Professor Emeritus Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison seeks a new faculty member at any level in the area of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI and ML) for polymeric materials.

Candidates will have a demonstrated record of academic achievement such as peer-reviewed publications and grant awards appropriate for their career stage, exceptional potential in establishing a world-class research program in artificial intelligence and machine learning combined with expertise in polymeric materials, and a commitment to high-quality and inclusive undergraduate and graduate teaching, learning, and mentoring. Assistant Professor candidates will have a PhD and at least 2 years of relevant research experience. Associate and Full Professor candidates must possess experience and scholarly credentials that meet the tenure standards of the UW-Madison Divisional Committee and the College of Engineering.

This position will emphasize the design, synthesis, characterization, and application of polymer materials. Areas of interest in polymer research include but are not limited to the development of AI/ML for predicting polymer properties and in de novo polymer design, AI-guided design of functional polymers including sequence-controlled polymers, degradable polymers, optoelectronic polymers, macromolecular additives and compatibilizers for blends, composites, resins for additive manufacturing, AI-based soft-materials design, AI/ML enabled synthesis, and AI-enabled high-throughput characterization. Research complementing existing efforts across the College of Engineering in polymer synthesis, polymer upcycling and recycling, biopolymers, the materials science of soft materials, and advanced manufacturing is of particular interest.

The successful candidate will teach and develop undergraduate courses; supervise graduate student research; develop and direct a strong funded research program; participate in departmental and university faculty governance; demonstrate dedication to diversity; and contribute to professional and public service.

Additional Information:

This position is part of the Wisconsin Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) initiative, specifically the RISE-AI focus area. Through accelerated and strategic faculty hiring, research infrastructure enhancement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and increased student and educational opportunities, RISE addresses complex societal challenges of importance to the state, the nation and world. Building on UW-Madison's strengths, RISE expands the University's successful track record of connecting with communities and industry on collaborative solutions.

Over the next three academic years, UW-Madison will substantially increase current hiring levels, bringing 150 new RISE faculty to campus. Candidates hired through RISE will join a community of scholars working across disciplines, schools and colleges on research, teaching, and outreach endeavors. The community will engage regularly in venues such as seminar series and colloquia to share ongoing projects and identify opportunities to work together. The University will support the community, facilitating access to research infrastructure, and funding to support broad and rich collaboration.

Through the campus RISE hiring initiative and the College of Engineering RISE faculty hiring matching program, the College of Engineering will increase by nearly 50 tenure-track faculty members, representing a more than 20% growth in the total faculty body. The RISE-AI hiring initiative will add 20 new faculty members to this vibrant community in the College of Engineering.

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the College of Engineering at UW-Madison enrolls approximately 100 undergraduate students and over 100 MS and PhD graduate students from within the state of Wisconsin and from all over the world. The Department has 23 Primary Faculty, 42 Affiliate Faculty who can serve as advisors of MS&E graduate students, and multiple Teaching Faculty, Emeritus Faculty, and Instructional Staff. UW-Madison is home to world-class, collaborative research efforts across materials, including metals, electronic and optical materials, nanomaterials, advanced manufacturing, polymers and biomaterials. UW-Madison is also home to cutting edge facilities for materials synthesis, characterization, and computation at the department, college, and campus level. Faculty members recruited in this specialty area will have the opportunity to develop collaborative research activities with faculty and staff in the College of Engineering, the College of Letters & Science, other academic units, and in specialized research centers across campus. The University of Wisconsin-Madison has a strong commitment to promoting diversity and engaging in inclusive practices in our learning and research environments. The Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the College of Engineering are committed to increasing the diversity of the campus community and curriculum. Candidates who can contribute to these goals are encouraged to identify their strengths and experiences in these areas.

Madison, Wisconsin, a beautiful city of more than 250,000, has been named on top-10 lists for tech growth centers, and consistently ranks as a top community in which to live, work, and play.

Candidate will teach and develop undergraduate courses; supervise graduate student research; develop and direct a strong funded research program; participate in departmental and university faculty governance; demonstrate dedication to diversity; and contribute to professional and public service.

• College of Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering

• Negotiable - 9 months / ongoing / renewable

• Candidates will have a demonstrated record of academic achievement such as peer-reviewed publications and grant awards appropriate for their career stage, exceptional potential in establishing a world-class research program in artificial intelligence and machine learning combined with domain expertise in materials science and engineering, and a commitment to high-quality and inclusive undergraduate and graduate teaching, learning, and mentoring. Assistant Professor candidates will have a PhD and at least 2 years of relevant research experience. Associate and Full Professor candidates must possess experience and scholarly credentials that meet the tenure standards of the UW-Madison Divisional Committee and the College of Engineering.

• PhD in Materials Science & Engineering or related field by start date and at least 2 years of relevant research experience.

• The application should include: 1) a cover letter, 2) a detailed curriculum vitae (CV) with full publication list, 3) a research statement of not more than five pages, and 4) a teaching statement of not more than two pages. The application should describe how the applicant's research and teaching goals fit the solicitation above.

• Please request three reference letters to be submitted directly by the referees to facultysearch@mse.wisc.edu before the deadline.

Deadline:

• For full consideration, all materials must be received no later than 11:59pm on January 15, 2026. Applications may be accepted until position is filled.

Cheryl Harris

Department of Materials Science Engineering

cjharris5@wisc.edu

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
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