"Assistant/Associate Professor Cal Poly AEROSPACE ENGINEERING"

Job Details

Aerospace Engineering Department in the College of Engineering at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California (Cal Poly) is excited to invite applications for a full-time, academic year, tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant or Associate Professor rank beginning Fall 2026.

The successful candidate will be expected to teach undergraduate and master's level courses, support and expand curricular development in Aerospace Engineering, pursue research in one's area of expertise, and provide service to the department, the university, and the community. Duties include teaching Aerospace Engineering courses; building a vibrant and innovative research program which integrates undergraduate students; and supporting and developing students into engineers ready to thrive in the modern aerospace industry. Candidates are sought with experience or interest in aircraft flight mechanics, control, and autonomy, including fixed-wing aircraft, rotorcraft, or emerging new-technology air vehicles.

Salary will be commensurate with education and experience of the individual selected. Qualified candidates with industry experience are encouraged to apply. Anticipated hiring range: $110,250 – $123,500¹ per year.

At California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, we believe that cultivating an environment that embraces and promotes diversity is fundamental to the success of our students, our employees, and our community. Bringing people together from different backgrounds, experiences and value systems fosters the innovative and creative thinking that exemplifies Cal Poly values free inquiry, cultural and intellectual diversity, mutual respect, civic engagement, and social and environmental responsibility. Cal Poly's commitment to diversity informs our efforts in recruitment, hiring and retention. California Polytechnic State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

Cal Poly's Aerospace Engineering Department offers a B.S. and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering. Cal Poly focuses on undergraduate and graduate education. Our "learn-by-doing" approach involves extensive lab work and projects in support of theoretical knowledge, with extensive interaction and collaboration between students and faculty. U.S. News & World Report ranked the Aerospace Engineering Department top among primarily undergraduate public programs in the nation.

Cal Poly is committed to the teacher-scholar model. As teachers, faculty are expected to exhibit strong pedagogic skills and to remain proficient and current in their disciplines. As scholars, faculty should be engaged in scholarly work that is of very high quality as evidenced by external peer review. As colleagues, faculty are encouraged to perform service activities at all levels of the University.

For more information about the department, please visit www.aero.calpoly.edu.

Cal Poly provides a range of benefits for our faculty which can be found at https://afd.calpoly.edu/hr/benefits/. Cal Poly is family friendly, offering parental leave, educational fee waivers, childcare pre-tax benefits, and an on-campus children’s center (https://www.asi.calpoly.edu/childrens-center/).

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

An earned doctorate (Ph.D.) in Aerospace Engineering or a closely-related field from an accredited institution or international equivalent is required for appointment. Candidates nearing completion of the doctorate (ABD) will be considered but must provide proof that the doctorate was awarded prior to or by the start of the appointment.

Candidates must have a strong commitment to teaching excellence and laboratory-based instruction, dedication to continued professional development and scholarship, and a broad-based knowledge of Aerospace engineering. Demonstrated ability in written and oral use of the English language is required. Demonstrated experience and commitment to student-centered learning and teaching, as well as the ability to collaboratively work in multidisciplinary settings is required.

The successful candidate must have the ability to work effectively with students, staff and faculty from diverse ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The ideal candidate will show evidence of attention to and/or the potential to contribute on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion across their teaching, scholarship, and service.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Preference will be given to those who can show evidence of working with diverse populations and fostering a collaborative, supportive and inclusive environment.

Preference will be given to candidates with demonstrated excellence in university level teaching and research (commensurate with time since degree), experience with laboratory-based instruction and/or industry experience. Experience and a commitment to working in a multidisciplinary and collaborative setting is preferred.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, applicants are encouraged to provide the following supplemental documents: (1) a cover letter providing some details of the applicant's qualifications and interest in the position; (2) a current CV; (3) a statement of teaching philosophy; (4) a statement of goals and plans for research; (5) a copy of unofficial transcripts (official transcripts will be required prior to appointment) (6) a diversity statement that demonstrates the candidate's experience or potential with respect to supporting the college of engineering’s goals related to diversity, equity and inclusion. In particular, our vision statement is: “The Cal Poly College of Engineering will be nationally recognized for its rapidly diversifying student population and unique, inclusive Learn by Doing educational and applied research experiences.” Candidate’s diversity statement should convey how their teaching, research, and/or service at Cal Poly will contribute to this vision. Examples include highlighting the candidate’s experience and/or intentions with respect to: implementing inclusive classroom environments, the intersection of DEI in your research/scholarship, mentoring students with diverse backgrounds, outreach to under-represented student populations, and previous professional development in diversity and inclusion topics.

Please be prepared to provide three professional references with names and email addresses when completing the online faculty application. For full consideration, candidates are encouraged to apply by the Review Begin Date, 12/1/25. Applications received after this date may be considered.