Mechanical Engineering Part-Time Instructor

Northern Arizona University; Flagstaff (AZ); On-site; USD 55,000 - 96,000; Part time

Job summary

Northern Arizona University invites applications for a part-time, non-tenure-track Mechanical Engineering Instructor in the Steve Sanghi College of Engineering. The successful candidate will teach ME, Mechatronics, or Multidisciplinary Engineering courses and help develop new undergraduate offerings.

The department emphasizes hands-on learning and active mentoring, with opportunities to work with ABET-aligned programs and industry partners.

Qualifications

• MS in Mechanical Engineering or closely related field by August 17, 2026.
• A minimum of three years of industry experience in mechanical, aerospace or manufacturing engineering.

Responsibilities

• Teach up to 12 credit hours of Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, or Multidisciplinary Engineering courses.
• Develop new undergraduate courses to support department programs.
• Contribute to retention of mechanical engineering majors.
• Maintain office hours and direct student interaction.
• Stay current in the discipline and update course content as appropriate.
• Implement assessment processes for teaching and student learning outcomes.
• Mentor student clubs (e.g., SAE, ASME, SWE).
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Interpersonal skills

Experimental work

Industry experience

Programming: MATLAB

Programming: Python

Effective communication

Education

MS in Mechanical Engineering

PhD in Mechanical Engineering (preferred)

Tools

MATLAB

Python

Job description

This job was posted by https://www.azjobconnection.gov : For more information, please see: https://www.azjobconnection.gov/jobs/7586918

Mechanical Engineering Part-Time Instructor

Northern Arizona University

Special Information

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.

About the Department/College

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.

About the Position

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 Include

• 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.

Minimum Qualifications

• 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, expe ience, and training may be used as an equivalent to the above Minimum Qualifications.*

Preferred Qualifications

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


• 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, Skills, & Abilities

Knowledge

• Knowledge of the needs related to public education.


• Knowledge of effective supervisory and leadership practices.


• Knowledge of thermal-fluids, solid-deformable body mechanics, machine design, manufacturing, robotics, control and/or mechatronics related topics.

Skills

• 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.

Abilities

Communicates effectively. Develops and mai