Title: Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Area: School of Engineering & Applied Science
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Telework Availability: On-campus Position
Employee Classification: Tenure Track Faculty (Full-time)
Appointment Percentage: 100
Months per year: 9
Salary Range: The budgeted annual salary that the University reasonably expects to offer for this position is $86,655. The internal salary range is $86,655 - $92,432.
Review Date: October 24, 2025; Open until filled
Is this position eligible for relocation reimbursement or a signing bonus?: Yes
Job Purpose:
The Mechanical Engineering Department at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position beginning Fall 2026. We invite skilled teacher-scholars committed to inclusive, equity-minded teaching with a demonstrated record of scholarship to join our teaching-centered and research-active department, which is committed to undergraduate education. We are looking for a colleague with broad laboratory expertise in techniques and instrumentation used in all areas of mechanical engineering. Background in the area of thermal/fluid science is desired, but other areas of specialization are also welcome to apply.
We seek candidates with a demonstrated commitment to excellent undergraduate teaching that promote welcoming and diverse learning environments. Immediate teaching responsibilities (i.e., within the first two years) would include laboratory-based courses such as thermal-fluids or mechatronics, as well as lecture-based courses such as thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and mechatronics. There will also be opportunities to teach senior-level courses in the candidate’s area of interest (as a technical elective), as well as in our senior design sequence. To this end, applicants are requested to detail, in their cover letter, what new technical elective(s) they would initially be ready to offer or senior project(s) they would best be able to advise. The total teaching load will be 18 credit hours per year (the equivalent of three, 3-credit courses per semester).
The Mechanical Engineering Department of 7 tenure/tenure-track faculty and 5 lecturers currently offers a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering (ABET accredited), supports around 250 undergraduate students, and is specifically committed to providing support for developing engaging, interactive courses that meet our learning objectives (see: https://www.gonzaga.edu/school-of-engineering-applied-science/degrees-and-programs/mechanical-engineering). Faculty in our department often mentor undergraduate students in research experiences during the school year. Internal funding opportunities are also available to support undergraduate student-faculty research both during the academic year as well as during summer sessions. In addition, Gonzaga’s Center for Teaching and Advising provides regular faculty development and education opportunities, including a New Faculty Learning Community program to help welcome and support new faculty throughout their first year at Gonzaga. The newly opened Bollier Family Center for Integrated Science and Engineering on Gonzaga’s campus contains teaching, research, and collaboration spaces for faculty from Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Environmental Studies and Sciences, Math, Physics, Psychology, and Engineering.
With a mission rooted in the Jesuit tradition (see: https://www.gonzaga.edu/about/our-mission-jesuit-values), Gonzaga seeks to educate students to become compassionate leaders who engage with the world, seek justice, and contribute to the common good. As a campus community, we prioritize inclusive excellence and increasing campus diversity, particularly in supporting underrepresented students in higher education. The Mechanical Engineering Department at Gonzaga University seeks candidates who align with this mission and requests applicants to address it in their cover letter. We value candidates who have worked with a diverse array of faculty, staff, and students, and who contribute to a welcoming campus climate. Experience working with underrepresented and minoritized students through teaching, research, mentoring, or administration is preferred.
Gonzaga’s campus sits adjacent to downtown Spokane, WA, along the Spokane River in the Inland Northwest’s most metropolitan region. We exist on the traditional homelands of the Spokane people, one of the Interior Salish speaking tribes of the region. Spokane is Washington’s second largest city and boasts a vibrant restaurant, entertainment, and arts community; it is also home to a diverse array of neighborhoods and popular outdoor recreational areas.
Essential Functions:
- Teach 18 credit hours of courses per year. Teaching responsibilities will initially include one or more courses in Thermodynamics, Fluids Mechanics, or Mechatronics (with emphasis on laboratory-based courses). There will also be opportunities to teach first-year and senior-level seminar courses in the candidate’s area of interest (as a first-year seminar and technical elective, respectively), as part of our senior design sequence, and more broadly across the curriculum.
- Establish a research program in the candidate’s area of expertise; candidates are also encouraged to:
- develop research programs that support undergraduate student participation in the research,
- mentor and oversee undergraduate research assistants, and
- communicate results through peer-reviewed papers, presentations, and other communications appropriate to the discipline.
- Provide academic and career advising and mentoring to undergraduate students (typically 15 - 25 per year).
- Support the Department, University, and discipline through service and other forms of academic citizenship.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering or closely related technical field (ABDs considered with completion by July 15, 2026)
- Evidence of teaching/mentorship at the undergraduate level
- Evidence of demonstrated laboratory skills
- Evidence of an ongoing scholarly/research agenda
Preferred Qualifications:
- Evidence of engaging, inclusive teaching practices at the undergraduate level that includes thermal-fluids courses and/or other laboratory-based courses for mechanical engineering majors
- Demonstrated ability to establish and run a research program (ex., post-doctoral record, industry research record, significant leadership role in a research project, advising undergraduate students in a research context, etc.)
- Ability to reflect on and clearly articulate professional or practical experiences — whether in industry, research, or other settings — and connect them to classroom and lab teaching, curriculum and lab development, student mentoring, and engaging undergraduates in research.
Educational Requirement:
Terminal Degree
Physical & On-Campus Requirements:
In-Office Presence - Ability to work on-site in typical office setting and participate in in-person meetings with colleagues: 5 days/week
Standing/Sitting - Ability to remain in a stationary position for a prolonged period: Daily (>75% of time)
Walking - Ability to move about on foot to accomplish tasks: Daily (>75% of time)
Lifting/Carrying - Ability to move or transport objects up to a specified weight: Often (50%-75% of time)
Attention to Detail - Ability to focus on detailed tasks for extended periods: Daily (>75% of time)
Problem-Solving - Ability to identify and resolve issues effectively: Daily (>75% of time)
Required Application Materials: To apply, please visit our website at employment.gonzaga.edu/jobs/search. Applicants must complete an online application and submit the following:
1. A curriculum vitae
2. A statement of teaching philosophy that includes:
- evidence of teaching effectiveness,
- a description of how the candidate creates and maintains an environment that supports and promotes learning for students with a variety of backgrounds and identities, and
- a description of how the candidate would advance GU’s mission and our commitment to inclusive excellence through their teaching and advising.
3. A statement that describes the candidate’s research program and explains how it can support undergraduate research experiences. The statement should also describe the candidate’s record of mentoring undergraduates from backgrounds and identities historically marginalized in the sciences and describe how the candidate would advance GU’s mission through their research.
4. A cover letter that summarizes the areas above and describes the candidate’s understanding of and commitment to the university’s Mission. Additionally, the candidate is asked to specify what technical elective(s) they would initially be ready to offer.
Names and contact information for at least three (3) professional references will be collected from advancing candidates during the interview process. References will be sent a link to upload a confidential letter of recommendation.
Please direct questions about this position to Max Capobianchi, Search Chair, Mechanical Engineering, capobianchi@gonzaga.edu. Position remains open until filled, for best consideration, please submit materials by October 24, 2025, midnight, U.S. Pacific Time. For assistance with your online application, please call the Human Resources Department at 509-313-5996.
