Assistant Teaching Professor | Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering

JOB TITLE

Assistant Teaching Professor | Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering

LOCATION Worcester

DEPARTMENT NAME

Civil, Environmental, & Architectural Engineering

DIVISION NAME

Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

The Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering (CEAE) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) invites applications for a full-time Assistant Teaching Professor in civil infrastructure engineering, with a focus on the digital, sensing, and automation technologies that are changing how infrastructure is built, monitored, and maintained.

We are looking for an educator who can teach courses in civil infrastructure and the built environment and who can bring emerging tools into the classroom and the lab. Examples of such tools include AI applied to design and construction, digital twins, reality capture and drones, sensing and structural health monitoring, data analytics, and construction robotics. Candidates are not expected to have expertise in all of these areas; we welcome applicants whose strength lies in one or two of them, paired with a solid grounding in civil, architectural, or construction engineering practice.

This is a career-track teaching appointment with a clear path for promotion to Associate Teaching Professor and Teaching Professor. Teaching faculty at WPI are full voting members of the faculty and play a central role in curricular leadership.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in civil infrastructure and the built environment, integrating digital, sensing, and automation technologies into instruction.
• Develop new courses or laboratory modules that give students hands-on experience with modern field, sensing, and computational tools.
• Advise and mentor students in WPI’s project-based curriculum, including Major Qualifying Projects (MQP), Interactive Qualifying Projects (IQP), and graduate capstone work.
• Help shape laboratory, maker, and field-testing facilities that support instruction in construction and infrastructure technology.
• Build relationships with contractors, owners, agencies, and technology firms so that instruction reflects current practice.
• Participate in departmental service, student recruiting and retention, curriculum assessment and ABET accreditation activities, and outreach.

Required Qualifications

• An earned doctorate by the appointment start date in civil engineering, architectural engineering, construction engineering, or a closely related field.
• Expertise in one or more digital, sensing, or automation technologies relevant to civil infrastructure, with a grounding in civil, architectural, or construction engineering and the ability to connect these technologies to construction processes, structural behavior, or infrastructure performance.
• Enthusiasm for hands-on, project-based, and experiential instruction.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior university-level teaching experience, including course or laboratory development.
• Professional experience in the construction industry, with an infrastructure owner or agency, or in a construction or infrastructure technology firm.
• Experience with industry partnerships, sponsored student projects, or workforce development programs.
• A record of mentoring students from a range of backgrounds and preparing them to work on diverse teams.

About the Department and WPI WPI is a global leader in project-based learning. Its distinctive undergraduate curriculum requires every student to complete substantial team-based projects addressing real problems for real stakeholders, often at one of WPI’s project centers around the world. Undergraduate courses are delivered in an intensive seven-week term structure that supports focused, immersive instruction.

CEAE offers ABET-accredited undergraduate programs and graduate degrees spanning civil engineering, construction project management, environmental engineering, and architectural engineering. The department is investing in the technologies that will define the next generation of infrastructure practice, and this position is central to that direction. The successful candidate will find natural collaborators across WPI in robotics engineering, data science, electrical and computer engineering, and computer science.

Worcester, Massachusetts is New England’s second-largest city, with a growing innovation economy, a substantial construction and real estate development sector, and easy access to Boston, Providence, and Hartford.

How to Apply

Applications should be submitted through WPI’s online application system and include:

• A cover letter describing the candidate’s interest in and fit for the position.
• A curriculum vitae.
• A statement of teaching philosophy and interests (2 pages maximum), including courses the candidate would be prepared to teach and any new courses or laboratory experiences they would propose to develop.
• Names and contact information for three professional references. References will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission.

Review of applications will begin February 1, 2027, and will continue until the position is filled. Inquiries may be directed to Prof. Nima Rahbar at nrahbar@wpi.edu.

Compensation

Salary: $80,000 - $85,000 per year. Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity. WPI’s benefits package includes a robust retirement match, wellness perks, tuition assistance and more!

FLSA STATUS

United States of America (Exempt)

WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. It seeks individuals from all backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity, collaboration, inclusion, problem solving, innovation, high performance, and change making. It is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.