Adjunct Faculty - Enginering Capstone Design I - Spring 2027

State of Colorado; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 67,000 - 73,000; Part time

Job summary

The Capstone Design Program at the Colorado School of Mines invites applications for a part-time position as a Project Advisor in the Capstone Design Program (Senior Design). This adjunct faculty position provides project oversight to student teams in a real-world application of technical problems.

Classes run on Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:00–10:45 am, with lecture periods led by full-time faculty and time allotted for project advising and client communications.

Qualifications

• Hold an undergraduate degree in a scientific, engineering, or engineering-related discipline.
• Have 5+ years of professional engineering experience, or a graduate-level degree in engineering or related technical field with 3+ years of experience.
• Active PE license and/or undergraduate teaching experience may be preferred for some Capstone assignments.

Responsibilities

• Oversee 2–4 student teams as project advisor; half-load is two teams.
• Attend lectures delivered by course instructors and support recitation follow‑ups.
• Support structured small group activities in recitations linked to lectures.
• Attend weekly team meetings, respond to emails, and grade student deliverables using rubrics.
• Participate in all capstone leadership meetings with the program’s lead instructors.

Skills

Engineering experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Graduate degree in engineering or related field

Job description

The Capstone Design Program at the Colorado School of Mines invites applications for a part-time position as a Project Advisor in the Capstone Design Program (Senior Design). This adjunct faculty position provides project oversight to student teams in a real-world application of technical problems.

Capstone (Senior Design)

Key distinguishing feature: Maintain high expectations for student independence, professionalism, and delivery of quality design/prototype materials to the client (sponsor of the student projects).

Capstone Design Description: The capstone design program is a two-semester, multidisciplinary design experience emerging from combined efforts in civil, construction, design, electrical, environmental, and mechanical engineering degree programs. This program was established to demonstrate the value and ingenuity of multidisciplinary teams, as mirrored in industry.

For more information on the Capstone Design program please see the course website: https://capstone.mines.edu/

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

As an Adjunct Faculty for Capstone Design I & II, you will be responsible for:

• Overseeing 2-4 student teams in a project advisory role and providing guidance as teams move through the design process. Two teams is a half-load responsibility
• Attending all lectures, delivered by the course instructors and important to recitation follow-up activities.
• Supporting structured small group activities in recitations that stem from the lectures.
• Attending weekly meetings with your teams, responding to emails, and grading all student/team deliverables in a timely fashion (rubrics are provided to assist with grading).
• Attending all regular Project Advisor meetings including kickoff and end-of-semester meetings with the capstone leadership team, who serve as the lead instructors of the program.

Additional responsibilities

Capstone Responsibilities

Classes are held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00 am to 10:45 am, and Project Advisors are expected to be available during these times. Lectures from 8:00-9:00 am are delivered by our full-time course faculty, and the remaining time [9:00-10:45am] is used for you (as the Project Advisor) to meet with, evaluate, and assist student teams. You will guide student teams in how to manage and execute a successful project – allowing them to explore design options, as well as build and test their solutions. Responsibilities also include steering teams back on track if they lose sight of the design objectives and helping them understand and execute professional communications with their client. On occasion, teams need help managing scope creep initiated by the client. When there is no lecture scheduled, this is an opportunity for you to engage with your teams in the 8-9:00 am hour based on team needs.

Minimum Qualifications

• Hold an undergraduate degree in a scientific, engineering, or engineering-related discipline.
• Have professional experience in engineering or related field (5+ years), or a graduate-level degree in engineering or related technical field, with some level of professional experience (3+ years).

Preferred Qualifications

• Undergrad degree in Civil, Construction, Electrical, Environmental, or Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Candidates with an active PE license and/or with demonstrated teaching experience at the undergraduate level may be given preference for some Capstone project assignments.
• Teaching experience in open-ended problem solving, technical design, and/or guiding effective teamwork. Preferred teaching proficiencies include:
• Technical communication.
• User-engaged design: helping students identify and engage with stakeholders and users throughout the problem-solving process.

Pay Rate

$6000-$6500 for one semester based on experience

Contact Kathleen Feighny in HR at [e-mail] withany questions.

About Mines & Golden, CO

When the world looks for answers, the world looks to Mines.

Colorado School of Mines is a top-ranked public university solving the grand challenges facing our society, particularly those related to the Earth, energy and the environment. Founded in 1874 with specialties in mining and metallurgy, Mines’ scope and mission have continually expanded to meet the needs of industry and society. Today, we are the No. 40 public university in the nation, recognized for our innovation and undergraduate teaching in science, technology engineering and math (U.S. News and World Report, 2026).

Mines graduates are change makers, boundary breakers and problem solvers. Since our earliest days, a Mines education has been and continues to be a transformational opportunity, with one of the strongest returns on investment out there for talented STEM students of all backgrounds.

At the same time, Mines faculty members are pushing their fields in new directions, whether that’s manufacturing, space resources, quantum engineering, carbon capture or more. Mines was recently classified as a R1 “Very High Activity” research institution by Carnegie, a notable feat for any university but particularly one of our size.

That size – roughly 8,200 undergraduate and graduate students – also translates to a close-knit campus community, where employees have opportunities to get involved in multiple ways, continued professional learning is valued and everyone can make an impact.

Community Alliance groups bring together employees for professional development, networking, and community involvement, and all Mines employees also have access to the wealth of activities happening every day on campus – nationally‑renowned speakers, special events and Mines traditions like Engineering Days, just to name a few.

And don’t get us started on our hometown. We are located in the heart of Golden, Colorado --with its charming historic downtown and nearby hiking trails – and in close proximity to all that Denver and the Rocky Mountains have to offer. That includes the sunny, high‑altitude climate and outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities that make the Denver area an ideal place to live, work and play.

Are you looking for an inspiring, mission-driven workplace where you can contribute to solving the world’s problems and educating the next generation of change makers? Are you an individual who values a community where our individual perspectives and experiences enrich the educational and work experience?

Look to Mines.

Colorado's premier engineering and applied science university for 150 years and counting