Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professor of Practice

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) (http://www.mae.usu.edu/) at Utah State University invites applications for three Professor of Practice positions to lead the development and delivery of an innovative, multi-course CORE Design and Problem Solving Experience with in the undergraduate Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering curricula. At least one position will be filled by a candidate with a systems engineering background and will contribute to teaching coursework in support of a professional master’s degree in systems engineering.

These positions offer a unique opportunity to help create a transformative educational experience that bridges classroom learning and professional engineering practice. The successful candidates will collaborate with faculty, industry partners, and students to develop a hands‑on, experiential learning sequence that immerses students in authentic engineering challenges during their second and third years of study.

The CORE Design and Problem Solving Experience is intended to cultivate engineers who can confidently tackle ambiguous, open-ended problems by integrating independently acquired knowledge, sound engineering judgment, technical communication, and iterative design processes. Students will learn through doing, testing, failing, refining, and ultimately succeeding in environments that mirror real‑world engineering practice.

The CORE Design and Problem Solving Experience will serve as the centerpiece of the undergraduate experience in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Through a sequence of integrated courses and projects, students will develop competencies in:

• Engineering design and systems thinking
• Structured problem solving
• Requirements development and management
• Research and development processes
• Risk assessment and decision making
• Identifying and applying appropriate engineering analysis
• Design for manufacturability, reliability, sustainability, cost, safety, and other Design-for-X principles
• Prototyping, testing, validation, and verification
• Documentation and technical reporting
• Communication with technical and non‑technical stakeholders
• Teamwork and project execution
• Learning independently and applying newly acquired knowledge
• Iterative design, resilience, and learning from failure

These are expected to be full‑time, non‑tenure‑track Professor of Practice appointments. Rank and appointment details will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Successful candidates will play a central leadership role in establishing and continuously improving this program.

Responsibilities include:

Curriculum Development and Leadership

• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the CORE Design and Problem Solving Experience.
• Develop project‑based and experiential learning activities that integrate engineering science with professional engineering practice.
• Establish learning outcomes, assessment strategies, and course materials for a multi‑course sequence.
• Collaborate with department faculty to ensure alignment with program objectives and accreditation requirements.
• Coordinate annual review and revision processes to keep the curriculum relevant to evolving industry needs.

Teaching and Mentorship

• Teach courses within the CORE Design and Problem Solving Experience and other courses as assigned by the department head.
• Mentor students through complex, open‑ended engineering projects.
• Foster a learning environment where experimentation, iteration, and productive failure are valued as essential elements of engineering practice.
• Guide students in professional skills development, including communication, teamwork, leadership, and project management.

Assessment and Continuous Improvement

• Lead assessment efforts related…