Grainger Engineering: Assistant Professor - Civil and Environmental Engineering

Assistant Professor in Rail Systems, Operations, and Safety

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
The Grainger College of Engineering

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) in the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign invites applications for one full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Rail Systems, Operations, and Safety. This position offers an opportunity to advance research and education in rail transportation and engineering. The successful candidate will join a department committed to fundamental discovery, disciplinary rigor, and translating innovations into practice to address pressing societal challenges.

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Initiate and sustain a vigorous, independently funded research program in rail transportation and engineering;
• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in rail transportation and engineering and related areas of expertise;
• Advise and mentor undergraduate and graduate students and contribute to a welcoming educational environment;
• Work effectively with industry and government sponsors and partners and pursue research collaborations within and beyond CEE; and
• Provide service to the department, university, and profession.

Research Areas. Exceptional applicants in all areas relevant to rail transportation and engineering will be considered. Areas of interest include railway systems, operations, and safety, with expertise in one or more of the following: rail capacity analysis and modeling; rail network planning and analysis; rail resiliency and sustainability; freight and passenger rail operations; advanced train control; computer-aided railway traffic control; rail system and operational optimization; automated or autonomous train operations; train operating mechanics and dynamics; railway energy efficiency and motive power; rail environmental engineering; integrated passenger and freight railway system safety and risk analysis; railway terminal system design and operations; rail transit; and high-speed and intercity passenger rail.

RailTEC. CEE is home to the Rail Transportation and Engineering Center (RailTEC), which leads the National University Rail Center of Excellence (NURail CoE), a nine-University consortium funded by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). RailTEC has a research partnership with the Association of American Railroads and extensive partnerships with railroads, the rail supply industry, and public-sector rail organizations. Its research facilities include the Research and Innovation Laboratory (RAIL), a dedicated facility for investigating railway infrastructure and components. Illinois offers an extensive rail transportation and engineering curriculum, including a cooperative virtual course exchange with KTH in Sweden, and opportunities to engage with faculty, centers, and research facilities across campus. Additional information is available at https://railtec.illinois.edu.

Qualifications. Candidates must hold a doctoral degree in Civil Engineering, Systems Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related engineering field by the appointment start date. Candidates should demonstrate the potential to establish an independent research program, a strong commitment to undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentoring of students at all levels, and the ability to work with a variety of industry and government sponsors and partners.

CEE at Illinois. The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a longstanding tradition of excellence in fundamental and translational research, education, and service. Its faculty and students work across the breadth of civil and environmental engineering and collaborate across disciplines to advance fundamental discovery and translate innovation into practice.

Envisioning a future in which civil and environmental engineers harness fundamental knowledge and emerging technologies, CEE at Illinois aims to address society’s most pressing challenges through rigorous scientific understanding, discovery, and data-driven and computational innovation. The department seeks to provide building blocks for a future in which people in Illinois and across the globe can lead lives that are healthy, safe, and full of possibility.

The department includes 56 tenured/tenure-track faculty, six specialized faculty, over 930 undergraduate students, and over 500 graduate students. Additional information about the department’s faculty, academic programs, research, and facilities is available at https://cee.illinois.edu.

Appointment Information. This is a full-time, benefits-eligible, tenure-track Assistant Professor position appointed on a nine-month service basis and paid over twelve months. The anticipated start date is August 16, 2027, but this date is negotiable. This position is eligible for work authorization sponsorship.

The budgeted salary range is $120,000 to $135,000 for the Assistant Professor position. The salary offered will be commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity.

To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by November 30, 2026. Applications may be accepted until the position is filled. Applicants may be interviewed before the full-consideration date; however, no hiring decision will be made until after that date.

Application Procedures. To apply, please create a candidate profile at http://jobs.illinois.edu. The application package should include the following in a single .pdf file in the “resume/CV” section: (a) cover letter, (b) curriculum vitae, (c) statement of teaching goals and interests, (d) statement of previous research accomplishments and future research plans, (e) service statement, and (f) names and contact information for three professional references (no letters required at this time).

The research, teaching, and service statements offer a chance to share your motivation, approach, experience, leadership, impact, and vision in each area, including how you would support the university’s land-grant mission (https://boldly.illinois.edu/), through campus, community, or professional engagement. For questions regarding the application process, please contact Stacie Mertes at smertes@illinois.edu.

We have an active and successful Dual Career Academic Couples Program and a strong commitment to work-life balance and family-friendly programs for faculty and staff (https://provost.illinois.edu/faculty-affairs/work-life-balance/).