Associate Research Engineer Jobs in Utah (NOW HIRING)

The Energy Engineering Program at Utah State University (USU) is an ambitious new initiative dedicated to transformative research and teaching to advance comprehensive energy systems to solve tomorrow’s energy challenges, prepare students to make meaningful impacts in the energy workforce, and bridge research with policy and implementation to provide sustainable energy solutions and economic benefits locally, regionally, and globally. The Energy Engineering Program is housed within the College of Engineering and will offer B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees.  Highly motivated team members that will advance the new Energy Engineering program are needed.

The two expected position types are:

• Tenure-Track (Assistant/Associate/Full Professor)
• Extension (Outreach-Focused, Assistant/Associate/Full Professor)

Tenure-Track Faculty: Candidates applying for the tenure track position will be considered at the assistant, associate, or full professor level. The tenure-track positions are an academic year (funded for 9-months) appointment located at either USU’s main campus in Logan, UT, USU Eastern in Price, UT or the USU campus in Vernal, UT with an anticipated start date of January 2026 but will remain open until filled. Applicants for the tenure-track position must have a Ph.D. degree in Energy Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a closely related field.

In addition to a clear research focus, successful applicants will be expected at a minimum to: 1) develop a significant externally funded research program that includes a strong record of peer-reviewed publications, engagement with businesses and governments in the local community, and graduate mentorship, 2) effectively teach, advise, and mentor undergraduate and graduate students and create advanced energy engineering courses in their area(s) of specialization, and 3) actively participate in assigned department and university duties.

Extension Faculty: Candidates interested in the extension faculty position will be considered at the assistant, associate, or full professor level. Candidates with expertise in all areas of Energy Policy and Implementation are invited to apply. The extension position is an academic year (funded for 9-months) appointment located at USU Eastern in Price, UT with an anticipated start date of January 2026. Applicants for the professor of extension faculty position must have a PhD degree in Energy Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Civil/Enviromental Engineering Geoscience, or a closely related field.

Areas of Expertise:

Candidates with expertise in the following areas are invited to apply:

a) Integrated Energy Systems research focuses on linking multiple energy outputs—thermal, electrical, and chemical—into coordinated or tightly coupled systems that enhance overall efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability. This includes the integration of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, and bioenergy with conventional and emerging technologies for energy conversion, storage, transportation, and utilization. (Faculty Position: Tenure-Track, Location: Logan, Price or Vernal Campus)

b) Conventional Energy Source Optimization and Impact Minimization, including hydrocarbon recovery efficiency and formulation, carbon capture and sequestration, and environmental protection and clean-up. (Faculty Position: Tenure-Track, Location: Vernal or Price Campus)

c) Cyber Security and/or Physical Security of Energy Systems and Infrastructure: Energy systems are increasingly interconnected, digitalized, and data-driven, creating new opportunities and vulnerabilities across the entire energy value chain. Faculty specializing in this area will focus on protecting critical energy infrastructure through research and education that bridges information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) domains. Areas of emphasis include secure system architecture design, real-time monitoring and intrusion detection, risk assessment and resilience modeling, secure communications, and the development of advanced encryption and authentication methods for distributed energy resources and control systems. (Tenure Track, Location: Logan Campus)

d) Nuclear Systems and Applications, including upstream and downstream support systems and applications (mineral extraction and processing, process heating and cooling, secondary water systems, spent fuel recycling, isotope applications, connecting small modular reactors to data centers) (Faculty Position: Tenure Track, Location: Logan Campus or Price Campus)

e) Energy Policy and Implementation position focuses on the engineering dimensions of energy policy—linking technical innovation with policy design, implementation, and community impact. Faculty in this area will apply engineering analysis, modeling, and systems thinking to evaluate and guide energy policy decisions that affect technology deployment, infrastructure planning, and sustainability outcomes. Areas of interest include techno-economic and life-cycle assessment of energy technologies; grid integration of renewable and distributed resources; carbon management and decarbonization pathways; and quantitative policy evaluation tools for energy transition planning. (Faculty Position: Extension or Tenure-Track, Location: Vernal or Price Campus)

f) Critical Minerals research in energy engineering encompasses exploration, extraction, processing, and recycling of minerals essential to clean energy technologies and advanced manufacturing. Areas of emphasis include supply chain resilience, environmentally responsible mining and refining practices, materials characterization, life-cycle analysis, and recovery of critical elements from industrial byproducts and end-of-life products. Additional interests include the integration of mineral resource assessment with energy system modeling and development of new materials and processes to reduce dependence on limited or geopolitically constrained resources. (Faculty Position: Tenure-Track, Location: Logan or Price or Blanding Campus)

g) Research on Water in Energy Engineering addressing water use, production, and management across the energy value chain. Topics include water treatment and desalination using renewable or waste heat energy, energy-efficient wastewater reuse, produced-water management from fossil and geothermal resources, and technologies for coupling water and energy storage. (Faculty Position: Tenure-Track or Extension, Location: Logan or Vernal Campus)

h) Energy Storage is a cornerstone of modern energy systems, enabling the integration of variable renewable resources, improving grid reliability, and enhancing overall system efficiency. Faculty with expertise in this area will contribute to advancing fundamental and applied research in storage technologies across multiple scales and media—electrochemical (batteries, flow systems), thermal, mechanical, chemical, and hybrid storage. Areas of focus may include materials development and characterization, system design and optimization, degradation modeling, recycling and sustainability of storage materials, and integration of storage within broader energy networks. Faculty Position: Tenure-Track or Extension, Location: Logan Campus)

