What are the responsibilities and job description for the Open-Rank, Tenured/Tenure-Track Mechanical Engineering Faculty position at George Mason University?
- 10003545
- Prince William County, VA
- Instructional Faculty
- Opening on: Dec 10 2025
Department: Col of Engineering and Computing
Classification: 9-month Instructional Faculty
Job Category: Instructional Faculty
Job Type: Full-Time
Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)
Location: Prince William County, VA
Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible
Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience
Criminal Background Check: Yes
Works with Minors check: Yes
About the Department:
The Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) strives to provide an outstanding education to our undergraduate and graduate students that emphasizes the importance of ethical behavior and integrity, and prepares them for successful careers and future academic work. Furthermore, the department fosters active, visible, and leading-edge research that advances the field of mechanical engineering.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Mason is a young department, established in 2015. With rapid growth, the department has a vibrant undergraduate program with over 500 students. Building on George Mason's strong institutional investment in autonomy, robotics and artificial intelligence, the department recently launched a PhD program in Robotics. It also collaborates across the College and University for other graduate-level degree offerings, and has a rich research portfolio with faculty pursuing externally supported research in four core areas: 1) mechanics, materials, and manufacturing, 2) thermal and fluid science, 3) robotics, mechatronics, and control, and 4) design, optimization, and entrepreneurship. Additional information about the department can be obtained by visiting its website https://mechanical.gmu.edu.
About the Position:
The George Mason University Department of Mechanical Engineering within the College of Engineering and Computing invites applications for a tenure-track or tenured faculty positions beginning Fall 2026. Senior candidates with established records of outstanding research and excellent teaching will be eligible for tenured associate professor or professor positions.
Candidates to this position will be expected to develop a program of scholarly research, teach undergraduate and graduate courses, participate in university, college, and departmental governance, professional and public service, and perform related instructional assignments such as supervising senior projects, student internships, and practicum. The successful candidate will primarily work and leverage resources available at the university's Science and Technology campus located in Manassas, Virginia.
Responsibilities:
Successful candidates will be expected to:
- Teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels;
- Develop an independent, externally funded research program;
- Advise students;
- Participate in all aspects of the department's mission; and
- Serve the profession.
Required Qualifications:
- Applicants must have received a PhD in Mechanical Engineering or a related field by the start date of the position;
- Should demonstrate potential for excellence and productivity in research; and
- Have a commitment to high-quality teaching.
Preferred Qualifications:
- While this position is open to all subdisciplines within Mechanical Engineering, the department is particularly interested in candidates specializing in Autonomy and Robotics; and
- Candidates who can build collaborative research and educational partnerships with other departments within the College and across the University to benefit from strong institutional support for interdisciplinary collaboration.
Instructions to Applicants:
For full consideration, applicants must apply for Open-Rank, Tenured/Tenure-Track Mechanical Engineering Faculty at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information; and upload a Cover Letter, complete CV with publications, statement of professional goals including your perspective on teaching (upload as Philosophy of Teaching), and Research Statement. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.
Posting Open Date: December 10, 2025
For Full Consideration, Apply by: January 30, 2026
Open Until Filled: Yes
About the College:
The College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) at George Mason University is a fast-growing force for innovation in research and education. Ranked nationally in the top 100 in both undergraduate and graduate education, the CEC more than 11,000 students in fall 2025. The college has 34 undergraduate, master's and doctoral degree programs including several first-in-the-nation offerings. Of its 326 instructional faculty, 100 are tenured, 64 are tenure-track, 100 are term faculty, and 62 are research faculty. As part of a nationally ranked research university, CEC research teams expended $83.7 million in sponsored research awards in the past year and had projects with over $66.8 million in awards. The college stands out for its leading research in areas such as artificial intelligence, data analytics engineering, cybersecurity engineering, biomedical imaging and devices, healthcare, autonomous systems, 5G/Next G communications, systems architectures, computational biomedicine, advanced materials and manufacturing, sustainable infrastructure, and more. The college encourages and supports multidisciplinary research and provides ample opportunity for faculty to work with other disciplines.
About the University and the Region:
George Mason University is the largest and most diverse public research university in Virginia, with an enrollment of more than 40,000 students studying in over 200 degree programs. Mason is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in a range of academic fields. It was classified as an R1 research institution in 2016 by the Carnegie Classifications of Institutes of Higher Education. The university has campuses in Fairfax, Arlington, and Prince William County. Its proximity to Washington, D.C. provides unmatched geographical access to federal agencies and national laboratories. Northern Virginia is also home to one of the largest concentrations of high-tech firms in the nation, providing excellent opportunities for interaction with industry. The region is consistently rated as being among the best places to live in the country and has an outstanding local public school system.
About the Future:
In conjunction with Amazon's decision to establish a second headquarters in Northern Virginia, the Commonwealth of Virginia announced a multi-year plan to invest in the growth of degree programs in computing. As a result, George Mason has committed to accelerate its plans to grow its capacity in computing and high-tech fields. Among the university's exciting initiatives are the launch of the Institute for Digital Innovation-a university think tank and incubator to serve the digital economy-and the expansion of Mason Square home to its Arlington facilities. In 2025, Fuse a new 355,000 square foot building, opened to students, faculty, and research teams. This net-zero facility will house the Institute for Digital Innovation, state-of the-art classrooms, labs, and collaborative spaces. It will also include retail space, and leasing opportunities for local businesses. These initiatives reflect hundreds of millions of dollars in new investment by George Mason that will rapidly elevate the university's already leading national position in computing and related areas.
George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.