The Department of Chemical Engineering, in the College of Engineering, provides these resources for students and alumni, as well as for prospective faculty and staff.
Open Positions
Department Chair
The College of Engineering at Michigan Technological University invites applications for the position of Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering to begin July 1, 2025. The Department of Chemical Engineering seeks an individual who has a demonstrated record of scholarly and administrative achievement and will lead the Chemical Engineering faculty and staff in our mission of excellence in education, research, and service while promoting our culture of safety and a welcoming, inclusive environment. We seek an individual with the vision and experience to elevate the prominence of the department in chemical engineering research, further, our strong tradition of hands-on experiential education, grow our M.S. and Ph.D. programs, and work with all stakeholders to align the department activities and goals with the strategic plans of the College and University.
Faculty Positions
Assistant Teaching Professor or Professor of Practice
Michigan Technological University invites applications for an assistant teaching professor/professor of practice faculty position in the Department of Chemical Engineering. Applicants for the position are required to have a Ph.D. and/or an M.S. with significant industrial experience in chemical engineering or a closely related discipline by August 11, 2025.
Staff Positions
Assistant Research Scientist
This Assistant Research Scientist position is responsible for operating a state-of-the-art analytical chemistry laboratory within Professor Lei Pan's laboratories in Michigan Tech's Chemical Engineering Department. This position is also responsible for coordinating sample analysis requests from external partners and users within the campus.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Professor Lei Pan's research group at Michigan Technological University is seeking a motivated postdoctoral research associate to advance both science and engineering in the field of mineral processing and hydrometallurgical refining or primary nickel ores and recycling of Li-ion batteries. The primary focus will be black mass separation and lithium extraction and purification.
Research Technician
Professor Lei Pan's group at Michigan Technological University is seeking a research technician to advance both circular economy and sustainability of critical raw materials from both primary resource and secondary resources. This position will be working within MTU's upgraded mineral processing and hydrometallurgy labs and working closely with research staff and students on various sponsored projects.
Research Program Coordinator
Working under the direction of the Principal Investigator, the Chemical Engineering department seeks a Research Program Coordinator who will provide coordination of multi-funded research projects. This position will coordinate efforts which may include other collaborating agencies and institutions. Provides comprehensive research development support (including pre-and post-award proposal development and management) to faculty members and administrative assistance to center and department leadership. Coordinates on-campus and external outreach to help foster research growth.
Student Open Positions
Ph.D. Position
Maria Gencoglu's research group in the Department of Chemical Engineering (ChE) at Michigan Technological University is seeking applications for a Ph.D. position starting in spring 2025. The research will focus on biomaterial-based platforms for cancer tissue engineering. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Gencoglu began her tenure-track position as an assistant professor at Michigan Tech in August 2024. Her research interests include cancer tissue engineering, scaffold-based disease modeling, molecular mechanisms of diseases, and 3D organoids and spheroids models.
Motivated candidates with bachelor’s or master’s degrees in chemical engineering, biomedical engineering or bioengineering are encouraged to apply. Candidates with experience in the previously mentioned areas are preferred.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should email the following documents to Gencoglu at mgencogl@mtu.edu with the subject “Ph.D. Application_FirstName_LastName”.
- A cover letter detailing your research interests and relevant experience
- A detailed CV or resume
All potential graduate students must apply and be accepted to the graduate program in chemical engineering. For further information, please contact the Graduate School at Michigan Tech.
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Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.