Part-Time Faculty, Mechanical Engineering

Part‑Time Faculty, Mechanical Engineering

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This position is an on‑site position which requires the incumbent to complete their work primarily at an NAU site, campus, or facility, with or without accommodation. Opportunities for remote work are rare.

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 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 such as 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 700 students and 17 faculty, blending 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 part‑time (non‑tenure‑track) position at the rank of Instructor. The successful candidate will have a strong mechanical engineering background and prior university teaching experience. The Department is interested in applicants whose technical expertise is in thermal‑fluids, solid‑deformable body mechanics, machine design, manufacturing, robotics, control, and/or mechatronics.

The temporary faculty pool is continuously open, and positions are filled as needed, based on student enrollment and funding. The intent of the pool is to provide opportunities to our industry partners and community professionals to serve as NAU instructors of record as their skills and experience align with the needs of the college and its students. The number of positions will vary from semester to semester and are temporary.

These opportunities may arise on short notice. The pool will remain in place for one academic year (August–May). If you are not interviewed/selected for a position within the current academic year and still wish to pursue employment in future semesters, a new application will be required. If at any time you are no longer interested in this position, please withdraw your application.

• Teach up to 12 credit hours per year of Mechanical Engineering (ME), Mechatronics and Robotics, or Multidisciplinary Engineering courses, or laboratory equivalent, during the academic year.
• Develop new undergraduate courses to support the department’s degree programs.
• Contribute to the retention of mechanical engineering majors.
• Maintain office hours and direct interaction with students.
• Remain current in the discipline, updating course content as appropriate.
• Implement processes and tools for assessment of teaching and student learning outcomes.
• Mentor student club teams (e.g., SAE, ASME, SWE).
• Other duties as assigned.

• Completion of an MS in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field, awarded by December 15th, 2025.
• A minimum of three years of industry experience in mechanical, aerospace or manufacturing engineering.
• A combination of related education, experience and training may be used as an equivalent.

• Completion of a PhD in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field, awarded by December 15th, 2025.
• 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.

Knowledge of the needs related to public education; effective supervisory and leadership practices; thermal‑fluid, solid‑deformable body mechanics, machine design, manufacturing, robotics, control, and/or mechatronics related topics.

• 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.

• Communicates effectively.