Professor of the Practice in Cleanroom Facility
The Institute of Materials Science & Engineering (IMSE) and the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science at Washington University in St. Louis invite applications for a Professor of the Practice specializing in cleanroom micro- and nano-fabrication. This hire will support the IMSE cleanroom user facility, a shared university resource for research and teaching. Candidates for this non-tenure track faculty position are expected to enrich the curriculum, building on their distinguished record of technical contributions in the field, and support the university’s research mission by maintaining the facility to the highest standards for performance and accessibility for users.
Major responsibilities:
- Teaching two 3-unit courses per academic year, open to both graduate and undergraduate students, covering topics related to micro- and nano-device fabrication and characterization.
- Teaching a workshop or short course during the summer.
- Managing the cleanroom facility including training of users, supervising technical staff, overseeing routine maintenance and upkeep of a large and diverse set of instrumentation, coordinating equipment installation, and maintaining high standards of safety.
Additional activities include coordinating with faculty and research administrators on the use of existing equipment and acquisition of new instruments; providing up-to-date information on the facility website with detailed status of equipment, capabilities, recipes, and performance metrics; expanding the user base through outreach to local universities and companies; and organizing the annual IMSE Open House with other IMSE staff. Interaction with students, faculty, university leadership, and the external academic and industrial user base will be an important element of this position, and strong speaking and written communication skills are essential.
The IMSE cleanroom is a central resource for micro- and nano-fabrication research in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area. It houses state-of-the-art equipment for thin-film deposition and growth, optical and electron beam patterning, plasma etching, and metrology tools. The facility attracts users from across the university including the McKelvey School of Engineering, the School of Arts & Sciences, and the School of Medicine, as well as local and regional universities and corporations. The cleanroom has both a research mission serving over 50 faculty labs across the university, and an education mission to train the next generation of scientists and engineers in practical fabrication techniques for use in academic and industrial research settings.
Washington University in St. Louis is a private university with about 16,000 students. It is surrounded by and adjacent to museums, performance venues, vibrant entertainment and dining districts, one of the nation’s largest civic parks, and beautiful, tree-lined neighborhoods rich in history and diversity. The campuses are well served by the region’s light rail and bus service and have easy access to major interstate highways. St. Louis is consistently ranked among the nation’s most affordable and best places to live and raise families. Washington University provides comprehensive and competitive benefits for all faculty and their families.
Position requirements:
- PhD in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science and/or Engineering, or a relevant Engineering degree.
- A minimum of 7 years of experience working in an industrial or research/academic cleanroom.
- Academic, personnel, and/or facilities management experience will be particularly valued.
Applicants should submit a cover letter, CV/resume, one page description of prior cleanroom work experience, one page description of prior teaching experience (if applicable), and the contact information for three references to http://apply.interfolio.com/143724
Please address questions about this position to imse_director@wustl.edu
