Description
The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah (https://www.mech.utah.edu/) invites applications for a career-line faculty position at the Assistant, Associate, or Professor (Lecturer) rank focused on aerospace engineering, systems engineering, and senior design. We are looking for candidates with exceptional teaching ability at the undergraduate senior/masters level in the subject area. The position has a multiyear contract and an option to teach summer courses. The candidate should be capable of teaching and developing courses for the Master of Science program in Aerospace Engineering (MSAE), contributing to teaching in the Master of Science in Systems Engineering (MSSE), and advising projects in the Senior Design Capstone Program (https://www.mech.utah.edu/capstone/).
The Department of Mechanical Engineering currently runs Master of Science programs in Aerospace Engineering and Systems Engineering. The MSSE program has been established for several years with strong enrollment. The MSAE is new, having started in Fall 2025, and the primary role of this career line position is supporting growth in this program. The ideal candidate will be able to:
Develop and teach new elective and core courses in the MSAE program. Particular areas of interest are aerospace structures and flight dynamics, but all aerospace areas are in consideration.
Develop or teach courses in the systems engineering program, potentially in aerospace-systems cross-over areas.
Teach core junior/senior mechanical engineering courses to complete their teaching load.
The MSSE program has both on-campus and remote/on-line students with an emphasis on students currently professionally employed in Utah. The MSAE program is an on-campus degree program but we anticipate substantial off-campus enrollment in select classes. The Department has core Aerospace and Systems offerings at the Senior Undergraduate level and is working toward integrated BS/MS programs in both areas.
The career-line faculty member will join current career-line and tenure track faculty supporting the MSAE and MSSE programs. MSAE and MSSE courses are offered in fall, spring, and summer semesters in a regular rotation to allow timely student completion. The core courses in aerospace cover fluid dynamics, structures, dynamics, and aerospace systems. The MSSE core covers core systems topics and includes INCOSE certification. The ideal candidate will have the education and background to teach courses in more than one of these areas. The student body in these programs is heavily professional and so the ability to interact with local industry will be valuable. The State of Utah has a strong aerospace and defense industry with impact on GDP well above the national average. The faculty member may also participate in the Senior Design Capstone Program as an advisor to teams with aerospace or systems related projects. Additionally, the career-line faculty member will be expected to be active in department, university, and professional service activities. Aerospace and systems are active areas of research in the department. The position does not carry a research expectation, but all faculty are encouraged to collaboratively contribute to the department’s research goals.
Successful candidates should have a Ph.D. in a related field, preferably with aerospace or systems experience. Candidates with a track record of high-quality teaching are especially encouraged to apply. Industry experience is welcome.
The University of Utah, a member of the Association of American Universities, is a research-focused institution home to more than 35,000 students, world-class faculty and researchers, a medical campus, and many start-up companies. The University of Utah maintains more than 50 on-campus recharge centers with state-of-the-science infrastructure to robustly support aerospace materials research. The Department of Mechanical Engineering has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade, fueled by the State of Utah’s “Engineering Initiative”, and currently houses 45 tenure-line faculty members, over 1,500 undergraduate and 250 graduate students (140 PhD students).
All applications received by January 15, 2026 will receive full consideration. Applications must be submitted electronically and should include: a cover letter highlighting the applicant’s qualifications and relevance to this search, current curriculum vitae, a statement of research interests and plans (2 pages), a statement of teaching interests (2 pages), and contact information three to five references.
All qualified individuals are strongly encouraged to apply. Veterans’ preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.
The University of Utah is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, or protected veteran’s status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, or both.
To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability or if you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, you may contact the Director/Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (OEO/AA). More information, including the Director/Title IX Coordinator’s office address, electronic mail address, and telephone number can be located at:
https://www.utah.edu/nondiscrimination/
Online reports may be submitted at oeo.utah.edu
