Assistant/Associate/Full Professor (Tenured/Tenure-Track), MizzouForward, Nuclear Engineering and Energy Materials Engineering
Quick facts
- Type
- Full-time
- Location
- Columbia, MO
- Background
- PhD
- Skills
- Engineering
- Industry
- Education — 307 open jobs
- Visa in listing
- H-1B, OPT
- Apply
- Free to apply — never pay anyone for a job offer or visa sponsorship
Job description
This recruitment is part of MizzouForward, a major institutional investment in faculty recruitment, research infrastructure, and student success. Successful candidates will enhance externally funded research programs, contribute to undergraduate and graduate education, and advance the College's strategic priorities in energy and materials. These appointments will strengthen MU's nuclear engineering research and graduate education while expanding collaborations across Engineering, Arts and Science, and Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.
Research interests include, but are not limited to, nuclear fuels and structural materials; radiation effects and materials performance in extreme environments; reactor engineering and nuclear systems; materials for energy conversion and storage; and computational approaches to materials discovery and design. We welcome experimental, computational, and interdisciplinary research that connects fundamental advances with applications in energy.
A central objective for this position is to develop build upon and expand MU's nuclear research capabilities through access to distinctive facilities and emerging investments. The MU Research Reactor (MURR) provides nationally recognized capabilities in neutron irradiation, nuclear materials research, isotope production, neutron science, and related nuclear engineering research, with opportunities for collaboration with MURR scientists and engineers. MU is also advancing NextGen MURR, a planned 20-megawatt research reactor that will significantly expand the University's capabilities in materials irradiation, isotope production, neutron science, and reactor research and create new opportunities for faculty to shape the research programs and capabilities surrounding this major investment.
The forthcoming Payne Energy Innovation Center, a 116,000-square-foot facility, will bring together researchers working at the intersection of energy, materials, and data science. Its multidisciplinary laboratories will support collaborations spanning energy generation, storage, and transmission, including nuclear research. The Materials Science and Engineering Institute provides further opportunities to connect expertise across disciplines and develop shared research programs.
MU has outstanding core facilities including the NextGen Precision Health core facilities including a 7 Tesla MRI, and the Electron Microscopy Core Facility. Additionally MU provides resources like the Advanced Light Microscopy, the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Core, the PET Imaging Center, access to the Hellbender, a high-power computing environment, the Materials Characterization & Fabrication Core, the Micro X-ray Core, the Immersive Visualization CAVE for AI/Big Data Analytics
Qualifications
Minimum Qualification
An earned doctorate in engineering, materials science, physics, chemistry, or a closely related field by the time of appointment.
Candidates will be evaluated on the following factors
- Track record of external research funding, particularly from federal agencies
- Research portfolio and accomplishments (e.g., publication record, number of citations)
- National awards and honors, membership with national academies
- Interdisciplinary orientation of their work
The priority deadline for applications is November 30th, 2026 but the posting will remain open until filled. Candidates across all academic ranks will be considered. Specific academic home(s) of candidates will be determined throughout the hiring process. This is not a remote opportunity.
Please direct questions about your application, the hiring process, or the MizzouForward initiative to (mizzouforward@missouri.edu).
Application Materials
To apply please submit:
- CV including (past, current and pending) extramural funding information
- Letter of application, describing your current research portfolio, accomplishments, and future research goals
- Teaching evaluations for the previous three years (including student comments).
A total of five references will be requested during the final phase of the interview process.
Current MU faculty members on a tenure track or with tenure do not qualify to apply for this opening.
Handling of Application Materials
After initial review by the committee, all uploaded materials may be shared with all faculty in the prospective department. For affiliations and joint appointments materials may be shared with all faculty in all departments involved.
Sponsorship Information
Employment visa sponsorship may be available for candidates currently in the United States in H-1B status or other work-authorized status.
