The Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering invites you to join our team at the forefront of research, innovation and education. To learn more about the department and our vision, please visit the about us page. 

Faculty and Staff

Tenure-Track Faculty

The College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder invites applications for tenure-line faculty in several interdisciplinary research areas. Our college is halfway through a strategic plan to double in size, and our vision is to be a world leader for excellence and innovation in engineering research and education.

A core value of the College of Engineering and Applied Science is inclusive excellence. We seek candidates who are interested in or have demonstrated effectiveness in teaching, mentoring and inspiring diverse students of all races, nationalities and genders, including first-generation college undergraduates. Applicants must hold a doctorate in an appropriate field and have demonstrated an ability or show promise and interest in conducting innovative research and developing excellent teaching practices while mentoring students and collaborating with faculty.  We are eager to accommodate the needs of dual career couples. 
 

Apply for Tenure-Track Faculty in Mechanical Engineering

Apply for Tenure-Track Faculty in College of Enginerering and Applied Sceince

Apply for Tenure-Track Faculty in Robotics

Learn more here

Scholar in Residence

The Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder invites applications to fill a Scholar in Residence position. This position will support the Department of Mechanical Engineering and fulfillment of the department’s educational mission, with a particular focus on both undergraduate and graduate courses in the broad areas of manufacturing, product design, CAD, and machine design, or other related fields.

This is a non-tenure track appointment; the successful candidate will be appointed as a Scholar in Residence with a three-year renewable contract. The position will report to the Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Responsibilities

The position involves teaching five engineering courses per academic year on the CU-Boulder campus, beginning the Fall or Spring semester.

What you should know

This is a standard three-year renewable appointment targeted towards design professionals with industry experience. Mentorship from research and teaching faculty and full staff support will be provided.

What we can offer

The salary range for this position will be $70,000 - $95,000 annually with University benefits. The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder.

Qualifications

Candidates must have earned at least a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field, and must demonstrate active engagement and continued industry experience in the field of mechanical engineering. A strong commitment to high-quality undergraduate and graduate engineering education and/or industry training is a plus. The successful applicant would have demonstrated industry experience and project management skills and will be able to leverage their experience to teach both lecture and lab-based courses. An interest in improving undergraduate and graduate engineering education is desirable.

Preferred applicants would have prior teaching and industrial experience and would have already served as the instructor of record for one or more courses. Expertise is preferred in the broad areas of manufacturing, product design, CAD (SOLIDWORKS certification recommended), and machine design, or other related fields.

How to apply

To apply, please submit the following materials as PDF files:

  1. A one-page cover letter describing your interest in the position and summarizing your personal academic goals.
  2. Resume/CV.
  3. A two-page statement of your experience and plans for teaching and student mentoring.
  4. List of 3 references with contact information.
    • During the application process you will need to separately enter contact information for one reference who will be contacted to provide a letter of recommendation and additional materials, if needed, as the search progresses. This can be someone from your list of references above.

Review of applications will begin as they are received and will continue until the position is filled.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs. Background checks will be conducted for all final applicants.

Posting contact information

Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources

Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu

Adjunct Instructors for Engineering Project Teams

The department is currently seeking 25-30 professionals to serve as directors overseeing project teams of 6-8 students for two academic semesters.

Duties: 

  • Director helps the student project team grow and develop so they can independently run the project by themselves.  The director models and establishes industry practices, such as the use of meeting agendas, meeting minutes, weekly status report by each team member, setting and reviewing schedules and budgets each week, identifying potential problems and solutions, etc.  
  • Ideally, the director meets once a week with the team for an hour. Also, ideally, the company client attends the same meeting. If the client and director do meet at the same time, it is often helpful for the team to meet briefly with the director alone before or after the client meeting.
  • Adjunct directors typically handle this time commitment by meeting early or late in the day (i.e. before/after their normal work hours) with the team. They also answer team emails or phone calls throughout the week; this typically takes <1 hr/week depending on the project status.
  • The director provides guidance in preparing and critiquing oral presentations and written reports. The director should read reports and give feedback to teams, preferably not by ‘grading’ the report but by requesting changes and improvements. There are typically 3-4 reports per semester, requiring an average of 1-2 hours/report depending on the report quality.
  • When possible, the director attends team presentations at company site to evaluate team oral presentation skills. Time commitment can vary widely depending on the company location, approximately 3-8 hr/semester. If the director can’t attend, one option is to prepare and critique the team during practice presentations beforehand. 
  • The director attends the team’s manufacturing review in December.
  • 
The director conducts performance evaluations with each team member near the end of the fall and spring semesters, and suggests team member grades at the end of each semester.

Qualifications: Experience in mechanical engineering project management, mechanical engineering degree

Estimated Hours: 2 hours per week
Positions available: 25-30
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Contact: Daria Kotys-Schwartz, daria.kotys@colorado.edu
Pay rate: $2,750 per team overseen, for one academic year

The University of Colorado does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, pregnancy, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation, or political philosophy. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. Click here for a list of ADA and Title IX coordinators. To view the Regent policy, please click here. This organization participates in E-Verify. We will provide the Social Security Administration and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security, with information from each employee's I-9 form to confirm work authorization.

Reasonable Accommodations for Applicants with Disabilities
CU Boulder is committed to making information and resources that are available via the web accessible for all users. If you are a job seeker and need accessibility assistance or an accommodation in order to apply for one of our open positions, please submit an accessibility request or call 303-735-4357 (5-HELP) to submit a request for assistance.

Temporary Faculty 

Each semester the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering seeks Adjuncts to teach a variety of course to our students in the areas of computer aided design, mechanics of materials, thermal and fluid transport, machine design and manufacturing. These teaching roles are filled on an as-needed basis each semester. 

The title of Adjunct is given to individuals who teach on a course-by-course basis. Adjunct generally teach a particular course or courses for which they qualified for and may have graduate degrees and/or advanced experience in their profession or field of expertise. Effective January 1, 2024 compensation starts at $13,000 per 3-credit course and depends on the teaching assignment.

Examples of courses that lecturers have taught in our department include: 

  • GEEN 1400: First-Year Engineering Projects
  • MCEN 1025: Computer Aided Design and Fabrication
  • MCEN 3012: Thermodynamics
  • MCEN 3030: Computational Methods
  • MCEN 4026: Manufacturing
  • MCEN 4173/5173: Finite Element Analysis

That said, needs fluctuate substantially from semester-to-semester. If you have an interest in teaching with the department, we would encourage you to reach out to share your areas of specialization rather than being confined by the list above. Adjuncts positions are not permanent employees and hired on a semester-by-semester basis. This position is eligible for employee sick leave earned monthly on a prorated basis. For more information and open opportunities of permanent faculty positions, please visit CU Boulder Jobs. 

Interested applicants for Adjuncts openings in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering may contact HR and Operations Manager, Kassie Van Pelt, at Kassie.VanPelt@colorado.edu for information about available positions. 

 

Student Jobs

Student Jobs Mailing List

The department maintains a moderated mailing listserv for job opportunities relevant to ME students. Current students and alumni can subscribe to the list by sending a blank email to mcen-prof+subscribe@colorado.edu from their CU email address. The jobs range from part-time internships for current students to full-time salaried positions for graduates. Employers interesting in posting to the jobs list can email katherine.mcconnell@colorado.edu.

Department Jobs

Each semester the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering seeks student employees in the areas of course support, department administration and research assistance. These student hourly roles are filled on an as-needed basis each semester. Student hourly positions are not permanent employees. We offer the following positions within our program: