"Assistant Teaching Professor, Mechanical Engineering"

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is known for its student-centered approach and strong emphasis on hands-on learning and research. It offers a full suite of degree programs-bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D - and is housed in the Steve Sanghi College of Engineering. The department fosters close faculty-student interaction, with a focus on mentoring and collaborative research. Faculty and students engage in cutting-edge work in areas like solid mechanics, thermal-fluids, energy systems, intelligent systems, robotics, and bioengineering. The department partners with local and national organizations to apply engineering solutions to real-world problems, especially those relevant to Arizona and the Southwest. The undergraduate Mechanical Engineering degree program is ABET-accredited, ensuring a rigorous and industry-aligned curriculum. The Department currently has over 650 students and 17 faculty, and blends academic rigor with a strong sense of community and purpose.

The Mechanical Engineering Department from Steve Sanghi College of Engineering (SCE) at Northern Arizona University invites applications for a career track (non-tenure track) position at the rank of Assistant Teaching Professor. The successful candidate will have a strong mechanical engineering background and prior university teaching experience. The Department is especially interested in applicants whose technical expertise is in thermal-fluids and who could also teach selected solid-deformable body-design. The anticipated start date for this position is the beginning of the Spring 2026 semester.

Teaching Responsibilities: Teach 24 credit hours of Mechanical Engineering (ME) courses, or laboratory equivalent, during the academic year. Develop undergraduate courses to support existing and new degree programs within the department. Increase the recruitment and retention of mechanical engineering majors. Perform service for the department, college, university, and profession. Maintain office hours and direct interaction with students. Remain current in their discipline, updating course content as appropriate. Work with the ME Department faculty to develop and implement processes and tools for assessment of teaching and student learning outcomes incorporating appropriate methodologies and technology. Mentor student club teams (e.g. SAE, ASME, SWE). Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: Completion of a PhD in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field, awarded by August 18th, 2025. A minimum of three years of College level teaching experience. A combination of related education, experience, and training may be used as an equivalent to the above Minimum Qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications: 3-5 years of teaching experience in undergraduate and graduate mechanical engineering courses, ideally in an ABET-accredited program. Experience developing and teaching experimental laboratory courses. Experience developing courses for online delivery. Online teaching experience. Prior industry experience in mechanical, aerospace or manufacturing engineering. Experience of involvement in curriculum development, student advising, and ABET accreditation processes. Demonstrated evidence of engagement with external sponsors to support student projects.

Knowledge: Knowledge of the needs related to public education. Knowledge of learning management system. Knowledge of instructional design, effective pedagogy, team teaching, and innovative learning methodologies. Knowledge of best practices in teaching and learning in traditional and hybrid classroom environments. Knowledge of online course development and delivery. Knowledge of effective supervisory and leadership practices. Knowledge of thermal-fluids related topics.

Skills: Program development skills. Effective leadership and active listening skills. Strong interpersonal skills. Experimental work and prototyping experience. Industry experience. Computer programming skills (MATLAB, Python or similar). Effective communication skills.

Abilities: Communicates effectively. Develops and maintains good working relationships. Facilitates learning in multiple modalities. Offers content courses to augment department curriculum at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Teaches a wide variety of courses. Recruits, advises, and mentors undergraduate or graduate students. Teaches and works effectively with members at all levels of the University. Engages with and leads collaborative multi- and inter-disciplinary teams. Works in a collaborative environment with faculty, staff, and students. Ability to integrate hands-on learning using facilities like machine shops or makerspaces.

Compensation: Salary Range is $71,147 to $72,728. Annual salary commensurate with candidate's qualifications and related experience.