Associate Research Professor in Transportation Infrastructure, Materials and Intelligent Systems - The University of Texas at El Paso

Location: El Paso, TX Category: Engineering Job Type: Full-time Posted On: Thu May 7 2026 Job Description:

The Center for Transportation Infrastructure Systems (CTIS) at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) invites applications for three full-time Associate Research Professor seeking to advance the future of transportation infrastructure, materials, and intelligent systems. This is an opportunity to join a rapidly growing, well-funded research program focused on delivering high-impact, real-world solutions for infrastructure performance, resilience, and sustainability.

CTIS serves as the primary hub for transportation, pavement, and geotechnical engineering research at UTEP and is one of the best-equipped transportation research facilities in the Southwest. CTIS conducts both basic and applied research focused on the performance, safety, durability, and management of transportation infrastructure. Research areas include pavement evaluation and design, transportation planning, environmental quality, asset and infrastructure management, structures, and safety. CTIS is strongly committed to workforce development, with undergraduate and graduate research assistants working closely alongside faculty and research engineers. More than 40 students are actively involved in CTIS projects at any given time. The Center maintains strong partnerships with governmental agencies, industry sponsors, and academic collaborators to ensure impactful, implementable research outcomes. Our program is intentionally broad and collaborative. We welcome candidates working across pavement engineering, infrastructure materials, sensing technologies, data analytics, and system-level decision-making.

Position Overview

The successful candidate will lead externally funded, interdisciplinary research programs and demonstrate the ability to:

• Develop and sustain externally funded research initiatives
• Conduct research at the intersection of materials, infrastructure systems, and data analytics
• Apply experimental, computational, and/or field-based methodologies
• Translate research outcomes into practical implementation, standards, and engineering practice
• Collaborate effectively with transportation agencies, industry partners, and interdisciplinary teams

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and contribute to innovative, externally funded research in transportation infrastructure, materials, and related systems
• Develop and apply advanced experimental, analytical, and/or data-driven approaches for evaluating and improving infrastructure performance
• Integrate laboratory, field, and/or modeling efforts to advance understanding of material and system behavior
• Pursue and secure external research funding from federal agencies, industry partners, and infrastructure stakeholders
• Disseminate research through high-impact publications, technical reports, and contributions to standards and best practices
• Mentor and support graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and interdisciplinary teams

Job Requirements:

We welcome applications from candidates with expertise in pavement engineering, transportation infrastructure, and related fields. While we are particularly interested in strengthening several strategic areas, applicants with complementary or interdisciplinary backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Pavement materials and characterization, including experimental and analytical approaches to evaluate material behavior and performance
• Infrastructure systems and performance analysis, including pavement design, asset management, and data-informed decision-making
• Sensing, monitoring, and emerging technologies applied to infrastructure evaluation, performance tracking, and durability assessment
• Candidates with experience in laboratory testing, field evaluation, modeling, or data-driven methods are especially encouraged to apply.

Preferred Qualifications: While we are particularly interested in strengthening the following areas, candidates with complementary or overlapping expertise are strongly encouraged to apply.

• Advanced Materials Characterization & Evaluation: Including (but not limited to) nondestructive evaluation (NDE), electrochemical/electromagnetic methods, and microstructural analysis for infrastructure materials.
• Infrastructure Systems & Network-Level Analysis: Including pavement and asset management, performance modeling, and integration of emerging technologies for system-level decision-making.
• Sensing, Monitoring & Smart Infrastructure: Including distributed sensing, wireless technologies, and data-driven approaches for monitoring infrastructure performance and durability.

Additional Information:

In keeping with its access, excellence, and impact mission, The University of Texas at El Paso is committed to an open, diverse, and inclusive learning and working environment that honors the talents, respects the differences, and nurtures the growth and development of all. We seek to attract faculty and staff who share our commitment.

The University of Texas at El Paso is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or sexual orientation and gender in employment or the provision of services in accordance with state and federal law. Discrimination on the basis of sex includes an employee's or prospective employee's right to be free from sexual harassment under Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972. Inquiries-including the filing of a Formal Complaint or reporting an incident-about the application of Title IX may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, who can be reached by phone at (915) 747-8358, by email at titleix@utep.edu, or by mail at 500 W. University Ave., El Paso, TX, Kelly Hall, Room 312.

For accommodation information for employees and applicants with disabilities, please contact UTEP's Equal Opportunity Office at eoaa@utep.edu.

To the extent that this position involves research, work, or access to critical infrastructure as referenced in Executive Order GA-48, being hired for and continuing to be employed in this position requires the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure.