Mechanical Engineering Part-Time Instructor

JobsToBuild; Flagstaff (AZ); On-site; USD 6,000 - 12,000; Part time

Job summary

Northern Arizona University invites applications for a part-time Mechanical Engineering Instructor position in Flagstaff, AZ. The instructor will teach up to 12 credit hours, develop courses, mentor student teams, and stay current in the discipline.

Requirements include an MS in Mechanical Engineering by August 17, 2026 and at least three years of industry experience; PhD preferred, plus ABET‑experienced teaching is valued. This pool may fill multiple openings as needed.

Qualifications

• MS in Mechanical Engineering by Aug 17, 2026.
• At least three years of industry experience in mechanical, aerospace or manufacturing engineering.
• Equivalents may be considered with education and training.

Responsibilities

• Teach up to 12 credit hours of ME/Mechatronics/Multidisciplinary courses or labs.
• Develop new undergraduate courses to support degree 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 needed.
• Implement assessment of teaching and learning outcomes.
• Mentor student clubs (SAE/ASME/SWE).
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Interpersonal skills

Experimentation

Industry experience

Teaching/mentoring

Technical communication

Education

MS in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

MATLAB

Python

Job description

Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ 86011
Posted 5 days
Mechanical Engineering Part-Time Instructor
Northern Arizona University
Special Information

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, experience, 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

• 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 maintains good working relationships.
• Facilitates learning in multiple modalities.
• Teaches a wide variety of courses.
• Engages with and leads collaborative multi- and inter-disciplinary teams.
• Works in a collaborative environment with faculty, staff, and students.
• Ability to integrate hands‑on learning using facilities like machine shops or makerspaces.

Compensation

Budgeted salary for this position is $2,000 per credit unit or $6,000 per 3 credit course. Annual salary commensurate with candidate's qualifications and related experience.

Pre-Employment Check

Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, an employment history verification and a degree verification (in some cases) prior to employment. You may also be required to complete a fingerprint background check. Also, as an employer in the state of Arizona, NAU is required to participate in the federal E-Verify program that assists employers with verifying new employees' right to work in the United States.

This position has been identified as a safety/security sensitive position. Therefore, per AZ Revised Statute, Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, employment history investigation, degree verification (in some cases) and fingerprinting. If you are applying for a job that requires a CDL, you will be required to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse and adhere to the clearinghouse requirements.

Notice of Availability of the Annual Fire and Security Report

Each year Northern Arizona University releases an https://in.nau.edu/police-department/annual-security-and-fire-safety-reports/. The report is a result of a federal law known as the Clery Act. The report includes Clery reportable crime statistics for the three most recent completed calendar years and discloses procedures, practices and programs NAU uses to keep students and employees safe including how to report crimes or other emergencies occurring on campus. In addition, the https://in.nau.edu/police-department/annual-security-and-fire-safety-reports/ is combined with the Annual Security Report for the NAU Flagstaff Mountain Campus as this campus has on-campus student housing. The report discloses fire safety policies and procedures related to on-campus student housing and statistics for fires that occurred in those facilities. If you would like a free paper copy of the report, please contact the NAUPD Records Department at [phone] or by visiting the department at 525 E. Pine Knoll Drive in Flagstaff.

Immigration Support/Sponsorship

Northern Arizona University will not provide any U.S. immigration support or sponsorship for this position.