Assistant Professor of Engineering

Earlham College is a Top 100 National Liberal Arts College located in Richmond, IN, a small city that's just a short drive away from several major metropolitan areas including Dayton, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Chicago.

Richmond and Earlham have a symbiotic relationship. Through research, studies, internships and volunteering, Earlhamites offer Richmond expertise and service as Richmond offers our students the chance to gain valuable, real-world experience. Our community assumes no religious affiliation but follows Quaker principles and practices, which include respect for persons, integrity, a commitment to peace and justice, simplicity, and consensus-based community decision-making. Earlham is committed to and proud of being a diverse and inclusive place most clearly visible in our student body: 20% of our student body are international, coming from 60+ nations in 2022, and 24% are domestic students of color. Faculty and staff also bring tremendous diversity to the College; many have lived and worked outside the United States, and they make a point of drawing on those experiences in their interactions with students. Additionally, Earlham makes it a priority to serve as a safe and welcoming place for LGBTQ+ communities and has a four-star rating on the Campus Pride Index. Our community is characterized by respect for every person and a commitment to social justice. Equity and inclusion are central to Earlham's institutional priorities and our leadership is committed to widening the path to an Earlham education.

Earlham College is seeking an Assistant Professor of Engineering to join our team.

Position Summary:   

Earlham College invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Engineering beginning in Fall 2025. Earlham is developing a General Engineering program with both accredited and non-accredited degrees. This search invites applicants from all Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Education, or a related Engineering background.

Program Details

We are building a program (Engineering for Good) that is, from day one, distinctive in its deep integration across our campus and community, both complementing and being strengthened by Earlham’s experience in the liberal arts, as well as its mission grounded in Quaker principles. This is the third in a series of hires we are making as we build up the program. The successful applicant will have strong Engineering credentials and a commitment to modern pedagogy. They will work closely with Earlham’s students, faculty, staff, and community to help develop a curriculum that trains engineers committed to social good. The Board, faculty, and community are very excited and support this new initiative in the Department of Physics, Engineering and Astronomy.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Teach 3 General Engineering courses per semester. In practice, this load will usually be two lectures and two lab sections per semester, although the particulars of any individual’s load depend on the needs and assets of the department during a given term.
• Help develop Earlham’s new Engineering program. The successful applicant will begin work as the third year of Engineering students arrives on campus. While many decisions about the new program have already been made, many are yet to be finalized. It is an exciting opportunity for an individual with passion for program design.
• Perform original research with Earlham’s undergraduates either during or between semesters. The College has a range of research facilities and opportunities for internal and external funding support. Dedicated lab space and startup funds are available.
• Support our diverse faculty, staff, and student body. Earlham is committed to working toward being a just and equitable campus. Teachers are expected to support all voices and build empowering classrooms, especially for marginalized groups.
• Develop further professionally. Among other areas, a position at Earlham offers the chance to: be an undergraduate advisor; participate in Earlham’s community governance process, learn to write grants, etc. The position also includes access to scholarly travel funding for conferences.

Things you can choose to do

• Grow as a teacher. Earlham is committed to the classroom experience, and thus provides ample opportunities to improve your pedagogy. These chances come both internally, through formal mentorship, and externally, through funded workshops and conferences.
• Participate in on- and off-campus activities. Earlham professors regularly attend sports and music events, lead off-campus trips, and otherwise support each other and the student body outside the classroom.

Required

• A PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Education, or a related field by Fall 2025
• A demonstrated passion for and experience of teaching excellence
• A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice
• An interest in conducting research with undergraduate students

Preferred

• The ability to contribute to a broad range of engineering courses
• A passion for program design, with attention to the societal impacts of Engineering
• Experience with accreditation processes

Please Note: All applications received by January 20, 2025 will receive full consideration, though the committee may choose to review more applications until the position is filled.

To Apply:

• Please submit the following application materials through our Earlham Careers Portal:
• Curriculum Vitae
• Unofficial transcripts
• Cover letter - Address your interest in the opening explaining your relevant work history as it pertains to this position.
• Statement of DEI – Submit your thoughts and experience with matters of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, as it relates and specifically pertains to this position, in a 300 – 1000-word statement.  (Examples of helpful topics include: your understanding of DEI principles, past experiences with DEI, and/or future plans to contribute to DEI at Earlham.)
• Statement of your Teaching Philosophy.
• Research statement addressing your research history, and your expected timeline and plans for establishing a research program at Earlham.
• List of Three Professional References with Contact Information

Questions regarding the search should be directed to Seth Hopper at physics@earlham.edu.

Earlham College is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse community, one that reflects the makeup of society at large and that particularly welcomes and supports individuals from groups that have been historically marginalized because of factors such as race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, and physical ability. The College strongly encourages applications from women and people of color. As an institution with a Quaker identity, the College also solicits applications from members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

Earlham's Work Authorization Policy

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