About this role
Position Description
The Institute for Sustainability and Circular Economy (ISCE) at Texas Tech University in Conjunction with the $51M NSF funded Engineering Research Center for Advancing Sustainable and Distributed Fertilizer Production (CASFER) and the Department of Chemical Engineering invite applications for two (2) full-time, 9-month, tenure-track, Assistant Professor positions to begin September 1, 2027.
All prospective employees are encouraged to visit Work at Texas Tech to learn more about becoming a part of our campus community.
About the University
Founded in 1923, Texas Tech University began with a mission to serve the needs of West Texas, but its impact has always reached far beyond. Today, Texas Tech, located in Lubbock (pop. 300,000+), is home to a vibrant community of more than 42,000 students. Texas Tech's 1,800-acre campus showcases Spanish Renaissance architecture and is home to one of the country's largest public art collections. Its 13 colleges include a prestigious School of Law and a distinguished School of Veterinary Medicine. These programs equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in their respective fields.
Built on the values of West Texas — hard work, grit and authenticity — the university graduates students who are deeply engaged in service to their communities and well-positioned to succeed in the world. Texas Tech is committed to achieving research and scholarly accomplishments that compare favorably to the member institutions of the Association of American Universities (AAU). For more than 100 years, Texas Tech has been a premier destination for those seeking a world-class education and a unique, personalized experience as a member of the Red Raider family.
About the College
The Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering (WCOE) serves approximately 5,900 undergraduate students and more than 1,000 graduate students, supported by 230 faculty members and instructors. During the 2025–26 fiscal year, the college awarded 855 bachelor’s, 580 master’s, and 84 doctoral degrees. All first-year students begin in a common foundational curriculum shared across the college’s undergraduate programs. After completing the foundational coursework, students may declare their preferred major and advance to upper-division study with a minimum Texas Tech GPA of 2.5.
WCOE comprises the Departments of Chemical Engineering; Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering; Computer Science; Electrical & Computer Engineering; Industrial, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; and Petroleum Engineering. Each department offers master’s and doctoral programs, and the college’s annual research expenditures total approximately $38 million.
About the Department/School/Area
Texas Tech University Institute for Sustainability and Circular Economy (ISCE) is dedicated to developing solutions to major society problems while integrating sustainability, resiliency, and circular economy practices. ISCE provides an infrastructure for collaboration among multiple disciplines. CASFER is an example of a sustainability initiative. The vision of the NSF Engineering research center CASFER is to enable resilient and sustainable food production by developing next-generation, modular, distributed, and efficient technologies for capturing, recycling, and producing nitrogen-based fertilizers. CASFER is led by Texas Tech University with partner institutions including, Georgia Tech, MIT, and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. CASFER has over 30 faculty and researchers and is supporting over 70 graduate students, undergraduate students and post-doctoral researchers.
The Chemical Engineering Department at Texas Tech has 20 faculty members in tenured or tenure-track positions and three in teaching positions. The total undergraduate enrollment in the upper-level chemical engineering and biological systems engineering, and the foundational engineering programs is 357. 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 107 graduate students that includes 97 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.
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 dynamic student populations at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels within individual or across the areas of teaching, research/creative activity, and service.
As a faculty member in the Department of Chemical Engineering and a member of ISCE and CASFER, 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 the chemical engineering department, engage in strategic outreach activities, and perform internal and professional service.
This is an interdisciplinary position. Candidates will have the Department of Chemical Engineering within the Whitacre College of Engineering as the home department for the tenure-track position and are expected to perform research within ISCE and CASFER and support the vision and mission of both. They will also engage in strategic outreach, scholarship, and perform internal and professional service. This is a unique opportunity to work with the multidisciplinary and convergent team of CASFER and contribute to the path of supporting a Nitrogen Circular Economy.
Candidates will have the opportunity to engage in multidisciplinary research toward circular engineering design, revalorization of products, distributed production of value products, be active in public outreach on resilient infrastructure issues and policy, and in advancing ISCE strategic goals. We seek dedicated scholars who will provide inspiration, leadership, excellence in research, teaching, and service.
Faculty Qualifications
- Applicants must have a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or a closely related discipline.
- A track record of outstanding research as demonstrated by publications.
- A commitment to excellence in education, student mentoring, outreach and/or community engagement.
- Demonstrated research experience and/or formal training in materials science, separation processes, circular economy principles, and waste-to-resource technologies. Evidence of vision to establish a research program that aligns with the need of ISCE and CASFER as described in the research statement
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:
- Preference will be given to candidates with expertise in experimental research involving novel materials, particularly advanced functional materials for sustainable separation processes, including adsorption and precipitation-based methods, as well as candidates with experience in circular resource recovery, including the design and implementation of processes aligned with circular economy principles and the recovery, valorization, and repurposing of waste streams. Outstanding applicants with expertise besides these preferred areas of interest may be considered.
- Postdoctoral experience.
- Record of student advisement, leadership of student organizations, formal mentorship activities or programming, etc.
- Individuals who have been part of a large research center (e.g., NSF Engineering Research Center, Science Technology Center, etc.).
- Teaching or teaching assistant experience.
Safety Information
Adherence to robust safety practices and compliance with all applicable health and safety regulations are responsibilities of all TTU employees.
Special Instructions to Applicants
Cover Letter
- Curriculum Vitae
- Research Statement
- Teaching Statement
- List of references
Questions about this position should be directed to Dr. Changzhi Li, Search Committee Chair at [email protected]. Ifyou need assistance with the application process, contact Human Resources, Talent Acquisition at [email protected] 806-742-3851.
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.
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.