Jackson Endowed Chair in Computational Geosciences at UT Austin

[Becker, Thorsten]

Chaired Professor in Computational Geosciences at UT Austin

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) and the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering & Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin (UT) seek to hire a Professor at full, tenured rank for the Jackson Endowed Chair in Computational Geosciences.

We seek an outstanding scholar who will conduct cutting-edge research to develop, advance, and apply innovative and transformational computational approaches in the geosciences, broadly defined. The successful candidate will be appointed jointly between EPS and the Oden Institute, with 50% of the candidate’s teaching dedicated to EPS's undergraduate and graduate teaching mission, and 50% of the teaching in the Oden Institute’s graduate program in Computational Science, Engineering and Mathematics. We thus seek a candidate whose research and teaching skills lie at the forefront of both the computational sciences and the Earth and planetary sciences.

The Oden Institute is an interdisciplinary unit that draws its faculty from across five of UT’s schools and colleges. As one of the global leaders in interdisciplinary computational science, engineering, and mathematics, the Oden Institute’s mission is to provide the interdisciplinary environment that enables outstanding research, fosters high-impact collaborations, and advances graduate education in the field of computational science and engineering.

As part of the Jackson School of Geosciences (www.jsg.utexas.edu), the Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences (https://eps.jsg.utexas.edu/) is a leading department combining interdisciplinary scope with excellence. EPS has over 50 faculty and a community of research scientists with a broad range of specialties, as well as access to outstanding research facilities and support. The Jackson School is nationally ranked in the Earth Sciences (No. 4), with three subdisciplines ranking in the top 5.

JSG and Oden also partner with other UT entities including within the Cockrell School of Engineering, the College of Natural Sciences, the Texas Advanced Computing Center, the Center for Planetary Systems Habitability, and the Center for Space Research, and maintain extensive external partnerships nationally and internationally. The University of Texas at Austin is an Equal Opportunity Employer located in a thriving metropolitan area with a dynamic, multicultural community of 2.5 million people.

Qualifications

A Ph.D. is required at the time of appointment.

Application Instructions

The successful applicant is expected to establish a vibrant, externally funded research program. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, CV including list of publications, three page research statement including a broader vision for computational geoscience, a teaching and mentoring statement, and a list of three individuals who would be able to provide letters of reference. Submit copies of these materials online via Interfolio at https://apply.interfolio.com/187803

Review of applications will begin August 31, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled. Questions concerning the search can be addressed to Patrick Heimbach (heim...@utexas.edu) or Thorsten Becker (t...@ig.utexas.edu), and about the application and submissions process to EPSo...@jsg.utexas.edu.

Thorsten Becker - UTIG & EPS @ JSG - UT Austin