CaI Poly Aerospace Engineering Tenure/Tenure Track Position

About the Department

Cal Poly's Aerospace Engineering Department offers a B.S. and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering. Cal Poly focuses on undergraduate and graduate education. Our "learn-by-doing" approach involves extensive lab work and projects in support of theoretical knowledge, with extensive interaction and collaboration between students and faculty. U.S. News & World Report ranked the Aerospace Engineering Department top among primarily undergraduate public programs in the nation. For more information about the department, please visit www.aero.calpoly.edu.

About the Role

The Aerospace Engineering Department in the College of Engineering at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California (Cal Poly) invites applications for a full-time, academic year, tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant or Associate Professor rank beginning approximately August 12, 2027. Cal Poly has a tradition of excellence in teaching and scholarship that supports a curriculum centered on a "Learn by Doing" philosophy and focused on preparing graduates to make a positive impact on their world day one. Cal Poly is committed to the teacher-scholar model. As teachers, faculty are expected to exhibit strong pedagogic skills and to remain proficient and current in their disciplines. As scholars, faculty should be engaged in scholarly work that is of very high quality as evidenced by external peer review. As colleagues, faculty are encouraged to perform service activities at all levels of the University.

Responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate and master's level courses in Aerospace Engineering
• Support and expand curricular development in Aerospace Engineering
• Build a vibrant and innovative research program which integrates undergraduate students
• Pursue research in one's area of expertise
• Support and develop students into engineers ready to thrive in the modern aerospace industry
• Provide service to the department, the university, and the community

Required Qualifications

• An earned doctorate (Ph.D.) in Aerospace Engineering or a closely-related field from an accredited institution or international equivalent is required for appointment. Candidates nearing completion of the doctorate (ABD) will be considered but must provide proof that the doctorate was awarded prior to or by the start of the appointment.
• Demonstrate excellence in teaching, effective communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work effectively with students, staff and faculty
• Demonstrate the ability to develop an externally funded, applied research program that involves undergraduate and graduate students, and partnerships with key stakeholders
• Demonstrated experience and commitment to hands-on, student-centered learning and teaching
• Demonstrated ability to collaboratively work in multidisciplinary settings
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong interests in undergraduate and graduate teaching
• Demonstrated proficiency in written and oral use of the English language

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated excellence in university level teaching and research (commensurate with time since degree)
• Experience with laboratory-based instruction
• Industry experience
• Experience working with diverse populations and fostering a collaborative, supportive, and inclusive environment

Skills and Expertise

Candidates are sought with expertise or strong research potential in aircraft flight dynamics, flight mechanics, guidance, navigation and control (GNC), autonomy, or closely related areas. The successful candidate will contribute to teaching and curriculum development in the aerospace engineering program, including existing courses in flight dynamics, and should therefore demonstrate a strong foundation in aircraft dynamics, stability and control, and flight mechanics. Applicants whose work connects classical flight dynamics with modern computational, experimental, autonomous, or data-driven methods are especially encouraged to apply. Qualified candidates with industry experience are encouraged to apply.

Pay

Anticipated hiring ranges: Assistant Professor: $110,000-$123,000 per year, and Associate Professor: $120,000 - $134,000 per year. Rank and salary will be commensurate with education and experience of the individual selected.

Benefits

Cal Poly provides a range of benefits for our faculty which can be found at https://afd.calpoly.edu/hr/benefits/. Cal Poly is family friendly, offering parental leave, educational fee waivers, childcare pre-tax benefits, and an on-campus children's center (https://www.asi.calpoly.edu/childrens-center/). For health and well-being, Cal Poly is a smoke & tobacco-free campus.