Mechanical Engineering Part-Time Instructor

About the role

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 700 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 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.

Responsibilities

• Teach up to 12 credit hours 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 degree programs offered by the department.
• Contribute to the retention of mechanical engineering majors.
• Maintain office hours and direct interaction with students.
• Remain current in their 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.

Requirements

• Completion of a MS in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field, awarded by August 17th, 2026.
• 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 to