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The University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute (UT-ORII) seeks highly qualified research faculty candidates to advance the knowledge and application of Clean Manufacturing.

UT-ORII was founded in 2019 by the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to help the US maintain prominence as a global leader in innovation and discovery, and to create a robust talent pipeline in areas of growing national need and demand. UT-ORII is funded by the Department of Energy and the State of Tennessee.

Roles and Responsibilities

UT-ORII research faculty will work in collaboration with UT and ORNL researchers to address current and future low emission and high efficiency energy requirements for manufacturing systems and processes that support national economic and defense needs.

Research faculty will collaborate on laboratory experiments and reporting, proposal preparation and submission, support for existing research projects, and student mentoring at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

More About UT-ORII

The University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute is a partnership of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and UT created to prepare interdisciplinary leaders in energy science and technology and develop a world-class workforce for industry, government, and academia that will drive innovation and create the industries of the future.

Today's energy economy is driven by disruptive technologies and swift change. The US is in a global competition for jobs, talent, and investment. To successfully compete, we must develop leadership talent in research and development (R&D), encourage entrepreneurship, and create an educational environment that promotes rapid innovation and attracts skilled professionals.

Leveraging a 75-plus-year UT-ORNL partnership, UT and ORNL have developed joint institutes, joint facilities, interdisciplinary PhD programs, and comprehensive joint faculty arrangements, including 17 Governor's Chairs recruited for the significance of their impacts in their fields.

UT-ORII's overall goal is to become a center for convergent research and talent development, helping maintain US prominence as a global innovation leader and providing tangible benefits to Tennessee.

More About Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Since its establishment in 1943, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been delivering scientific discoveries and technical breakthroughs needed to realize solutions in energy and national security and provide economic benefit to the nation. More than 5,800 employees representing 60+ nations apply unique facilities, sophisticated tools, and signature strengths in neutron science, high-performance computing, advanced materials, biology and environmental science, clean energy, fission and fusion science and engineering, isotopes, and national security research to benefit science and society. In addition, ORNL's wide range of partnerships with other US Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories and programs, universities, and industry have enabled outstanding contributions to science. Over the years, ORNL researchers have received Nobel Prizes, contributed to the discovery of elements, received hundreds of R&D 100 Awards, and more. 

• PhD in engineering/science disciplines related to Clean Manufacturing
• Track record in funding, publications and student mentoring is desired.
• Research experience in areas that support UT-ORII's Clean Manufacturing mission including, but not limited to:
  • Manufacturing processes, such as machining, forming, and additive, as well as their integration in hybrid applications
  • Manufacturing equipment design, analysis, and control, including robots and machine tools
  • Materials development and characterization
  • Metrology, including sensor development, part measurement, and Industry 5.0 implementation
  • Machine learning with application to manufacturing. Candidates with experience in more than one discipline, or interest in collaboration across these disciplines, are preferred
• Demonstrated research skills
• Strong communication skills and a demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative team environment. 
• A clear path to independence as a researcher is desired though an 'on-ramp' through collaboration with more senior investigators is also encouraged. 

The position will be implemented via a 5-year, renewable contract. Salary will be determined commensurate with experience.  Benefits will be typical of those of exempt employees at the University of Tennessee.  Some funds are available to outfit a lab and a recurring budget is also available.

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Applications must include (1) a letter of interest; (2) a comprehensive curriculum vitae; (3) a research plan; and (4) the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three professional references. All application materials should be submitted in Interfolio at http://apply.interfolio.com/105904.

All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Equity and Diversity, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, telephone 865-974-2498. Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at the Office of Equity and Diversity.

About University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Our primary mission is to move forward the frontiers of human knowledge and enrich and elevate the citizens of the state of Tennessee, the nation, and the world. As the preeminent research-based, land-grant university in the state, UT embodies the spirit of excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, creative activity, outreach, and engagement attained by the nation’s finest public research institutions.

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