Hennebach Visiting Assistant or Associate Professor, Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Department

Colorado School of Mines; Golden (CO); On-site; USD 78,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental options

Retirement plan with employer match

Tuition benefits

RTD Ecopass

Discount programs and Recreation perks

On-campus daycare

Mines Defined Contribution Plan with 2

Job summary

Colorado School of Mines invites applications for a Hennebach Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. The ideal candidate will advance innovative humanistic or social-scientific research on global energy and natural resources, while teaching both graduate and undergraduate courses at Mines.

We seek scholars with a strong published record or high-potential research agenda, committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and capable of collaborating

Qualifications

• University-level teaching experience.
• Active research agenda in global geopolitics of energy/natural resources or environment.
• Commitment to teaching excellence and program development.
• Ability to engage with interdisciplinary programs and applied scientists.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead an independent research portfolio engaging Mines faculty and students.
• Lead graduate and undergraduate courses.
• Collaborate with ENREP and other departments across Mines.
• Partner with university consortia and interdisciplinary initiatives.

Skills

Teaching experience

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Communication skills

Diversity & inclusion

Education

Ph.D. by appointment start

Ph.D. in hand by start date

Job description

Position Overview

Engineering a world of possibilities The Department of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) at Colorado School of Mines (Mines) invites applications for a Hennebach Visiting Assistant Professor. We are seeking a scholar with innovative expertise in humanistic or social scientific approaches to issues of global relevance in environment, energy and/or natural resources. Disciplinary approach and specialization is open. We are particularly interested in scholars who examine the significance of natural resources in relationship to a variety of dynamics, which may include: transnational and imperial circuits; multi-scalar dynamics of climate governance; cultural meanings, hierarchies and power; environmental and ecosystemic change; ethics; governance, law and policy; critical minerals; the social dimensions of energy and/or energy transitions. We welcome applicants from all fields in the social sciences and humanistic social sciences. The scholar will join a multi-disciplinary department at an applied science and engineering university with an active, hands-on approach to addressing global challenges in Earth, Energy, and Environment. We are especially interested in those who have a track record or clear promise of high-impact scholarship and interdisciplinary engagement with applied scientists and engineers.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and lead an independent research portfolio that engages Mines faculty and students, including grant writing and journal publications.
• Lead both graduate and undergraduate courses.
• Engage with the interdisciplinary graduate programs in Environment, Resources & Energy Policy (ENREP), housed in HASS.
• Collaborate with humanistic and applied science departments such as Humanitarian Science and Engineering (Engineering, Design, and Society), Hydrologic Science and Engineering (School of Earth, Space and Planets), and the School of Minerals and Subsurface Energy.
• Participate in undergraduate programs including the University Honors and Scholars Program, the interdisciplinary Energy minor, and HASS minors in Environmental and Sustainability Studies, as well as Culture, Creativity and Communication.
• Partner with university consortia including The Payne Institute for Public Policy, the Mines/National Lab of the Rockies Nexus, and departmental initiatives such as The Critical Environments Lab and the Hennebach Program in the Humanities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Demonstrated teaching experience at the university level.
• Ph.D. in hand by the time the appointment begins.
• An active research agenda that pursues compelling questions about global geopolitics of energy/natural resources or environment.
• Assistant Professor candidates must demonstrate the potential for excellence and a positive trajectory in university-level teaching, scholarship, and service.
• Associate Professor candidates must demonstrate a proven track record of success in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Associate Professor candidates must have an established and currently funded research program with clear potential for continuance.
• Associate Professor candidates must have a record of publication at top-tier international conferences and/or journals in the search area.
• Demonstrated teaching experience as the sole instructor of university-level courses.
• Commitment to excellence in teaching and curriculum development.
• Demonstrated understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in higher education and a commitment to addressing these issues through concrete action.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated teaching experience as the sole instructor of university-level courses.
• Commitment to innovation in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Demonstrated ability to develop or maintain an externally funded research program.
• A track record of, or a clear plan for, interdisciplinary engagement (with humanists and/or applied scientists and engineers) or public engagement (via teaching, research, or outreach).

Benefits

• Flexible health and dental care options
• Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution
• Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents)
• Free RTD Ecopass
• All Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the state‑of‑the‑art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center.
• On‑campus daycare center recently opened
• Employee contribution 11% through our Mines Defined Contribution Plan and immediate 12% employer contribution with 100% vesting for our faculty positions.

Salary

• Annual Rate Associate Professor $90,000 to $110,000
• Annual Rate Assistant Professor $78,000 to $90,000

Equal Opportunity and Diversity

Equal Opportunity Colorado School of Mines is committed to equal opportunity for all persons. Mines does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), ancestry, creed, marital status, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status or current military service. Further, Mines does not retaliate against community members for filing complaints regarding or implicating any of these protected statuses. Mines’ commitment to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and equal access is reflected in the administration of its policies, procedures, programs and activities and in its efforts to achieve a talented student body and workforce.

Reasonable Accommodations

It is the intent of Mines to comply with the applicable requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and their implementation rules and regulations, in support of equal opportunities for qualified applicants with disabilities. To meet this goal, Mines will make reasonable accommodations during the employment selection process and within our working environment. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on our site as a result of your disability. You can request a reasonable accommodation by contacting our Human Resources team at [e-mail] or 303.273.3250 for assistance.

Additional Information and Reasonable Accommodation Requests

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for this position.

About Mines & Golden, CO

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. 36 public university in the nation, recognized for our innovation and undergraduate teaching in science, technology engineering and math (U.S. News and World Report, 2025). 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.

Why Choose Mines?

Mines is consistently ranked among the top engineering colleges in the United States and ranks number one as the best public school in the state for best value colleges. Mines is located in the heart of Golden, Colorado, a western suburb of Denver. The campus location offers a small‑town ambiance with close proximity to all that the Denver metropolitan area has to offer with an abundance of cultural events, museums, theaters and sporting venues. An arid climate and an average 300 days of sunshine per year make the area an ideal place to live, work and play. We seek individuals who value a diverse and inclusive community – offering different perspectives, experiences, and cultures that enrich the educational and work experience.

HASS and Mines

HASS faculty are dedicated to delivering a program of excellence in the arts, humanities and social sciences that is designed to prepare students for the complex challenges of professional, civic, and private life in the 21st century. The HASS Department at Mines is refreshingly multidisciplinary and unique. Whereas other universities have many individual departments, HASS has faculty from across the arts, humanities, and social sciences housed together. Professors in history, political science, literature, music, geography, philosophers, and more constitute a creative amalgam of expertise and a dedication to Mines students. Our interdisciplinary faculty design creative courses, collaborate with departments across campus, and spearhead innovative–and sometimes transdisciplinary–research. HASS is also home for novel initiatives, such as the undergraduate Environmental Leadership Lab, a growing graduate degree in NREP, and 22 full‑time faculty with impressive publication records.