Department Head, Mechanical Engineering

Johns Hopkins University

Department Head, Mechanical Engineering

The Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) at Johns Hopkins University invites nominations and applications for the position of Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME). This is an outstanding opportunity for an accomplished scholar with leadership experience, in collaboration with a growing faculty and an enterprising Dean, to further strengthen an exceptional department at the nation’s first research university. The successful candidate will embody the intellectual distinction, entrepreneurial capacity, collaborative spirit, transparency, inclusiveness, and creativity that characterize the School’s culture, along with a scholarly record deserving appointment as tenured full professor at Johns Hopkins University. Serving a renewable five-year term, the Head will be appointed in an endowed position and will be a full-time tenured faculty member in ME. The Head will be encouraged to remain active in research, with strategic leadership of the department as their top priority.

The Department

The ME department has strengths in four established areas – thermo-fluids, mechanics and materials, robotics and controls, and mechanical engineering in biology and biomedicine – and has just nucleated a group in the emerging area of space engineering. The department is known for its collegial culture and shared governance practices.

ME faculty advance their research programs through several institutes that draw faculty from other WSE departments as well as the Applied Physics Laboratory, the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, and the School of Medicine. The Laboratory for Computational Sensing & Robotics (LCSR), the Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute (HEMI), the Institute for Nanobiotechnology (INBT), and the Ralph O’Connor Sustainable Energy Institute (ROSEI) are among the institutes with significant ME participation and leadership. HEMI and LCSR were founded by ME faculty, who have played leadership roles in several major efforts in the University including the new Data Science & AI Institute. In FY 2024-2025, the department’s sponsored-research expenditures topped $36M. Over the last decade, the department has grown to include over 30 tenured and tenure-track faculty, four teaching faculty, and 13 staff.

Department Head

The Department Head will continue to advance the excellence of research and teaching in the department; recruit and retain outstanding faculty and students; establish world-leading centers and institutes, broaden the department’s engagement with industry as well as with other departments, centers, and institutes in the University; support translational and entrepreneurial activities of the faculty; enhance a sense of community among members of the department; increase gift and grant support; elevate the reputation of faculty via award programs and other forms of recognition; accelerate the translation of discoveries and new knowledge to benefit society; and ensure that degree programs are in the forefront of their fields.

Qualifications

The new Head will be an entrepreneurial and proven leader who can inspire faculty, staff, and students in a shared governance environment. They will have the ability to establish and engage others in a compelling vision for ME as a leading department in its field, as a hub for research, and as a site of innovation, teaching, and translation. They will have strong skills for mentoring junior faculty and will promote the interests of the entire department. Fundraising experience is preferred. The department Head will have a dossier that embodies a strong track record of scholarship and teaching, a passionate commitment to research, discovery, and application; and an interest in and success at academic administration.

Expected academic background and qualifications:

• An earned doctorate in mechanical engineering or a related field and a scholarly record meriting appointment as a tenured full professor at Johns Hopkins University;
• Recognized leadership in an area of Mechanical Engineering and a distinguished national and international reputation for research and education;
• Excellent communication skills in both internal and external interactions;
• A strong commitment to diversity and inclusion at all levels among faculty, students, and staff; and
• Leadership experience within a complex research environment or in national/international organizations connected to the field of mechanical engineering.

Appointment terms

The annual compensation range for the role is $300K-$450K, to be structured through negotiation with the dean. This salary range represents the minimum and maximum salaries for this position and is based on Johns Hopkins University's good faith belief at the time of posting. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education/training, and other factors, as reasonably determined by the University. The dean of the Whiting School will negotiate the salary and other aspects of the Head’s employment such as startup package and teaching responsibilities directly with the selected candidate.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. To that end, the University does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or other legally protected characteristic. The University is committed to providing qualified individuals with access to all academic and employment programs, benefits, and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance, and merit without regard to personal factors that are irrelevant to the program involved.

Pre-Employment Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the HR Business Services Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu.

Background Checks, References, and Tenure

The successful candidate for the ME Head position should expect to provide a full list of professional references and will be subject to pre-employment education and employment verifications. In addition, appointment to the faculty of Johns Hopkins University is contingent upon a criminal background check and a separate review that looks back a period of seven years of professional conduct.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports its employees' health, life, career, and retirement. More information is available at https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.

The full position description can be viewed here.

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How to apply / nominate / learn more:

Johns Hopkins has engaged Opus Partners (Craig Smith, Managing Partner; Jeffrey Stafford, Senior Associate) to support this search. To apply, provide a nomination, or learn more, please contact Jeffrey (jeffrey.stafford@opuspartners.net). An application requires a CV, a cover letter addressed to the search chair, Professor KT Ramesh, discussing the responsibilities and expectations of this leadership role, and the names and contact information of three references (to be contacted only at the short-list stage).