Lecturer-IR/AT, Mechanical Engineering

Job Purpose:

The Mechanical Engineering Department at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA invites applications for a non-tenure-track faculty position beginning Fall 2026. We invite passionate teacher-scholars committed to inclusive, equity-minded teaching to join our teaching-centered and research-active department, which is committed to undergraduate education. We are looking for a colleague with broad classroom and laboratory expertise in all areas of mechanical engineering.

We seek candidates with a demonstrated commitment to excellent undergraduate teaching that promotes welcoming and diverse learning environments. Immediate teaching responsibilities (i.e., within the first two years) would include lecture and laboratory-based courses in mechatronics/instrumentation, solid mechanics, design and related areas. Demonstrated proficiency in SolidWorks and/or LabView/Arduino programming is preferred. 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, an example of a new technical elective they would initially be ready to offer or senior project(s) they would best be able to advise. The total teaching load will be 24 credit hours per year (the equivalent of four, 3-credit courses per semester).

The Mechanical Engineering Department of 7 tenure/tenure-track faculty and 4 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. 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.

For more information on our mission, please visit: https://www.gonzaga.edu/about/our-mission-jesuit-values/mission-statement

Essential Functions:

• Teaching - Teach 24 credit hours of courses per year. Teaching responsibilities will initially include one or more courses in the area of mechatronics or solid mechanics/design. There will also be opportunities to teach first-year seminars and senior-level tech electives in the candidate’s area of interest, as part of our senior design sequence, and more broadly across the curriculum.
• Advising - Provide academic guidance, career advising, and mentoring to undergraduate students (typically 15 - 25 per year). The degree to which Advising is required will be reviewed on a year-by-year basis based on faculty load.
• Academic Citizenship & Service - Support the Department, School, University, and discipline through service and other forms of academic citizenship.

Minimum Qualifications:

• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering or closely related technical field
• Evidence of teaching and/or mentorship at the undergraduate level
• Evidence of demonstrated classroom and/or laboratory skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering or closely related technical field (ABDs considered with completion by July 15, 2026)
• Evidence of engaging, inclusive teaching practices at the undergraduate level that includes mechatronics, solid mechanics and/or design courses and/or other laboratory-based courses for mechanical engineering majors.
• 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.
• Demonstrated proficiency/experience in SolidWorks and/or LabView/Arduino programming.

Educational Requirement:

Master's 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)