Department Head

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.

The full position description can be viewed here.

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.

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).

Salary Range

The referenced 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.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The 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 characteristics. The university is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance and merit without regard to personal factors or demographic characteristics 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 at Johns Hopkins University for disabilities, medical conditions (including medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), accessibility, or religious reasons, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu.

Background Checks

After receiving a conditional offer, the successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check including education verification. When deciding whether a candidate's conviction history is job-disqualifying, the University considers the nature and gravity of the offense, the time that has passed since the conviction, and the nature of the job being sought.

EEO is the Law

https://www.eeoc.gov/employees-job-applicants

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine.

Exceptions to the seasonal flu vaccine or COVID-19 vaccine (for SOM) requirement(s) may be provided to individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs or medical conditions that preclude them from receiving the vaccine. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.

The following additional vaccine requirements may apply, depending upon your campus. Please contact the hiring department for more information.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those candidates who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.