The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at Washington State University (WSU) in Pullman, WA invites applications for a permanent full-time, nine-month, tenure-track faculty position at the level of Assistant Professor. This position is focused on structural engineering and mechanics. Candidates with expertise in timber engineering, mass timber design, and/or hybrid structural systems are preferred and encouraged to apply. The position is intended to build upon existing…
strengths in structural engineering in the department and to build upon strengths existing in the Composite Materials & Engineering Center (CMEC), an interdisciplinary research center at WSU supported by CEE structures faculty. It is anticipated that the successful candidate will begin the appointment on August 16th 2027. An earlier Spring 2027 start date may be negotiable.
Job Duties:
The successful candidate will be expected to teach undergraduate and graduate classes in civil engineering, establish an independent research program through extramurally funded research grants, publish in top tier peer reviewed journals and conferences, recruit and advise MS and PhD graduate students, participate in undergraduate curriculum development and assessment, and collaborate with colleagues in the department, college, university system, and industrial and state partners to support the land grant mission of WSU. The candidate would be expected to develop and be committed to developing a world class research program. The anticipated workload will be 50% research, 30% teaching, 20% service.
Required Qualifications:
- Doctoral degree in Civil Engineering by the time of hire.
- Demonstrated publication record in structural engineering in top-tier peer reviewed journals and conferences.
- Experience or displays potential for success in teaching and instruction.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate and work collegially and collaboratively with faculty, staff, and students.
- Research interest in hybrid or modular structures.
- Possession of a Professional Engineering (PE) license or demonstrated progress toward licensure.
Salary / Benefits:
The salary range based on experience is between $105,000 to $110,000 per year for a 9-month academic salary.
In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the above salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the range is based on the candidate’s current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position.
WSU offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes paid sick and vacation leave; paid holidays; medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents; retirement; deferred compensation and optional supplemental retirement accounts. For a more detailed summary of benefits offered by WSU for Faculty please review the summary of benefits for WSU Faculty and Total Compensation
To Apply: Visit https://wsu.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/WSU_Jobs/job/Assistant-Professor---Structural-Engineering_R-15304
Applicants must upload the following required documents to their on-line application. Application materials should clearly communicate how the applicant meets all required qualifications and additional requirements.:
- Cover letter addressing qualifications for this position
- Curriculum vitae
- 1-page research statement that describes research areas of interest, research accomplishments, and future research plan at WSU
- 1-page teaching statement that describes any teaching experience you may have and your teaching philosophy, including mentoring of students
Inquires should be directed to Professor Christopher Motter, c.motter@wsu.edu.
Posting Close Date: The screening of applicants begins October 1, 2026. Applicants must submit their completed application by October 30, 2026.
About WSU, Pullman, and CEE:
Washington State University (WSU) is a land-grant, multi-campus, Research-1 institution. This position serves on the Pullman campus, which has an enrollment of ~20,000 students. Pullman is a college town located in the Palouse region of south-eastern Washington. The climate is dry and the distinctive rolling hills of the Palouse are home to one of the most productive dryland wheat growing regions of the world. The location has unique recreational access to forests, rivers, and mountains in Idaho, Oregon, and WA. People who work at WSU Pullman typically live either in Pullman or the neighboring town of Moscow, Idaho, nine miles away. The larger metropolitan area of Spokane is 70 miles to the north.
The CEE Department is one of five schools/departments in the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture. The department has over 300 undergraduate students, 50 graduate students, and 22 tenured/tenure-track faculty members and 3 career track faculty. Degrees offered are Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE), Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE), Master of Science in Environmental Engineering (MSCE), a PhD degree in Civil Engineering, and a PhD in Engineering Science.
The CEE Department is in the PACCAR Environmental Technology Building that houses research and teaching labs and classrooms. In addition, the CMEC has material testing labs in PACCAR as well as the ICC-accredited Simpson Strong-Tie Structural and Research Laboratory (SSSRL). This testing facility features a two-story tall reaction wall with a through-hole pattern to support actuators up to 200 kips and a 40 ft × 60 ft reaction floor with a 2 ft × 2 ft anchorage grid for adaptable test setups. The lab is equipped with a dual-hook 7.5-ton overhead crane and servo-hydraulic actuators ranging from 10 to 300 kips with 10-48 in. stroke lengths. An additional 40 ft × 60 ft outdoor reaction floor supports full-scale construction of prototypes or testing of large structures. Additional information about CMEC facilities can be found on-line: CMEC Equipment & International Code Council Accredited Testing Laboratory.
Washington State University encourages all qualified candidates to apply, including members of the military and veterans, and persons with disabilities.
WSU employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
WSU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact Human Resource Services: 509-335-4521 (v), Washington State TDD Relay Service: Voice Callers: 1-800-833-6384; TDD Callers: 1-800-833-6388, 509-335-1259(f), or hrs@wsu.edu.
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More information, resources, and contact information are available here: https://ccr.wsu.edu/notice-of-nondiscrimination/