphasis in ORE includes coastal, offshore, ocean resources, and oceanographic engineering. With this position, we are excited to add new research leadership to this HNEI/ORE marine energy team.

The successful candidate will have research and field experience related to ocean engineering - experience that can be readily applied to this marine energy emphasis. Ideally, the candidate will also have extensive experience managing large research groups focused on application-specific tasks, a track record of successful completion of those tasks, and an in-depth understanding of systems engineering approaches to project management and process improvement. Research areas include, but are not limited to, wave energy converter (WEC) design and optimization, ocean thermal energy conversion, portable energy converters for powering in-situ oceanographic equipment in remote locations, and marine power delivery and grid integration.

UHM is the only recognized Native Hawaiian-serving R1 university and draws students from a diverse population including Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Asian ethnicities. The ORE Department and HNEI are committed to serving and affirming our unique community and culture in the center of the Pacific Ocean and to continued support of research and teaching excellence.

For more information on this position, including minimum and desirable job qualifications, required application materials, and mission statements of both HNEI and the ORE department, please visit the link below: https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/hawaiiedu/jobs/4954001/assistant-professor-or-associate-professor-in-marine-energy-0088554

Preferred and Required Qualifications

Assistant Professor Minimum Qualifications

• PhD degree from a college or university of recognized standing in a discipline closely related to Ocean/Marine Engineering
• Demonstrated ability as a teacher and/or student mentor
• Demonstrated capability of successfully conducting high quality research
• Excellent communication skills
• Practical and/or professional research experience in fields of relevance to the advancement of marine energy technologies
• Professionalism in meeting and conferring with others

Associate Professor Minimum Qualifications

Same as Assistant Professor minimum qualifications with the addition of the following qualifications:

• A minimum of four (4) years of service as Assistant Professor or equivalent

Desirable Qualifications for Assistant and Associate Professor

• Demonstrated ability to attract extramural funding
• Licensure as a Professional Engineer
• Practical and/or professional experience with one or more of the ORE department disciplines (including offshore, ocean resources, and oceanographic engineering)
• Experience working with or in a research institute at an institution of higher learning
• Expertise managing multi-disciplinary teams
• Demonstrated ability to foster a respectful and collegial work environment
• Knowledge in core Wave Energy Converter (WEC) topics such as theory behind wave energy conversion, wave resource assessment, numerical and experimental modeling of WECs, Power Take-Off design, as demonstrated through journal publications, workshops, or similar contributions.
• Experience in forms of marine energy other than wave energy, including but not limited to, ocean thermal energy conversion and tidal/current energy.
• Proven ability to expand the boundaries (state of the art) of WEC research
• Experience collaborating nationally or internationally with peers, including formulating competitive proposals and successfully navigating the proposal process.
• Experience managing key aspects of operations at full-scale or nursery WEC test sites
• Experience with attracting WEC developers and stakeholders to test sites through outreach, partnership development, or strategic initiatives.

To Apply

Applications must be filed online by following the link listed above, or by searching for position number 0088554 at http://workatuh.hawaii.edu. Click on the "Apply" button on the top right corner of the screen, and attach the required documents, which are listed on the job posting. Note: If you have not applied for a position before using this service, you will need to create an account.

Submit a single PDF file that includes: (1) Cover letter; (2) Detailed resume/CV; (3) External citation report (preferably via Web of Science); (4) Statements about your past work and future plans in (4a) research, (4b) teaching and mentorship, and (4c) service and management; (5) Copies of three relevant publications; (6) Transcripts (copies acceptable with application, official document upon hire); (7) Names, addresses, and contact information including email addresses of at least three professional references.

Research, teaching, and management statements (4) may include, but are not limited to discussion of: scientific leadership, research methodologies, mentoring, innovative pedagogy, service and outreach, strategies for engaging learners and stakeholders with varied backgrounds, analysis of trends, future goals, and potential risks/mitigation strategies, and how you will strengthen and complement the mission of the Department of Ocean and Resources Engineering, the Hawai’i Natural Energy Institute, and the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology.

The application will be considered incomplete if any of the required documents are not included or are unreadable. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

The mission of the Department of Ocean and Resources Engineering is to provide high quality education, research and service to its constituents. Major Goals of the Department are to:

• Educate top quality ocean and resources engineers to meet the needs of Hawai’i, the nation and the engineering profession
• Conduct and disseminate research in the field of Ocean and Resources Engineering
• Provide service to the State of Hawai’i, Pacific Basin and engineering profession through seminars, conferences, consultancy, government advisory committees and professional societies

The mission of the Hawai’i Natural Energy Institute is to research, develop, test, demonstrate, and validate cost effective and practical solutions to deliver commercially viable renewable energy and energy efficiency to Hawai‘i and the world. HNEI employs an integrated approach to developing public/private partnerships and management of projects to reduce Hawai’i’s dependence on imported energy resources and move the state toward energy self-sufficiency, including projects that:

• Address critical technical, scientific, and policy barriers to achieving energy self-sufficiency
• Emphasize innovative technologies and approaches focusing on environmental attributes, reliability, and affordability
• Ensure that technologies and processes developed will be commercially viable
• Give priority to indigenous Hawai‘i resources.

Inquiries: Dr. Mike Krieg, Search Committee Chair; 808-956-6386; orejob@hawaii.edu Dr. Patrick Cross, HNEI Marine Energy Lead, 808-956-5196; pscross@hawaii.edu

Review of applications will begin on 23 June 2025 and will continue until the position has been filled, subject to position clearance.