LEHIGH UNIVERSITY. The Center for Catastrophe Modeling and Resilience invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position with a specialization in the field of Natural Hazards Modeling with emphasis on computational aspects and applications of AI/ML, with an anticipated start date of July 2027. The successful candidate will be offered a joint appointment in the Center for Catastrophe Modeling and Resilience and the Lehigh University department that best matches the candidate’s interests and background.
The individual hired will be expected to teach courses in Natural Hazard Modeling, Catastrophe Modeling, Resilience, and other topics related to the center and home department, at the graduate and undergraduate levels, actively engage in interdisciplinary scholarly activities, and participate in center, department, college, and university service.
The Center for Catastrophe Modeling and Resilience is a university-wide, interdisciplinary research center focused on science, engineering, and social science applied to natural disasters and health-related threats. This field is an area of distinction for Lehigh University, and it was selected as a major area of investment in its Strategic Plan. The center is expected to more than double its faculty over the next few years, through strategic hires at the early career and established levels. Lehigh University has established the first degree programs in the Nation on the topic of Catastrophe Modeling and Resilience, a Master of Science program, and a Graduate Certificate. The center’s faculty and personnel have decades of experience in resilience analysis and the development of models for catastrophe modeling and resilience-based decision-making. The center is running small and large research projects, in collaboration with a vast array of academic, government, and private sector partners.
Founded in 1865, Lehigh University has combined outstanding academic and learning opportunities with leadership in fostering innovative research. Recognized among the nation's highly-ranked research universities, Lehigh offers a rigorous academic community for over 7,500 students. Lehigh University has some 5,800 undergraduates, 1,800 graduate students, and nearly 600 full-time faculty members. Lehigh University is located in Bethlehem, PA, a vibrant and historic area. Over 840,000 people live in the Lehigh Valley, which is in close proximity to New York City and Philadelphia.
Qualifications
Candidates must have an earned PhD in Earth and Environmental Sciences, Meteorology, Ecological Sciences, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or other pertinent field by the date of employment. Example areas of interest in natural hazard modeling include, but are not limited to, tropical cyclone simulation, extreme weather events, seismic or volcanic hazards, landslides, space weather and astro-hazards, statistical physics of natural hazards, wildfire modeling, and flood modeling. Candidates must have a record of peer-reviewed publications, commensurate with their years of experience.
Application Instructions
Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. For full consideration, applications should be received by January 16th, 2027. Applicants should submit their materials online. Candidates should submit the following materials:
● Cover letter
● Curriculum vitae
● Research statement that describes past scholarly contributions and future research directions
● Teaching statement that describes instructional philosophy, experience, and courses that the candidate would want to teach or develop
● A statement on Contributions to Lehigh’s Principles of Our Equitable Community that describes how your experiences, knowledge, and skills prepare you to effectively contribute to a learning and research community that holds these principles at its core (the Lehigh ADVANCE Center’s guide for understanding and preparing such statements is available here)
● We may request letters of recommendation from qualifying candidates at a later stage of the search
Any inquiries regarding this search should be directed to Profs. Benjamin Felzer and Maryam Rahnemoonfar, Co-Chairs of the search committee, at bsf208@lehigh.edu and maryam@lehigh.edu.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Lehigh University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital or familial status, national origin (including shared ancestry), pregnancy or related conditions, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Lehigh University is committed to a culturally and intellectually diverse academic community and is especially interested in candidates who can contribute, through their research, teaching and/or service, to this mission. Lehigh University provides competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits, including domestic partner benefits, and supports faculty members’ work/life balance.