Professor and Chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

The College of Engineering at USF invites applications for an outstanding leader to serve as Chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. This is an exceptional opportunity to shape the future of a dynamic and rapidly growing department. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong communication skills a collaborative leadership style and the ability to build consensus while advancing the departments strategic vision of excellence in engineering education high-impact research and professional leadership that serves global development. The Chair will work closely with departmental faculty and partners throughout the College of Engineering and the University of South Florida to strengthen and expand Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering programs. The appointment is expected to begin in August 2026.

Candidates must hold a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering or a closely related discipline from an accredited institution. Candidates should qualify to be appointed as a tenured full professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. The successful candidate will articulate a vision to continue elevating USF MAEs vibrant and internationally recognized research efforts its excellence in undergraduate and graduate education and its engagement with federal industrial and community partners and funding agencies. They will demonstrate a record of leadership in areas relevant to these goals including the following:

• Success in leadership roles including activities such as recruiting program development mentorship team-building and staff supervision.
• Demonstrated record of mentoring students staff and junior faculty contributing to their successful career progression and development;
• An internationally recognized scholarship profile;
• Demonstrated commitment to high-quality pedagogy and student development;
• A significant record of leadership (elected or nominated) in professional institutes and societies

Applicants should submit the following:

• A cover letter outlining their interest and qualifications for the position
• A detailed curriculum vitae
• Contact information for at least four professional references who can speak to both scholarly achievements and administrative experience
• A statement of leadership philosophy interests and strategic vision
• A statement describing current research and future research plans.

Thedepartment has 31 faculty members and offers B.S. M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in both Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering. Faculty in the department actively collaborate with colleagues across the College of Engineering and other USF colleges including Medicine Arts & Sciences Marine Science Education Nursing and Public Health. The department also maintains strong partnerships with several USF research centers such as theNanotechnology Research and Education CenterCenter for Urban Transportation ResearchCenter for Assistive Rehabilitation & Robotics TechnologiesClean Energy Research Center H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Centerand Global Center for Hearing and Speech Research.

Established in 1964 and led by Dean Levi Thompson the College of Engineering at the University of South Florida is ranked #56 among public institutions (#89 overall) by U.S. News & World Reports 2025-2026 engineering graduate school rankings. The college serves more than 3500 students offering seven bachelors programs which are ABET-accredited as well as nine masters and seven doctoral degrees. The college is actively engaged in local and global research activities with $46.9 million in research expenditures for the fiscal year 2024-2025.

The college has 12 major research centers and institutes and is actively engaged in local and global research activities focused on sustainability biomedical engineering computing technology and transportation.

The University of South Florida a high-impact research university dedicated to student success and committed to community engagement generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. With campuses in Tampa St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee USF serves approximately 50000 students who represent nearly 150 different countries. For four consecutive years U.S. News & World Report has ranked USF as one of the nations top 50 public universities including USFs highest ranking ever in 2023 (No. 42). In 2023 USF became the first public university in Florida in nearly 40 years to be invited to join the Association of American Universities a prestigious group of the leading universities in the United States and Canada. Through hundreds of millions of dollars in research activity each year and as one of top universities in the world for securing new patents USF is a leader in solving global problems and improving lives. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at

The cover letter should be addressed to Dr. Vinay Gupta Search Committee Chair University of South Florida 4202 E. Fowler Ave ENG 030 Tampa Florida 33620. Review of applications will begin on January 12 2026 and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants must electronically submit the application packet as one PDF file to Oracle Recruitment