Description
Position Description: The Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering (MSME) area in the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) at Harvard University seeks applicants for a tenure-track or tenured faculty position in the area of Materials for Energy Science and Technology. The expected start date is July 1, 2026. We particularly welcome candidates pursuing experimental research in materials science and engineering, but will also consider strong candidates using theoretical and computational approaches. Relevant backgrounds include materials science and engineering; mechanical, chemical, and bioengineering; physics, and chemistry.
The successful applicant will join the MSME area within the interdisciplinary environment of SEAS. We seek candidates with a record of innovative work, a clear vision for an original and impactful research program, and an interest in collaborating across multiple disciplines within the University, which is particularly important since we are building new School-wide programs in Energy and Climate Technology. Candidates should demonstrate enthusiasm for teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses in their field and related areas.
Research areas include the design and discovery of advanced materials that enable sustainable energy technologies. Potential topics span materials for energy generation, conversion, storage, and transport; thermocatalytic and electrocatalytic materials for energy and environmental applications; materials for efficient separations including carbon capture; engineered materials produced from captured carbon dioxide; critical materials for energy applications, and recyclable or biodegradable materials. Other fields of innovative energy-related materials research will also be considered. Candidates who integrate experimental, theoretical, computational, and/or data-driven approaches to accelerate clean energy innovation are particularly encouraged to apply.
Basic Qualifications: A doctoral degree in Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, or a related field is required by the time the appointment begins.
Additional Qualifications: A demonstrated strong commitment to teaching, mentoring, and research is expected. Candidates for a tenured appointment should demonstrate internationally recognized intellectual leadership, impact in the field, and the potential for significant contributions to the MSME area, SEAS, Harvard University, and the broader scholarly community.
Application Instructions: Please submit the following materials through the ARIeS portal at https://academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/15589. Review of applications will begin January 5, 2026 and conclude when the position is filled.
1. Cover letter
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. Teaching/advising statement (describing your philosophy and practices as well as your approach to creating a learning environment in which students are encouraged to ask questions and share their ideas)
4. Research statement
5. Service Statement (describing your efforts to strengthen academic communities, e.g., your department, institution, and/or professional societies.)
6. Candidates for a tenure-track position are also required to submit names and contact information of 3-5 referees, who will be asked by a system-generated email to upload a letter of recommendation once the candidate’s application has been submitted. Three letters of recommendation are required, and the application is considered complete only when at least three letters have been received. For candidates for a tenure-track position, at least one letter must come from someone who has not served as the candidate’s undergraduate, graduate, or postdoctoral advisor.
7. External applicants to a tenured position are required to complete, sign, and upload/submit the form entitled “Authorization to release information for external applicants” as part of the Conduct Inquiry Process and Procedures for External Applicants and Finalists to Tenured Positions.
