Civil Engineering for Advanced Manufacturing for Affordable Building Construction - Research Assistant/Associate/Professor

Location: Knoxville, TN

Open Date: Apr 30, 2025

The University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute (UT-ORII) is seeking highly qualified research faculty candidates at any rank in the areas of civil and construction engineering. The successful candidate will contribute to an interdisciplinary collaboration focused on building construction that will improve affordability, productivity, energy-efficiency, and resilience in building construction. Potential research interests include, but are not limited to:

• Develop cost-effective approaches to standardize construction requirements from local and state building codes throughout the U.S. with the end goal of optimizing onsite and offsite construction and industrialized mass customization.
• In collaboration with interdisciplinary partners, couple the standardized code framework with robotic and automated manufacturing for building construction. Combine these new manufacturing approaches with high-performance building materials to maximize productivity, affordability, quality, and safety across the construction lifecycle.
• Identify methods to automate code compliance and verification of code compliant building designs during the building permitting process.

This position will be associated with the UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute’s Advanced Manufacturing for Affordable Building Construction Convergent Research Initiative (Buildings CRI), a collaboration between Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the University of Tennessee. The Buildings CRI aims to transform the building industry through cutting-edge research in robotics, automation, advanced materials and streamlined construction processes. At full strength, the Buildings CRI will recruit ~20 new investigators at ORNL and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK). The Buildings CRI supports its interdisciplinary researchers by offering networking opportunities with fellow researchers and construction sector stakeholders, facilitating collaborative experiments and proposal development, providing mentorship from senior CRI researchers, and offering tailored professional development opportunities.

Roles and Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Develop a nationally and internationally recognized research program with interdisciplinary connections across the CRI network at UT and ORNL.
• Contribute building and construction expertise to collaborative studies on the transition of the building construction industry. Interface with UT-ORII programs to support the UT-ORII Buildings CRI's mission and goals.
• Build partnerships and collaborations through the Office of Research Innovation and Economic Development (ORIED), Institute for Energy and Environment (IEE) gateway, Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment, the Tickle College of Engineering, the School of Architecture, the UT Institute of Agriculture, and current and future partners.

As a UT-ORII research faculty member, the successful candidate will collaborate with designated UT departments and researchers as well as ORNL researchers to address current and future affordability, productivity, energy-efficiency, and resilience requirements for buildings. This includes conducting research, preparing and submitting proposals, supporting existing research projects, and mentoring graduate and undergraduate students.

Qualifications:

• PhD or terminal degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Architectural Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field.
• A track record of publishing and seeking funding.
• Collaborative research experience in areas supporting UT-ORII’s Buildings CRI mission.
• Demonstrated research track record supporting the candidate’s potential to establish a nationally and internationally recognized research program aligned with UT-ORII’s mission and goals.
• A clear path to independence as a researcher is desired, though collaboration with more senior investigators is also encouraged.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• This position requires the ability to be granted a site-access badge for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Additional Information

• This is a 12-month, non-tenure track position.
• The appointment will be with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
• The primary work location for this position is on the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville and may include visits to collaborator sites on the campuses of ORNL and UTK.
• The position will be implemented as an initial three-year contract with full salary support for the first year, followed by a gradual increase in expected external salary funding in subsequent years.
• The applicant will be expected to recruit graduate students by year three.
• A competitive startup package including funds for graduate students and equipment will be offered.
• Salary and title/rank will be determined commensurate with experience.
• Benefits will be typical of exempt employees at the University of Tennessee.
• The candidate must be eligible for initial clearance at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Application Instructions:

Application materials must be submitted to Interfolio at apply.interfolio.com/167177

Application reviews will begin May 15, 2025 and will continue until the position is filled.

Applications must include:

• a letter of interest
• a comprehensive curriculum vitae
• research plan
• 3 Professional References including names, addresses, and telephone numbers