Assistant Professor - Engineering

Assistant Professor - Engineering

42641BR

Engineering

Position Description

The Department of Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering at Texas Tech University invites applications for a full-time, 9-month, tenure-track, Assistant Professor to begin 09 / 01 / 2026.

About the University

Established in 1923, Texas Tech University is a Carnegie R1 (very high research activity) Doctoral / Research-Extensive, Hispanic Serving, and state-assisted institution. Located on a beautiful 1,850-acre campus in Lubbock, a city in West Texas with a growing metropolitan-area population of over 300,000, the university enrolls over 40,000 students with 33,000 undergraduate and 7,000 graduate students. As the primary research institution in the western two-thirds of the state, Texas Tech University is home to 10 colleges, the Schools of Law and Veterinary Medicine, and the Graduate School. The flagship of the Texas Tech University System, Texas Tech is dedicated to student success by preparing learners to be ethical leaders for a diverse and globally competitive workforce. It is committed to enhancing the cultural and economic development of the state, nation, and world.

About Lubbock : Referred to as the "Hub City" because it serves as the educational, cultural, economic, and health care hub of the South Plains region, Lubbock boasts a diverse population and a strong connection to community, history, and land. With a mild climate, highly rated public schools, and a low cost of living, Lubbock is a family-friendly community that is ranked as one of the best places to live in Texas. Lubbock is home to a celebrated and ever-evolving music scene, a vibrant arts community, and is within driving distance of Dallas, Austin, Santa Fe, and other major metropolitan cities. Lubbock's Convention & Visitors Bureau provides a comprehensive overview of the Lubbock community and its resources, programs, events, and histories.

About the College

The Whitacre College of Engineering (WCOE, https : / / www.depts.ttu.edu / coe / ) serves approximately 5,100 undergraduate and 1,050 graduate students, supported by 197 faculty and instructors. The college had 856 BS, 580 MS and 84 PhD graduates in the 2024-25 fiscal year. All incoming first year students are enrolled into a common foundational curriculum for all undergraduate programs. Foundational students declare a program of choice and can move into upper division after completing the foundational classes with a required TTU GPA. The WCOE consists of the Departments of Chemical Engineering; Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering; Computer Science; Electrical & Computer Engineering; Industrial, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; and Petroleum Engineering. All BS programs and the Environmental Engineering Master's program are ABET accredited. All departments have master's and PhD programs. WCOE had approximately $23M in federal research expenditures in 2023-24 fiscal year.

About the Department / School / Area

The Chemical Engineering Department at Texas Tech has 18 faculty members in tenured or tenure-track positions and two in teaching positions. The total undergraduate enrollment in the upper-level chemical engineering and the foundational engineering program is 326. The department's undergraduate program has a strong emphasis on hands-on training; the highlights of the program include the newly equipped Valero Laboratory for Unit Operations and the Morrow Energy Pilot Plant. The graduate program of the department consists of 96 graduate students that include 86 PhD students. Current research efforts in the department are focused on the areas of bioengineering and nanomedicine, energy and sustainability, soft matter, computational modeling and data science, and electrochemical engineering. Department's total sponsored research awards in fiscal year 2024-25 were $11.2M.

Major / Essential Functions

In line with TTU's strategic priorities to engage and empower a dynamic student body, enable innovative research and creative activities, and transform lives and communities through outreach and engaged scholarship, applicants should have experience working with a breadth of student populations at the undergraduate and / or graduate levels within individual or across the areas of teaching, research / creative activity, and service.

This position is part of a strategic initiative directed toward agricultural and biological systems engineering science and research. Therefore, there is a strong preference for candidates to lead a research program that seamlessly integrates bioprocess engineering with food engineering, focusing on precision fermentation, functional foods, and the enhancement of nutritional profiles through bioengineering techniques. The position will also investigate and develop new bioprocesses specifically tailored for the scalable production of food-grade products using fermentation technology.

As a faculty member in the Department of Chemical Engineering, you will be expected to develop nationally and internationally recognized and externally funded research program, form departmental and multidisciplinary collaborations, foster partnerships within and outside Texas Tech University as well as industry, teach core undergraduate and graduate courses in chemical engineering and core undergraduate courses for the new bachelor's program in biological systems engineering, engage in strategic outreach activities, and perform internal and professional service.

Organization

Texas Tech University

Faculty Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineering, or closely related discipline.
• A track record of outstanding research as demonstrated by publications.
• Commitment to excellence in education, student mentoring, outreach and / or community engagement.
• Research experience and / or training in bioprocess and food engineering.

This position is designated as involving access to critical infrastructure systems and / or research, as defined by Texas Executive Order GA-48. As such, candidates must successfully complete a comprehensive background check prior to employment. Employees are required to comply with all applicable state and federal regulations related to the protection of critical infrastructure. Ongoing employment is dependent upon maintaining eligibility for access and successfully passing periodic security and compliance reviews.

Preferred Qualifications

In addition to the required qualifications, individuals with the following preferred qualifications are strongly encouraged to apply :

Duty Point

TTU Lubbock, main campus and affiliated facilities

Safety Information

Adherence to robust safety practices and compliance with all applicable health and safety regulations are responsibilities of all TTU employees.

Does this position work in a research laboratory?

Yes

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please include the following documents in your application :

The application deadline is November 20, 2025.

Questions about this position should be directed to Dr. Siva Vanapalli, Search Committee Chair at siva.vanapalli@ttu.edu.

Job Type

Full Time

Pay Basis

Monthly

Pay Statement

Compensation is commensurate upon the qualifications of the individual selected and budgetary guidelines of the hiring department, as well as the institutional pay plan.

Travel Required

Up to 25%

Grant Funded?

No

Job Group

Assistant Professor

EEO Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or status as a protected veteran.

Salary Grade

800

Applications must be received by

11 / 20 / 2025