Community Information
Columbia, Missouri, has been consistently rated as one of the most desirable places to live and work in the U.S. This college city of 128,000-plus residents has the best of both worlds - small-town convenience and warmth with urban sophistication and amenities. Located halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City, Columbia boasts affordable housing, moderate cost of living, broad cultural and economic opportunities, award-winning public schools, and a regional airport that is expanding its offerings.
Popular cultural events include the annual True/False documentary film festival, the monthly First Fridays Art Walk and the spring Unbound Book Festival. As a SEC institution, college athletics plays a major role in Columbia's social scene, with ample opportunities to attend Mizzou sporting events. Mizzou's campus is adjacent to downtown Columbia, within walking distance of restaurants, clothing stores, ice cream shops, and music venues. Downtown's shopping corridor is packed with designer boutiques, jewelers, florists, and bookstores.
Finally, Columbia is known for having an outstanding array of year-round outdoor activities. It boasts multiple city parks and an outstanding state park, Rock Bridge State Park. The region's caves, forests, streams and cliffs offer endless exploration for outdoor adventurers. The popular MKT Trail takes cyclists and hikers all through Columbia and links to the 225-mile Katy Trail, which stretches across the state.
Benefit Eligibility
This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/departments-staff/human-resources/benefits-retirement
Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
To request ADA accommodations, please call the Director of Accessibility and ADA at 573-884-7278.
Visa sponsorship record: University of Missouri
Sponsors occasionally| Fiscal year | H-1B LCAs | USCIS approvals | USCIS denials | PERM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 1 | — | — | — |
This exact kind of role (Engineers, All Other) isn't among the roles University of Missouri sponsored most often.
Roles they sponsor most
- assistant coach1 LCA · median $75k
Which visas can work for this job
Occupation: Engineers, All Other (SOC 17-2199) — estimated from the job title.
- Mentioned in the listing
H-1B, OPT
- H-1B cap-exempt employer
Likely cap-exempt (university, affiliated hospital or nonprofit research body): H-1B can be filed any time of year, with no lottery. Confirm with HR.
- TN (citizens of Canada and Mexico)
This kind of role may fit the USMCA profession “Engineer” — it depends on the actual duties. No lottery, no cap; you need the matching degree or license.
- E-3 (Australia) and H-1B1 (Chile, Singapore)
Same degree requirement as H-1B, but no lottery and a separate quota that is rarely filled.
- O-1 (extraordinary ability)
For candidates with awards, publications, press, a high salary or critical roles at distinguished organizations. No cap, no lottery; the employer files a petition.
- STEM OPT extension (F-1 students)
Requires an E-Verify employer. We didn't find this company in the E-Verify list — ask HR.
Salary vs prevailing wage
Engineers, All Other · Columbia, MO. Annual prevailing wages set by the Department of Labor (OFLC).
| Level | Prevailing wage | H-1B lottery odds* |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | $74,360 | ~15% |
| Level II | $89,752 | ~31% |
| Level III | $105,165 | ~46% |
| Level IV | $120,557 | ~61% |
The listing has no salary, so we can't place it on a wage level. Ask the employer which wage level they'd file at: Level III–IV registrations get 3–4 entries in the H-1B lottery.
* Odds are DHS projections for the FY2027 wage-weighted lottery (actual results vary by year and employer). Since the FY2027 cap season the H-1B lottery is weighted by wage level: Level I = 1 entry, II = 2, III = 3, IV = 4. The level is set by the offered wage against the prevailing wage for the occupation and worksite. Separately, a $100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions for workers outside the US was announced in 2025; as of September 2026 a federal court ruling keeps it unenforceable while appeals continue — check the current status.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor OFLC disclosure data (H-1B/H-1B1/E-3 LCA, PERM), OFLC prevailing wage data, USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub, E-Verify participating employers. Data loaded: LCA FY2024–FY2026, PERM, USCIS Data Hub, OFLC wages; updated 2026-10-03. Employers are matched by name, so records of companies with similar names can occasionally be mixed up. This is general information, not legal advice — talk to an immigration attorney about your case.