Candidates with strong core fundamentals that allow them to work across multidisciplinary areas are encouraged to apply. Moreover, candidates with strong community engagement skills and the ability to integrate social, political, regulatory, economic, and legal considerations into their academic programs to facilitate development and implementation efforts are of particular interest.

Tenure-Track Responsibilities:

• Develop a significant externally funded research program that includes a strong record of peer-reviewed publications and graduate mentorship.
• Effectively teach undergraduate and graduate courses.
• Actively participate in assigned department and university duties.
• Incorporate modern industry practices, artificial intelligence/data analytics, and emerging energy technologies into coursework.
• Courses could be on-campus (in-person)/online courses and both term-based and self-paced asynchronous online courses.
• Serve as a catalyst for attracting and supporting undergraduate and graduate students in the College of Engineering Program.
• Conduct interdisciplinary research with other departments and initiatives at USU.

Extension Responsibilities:

• Develop a significant externally funded research program that includes a strong record of peer-reviewed publications and graduate mentorship.
• Actively participate in assigned department and university duties.
• Serve as a catalyst for attracting and supporting undergraduate and graduate students in the College of Engineering Program.
• Conduct interdisciplinary research with other departments and initiatives at USU.
• Develop effective relationships with government agencies and industries that support the objectives of the energy engineering program.

Tenure-Track Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD. degree in Energy Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Civil/Enviromental Engineering, or closely related fields.
• A strong background in engineering fundamentals.
• Evidence of emerging or established research program with potential for extramural support and publication.
• Record of peer-reviewed publications in high-quality journals.
• Ability to engage industry partners and connect course content to the practice of engineering in the field.
• Effective interpersonal skills, including the ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, staff, and students.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including demonstrated ability to teach, inspire, and mentor students with commitment to student success.
• Successful completion of a Criminal History Background Check.

Tenure-Track Preferred Qualifications:

• Professional experience outside of academia, working in an engineering role in the energy industry.
• Teaching experience at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Proficiency in the use of relevant energy modeling and conservation software.
• Knowledge or experience in energy infrastructure, systems, or security.
• Experience in developing high-impact, experiential learning curricula.
• Record of involvement in seeking extramural funding.
• Experience working on multi-disciplinary research teams.
• Passed the Fundamentals of Engineering exam or earned a Professional Engineering license.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including demonstrated ability to teach, inspire, and mentor students with commitment to student success.
• Successful completion of a Criminal History Background Check.

Extension Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD. degree in Energy Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Civil/Enviromental Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Geoscience, or closely related fields.
• A strong background in engineering fundamentals.
• Evidence of emerging or established research program with potential for extramural support and publication.
• Record of peer-reviewed publications in high-quality journals.
• Significant professional experience outside of academia, working in an engineering role in the energy industry.
• Ability to engage industry partners and connect course content to the practice of engineering in the field.
• Effective interpersonal skills, including the ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, staff, and students.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including demonstrated ability to teach, inspire, and mentor students with commitment to student success.
• Successful completion of a Criminal History Background Check.

Extension Preferred Qualifications:

• Proficiency in the use of relevant energy modeling and conservation software.
• Knowledge or experience in energy infrastructure, systems, or security.
• Record of involvement in seeking extramural funding.
• Experience working on multi-disciplinary research teams.
• Passed the Fundamentals of Engineering exam or earned a Professional Engineering license.

Along with the online application, please attach:

1. Resume/CV to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV".

The documents listed below to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-10”:

1. Cover letter summarizing your motivation, qualifications, experience, and career goals.
2. Research Statement (Tenure-Track and Extension Faculty candidates only)
3. Teaching Philosophy
4. Names and contact information of three professional references (reference letters will only be solicited from final candidates).

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Employees typically work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes.  

The Energy Engineering Program in the College of Engineering is an ambitious new initiative at Utah State University. The program will offer BS, MS and PhD degrees in Energy Engineering. The College of Engineering at Utah State University is a regional leader in teaching and research. The college currently has 79 tenured/tenure-track faculty members, with additional professors of practice and part-time instructors from local industry and research institutions. We are home to the world-famous Utah Water Research Laboratory and the National Science Foundation-funded ASPIRE Engineering Research Center for sustainable electrified transportation. Each year, our college welcomes an average of 2,000 undergraduate and 300 graduate students from around the globe. The college offers five ABET-accredited undergraduate degrees and 15 graduate degree programs. In 2023-24, the college generated $40 million in research expenditures. Our award-winning faculty regularly secure competitive funding, an...