Teaching Assistant Professor or Lecturer

Teaching Assistant Professor or Lecturer

Location:
Knoxville, TN
Open Date:
Aug 26, 2026
Description:

Teaching Faculty Position in Civil Engineering and Professional Development

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) seeks to hire a teaching-focused faculty member whose responsibilities will combine technical instruction in the candidate’s area of engineering expertise with a significant role in the department’s undergraduate professional development curriculum. The preferred start date is January 1, 2027. Salary and benefits are nationally competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications. The position is a non-tenure track, renewable, 9-month appointment, with opportunities for research or to teach additional courses each summer. The appointment title will be determined based on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience, consistent with the UTK Faculty Handbook. The successful candidate is expected build an exceptional record of accomplishment in teaching and student engagement, leading to career-track promotions.

The successful candidate will contribute to the department’s established, highly successful professional communications course for second-year undergraduates, which emphasizes technical writing, oral presentations, and student professional development through a high-engagement, feedback-intensive instructional model. Initially, the faculty member will work closely with experienced colleagues to learn and contribute to the course’s existing structure, teaching approach, and support systems while supporting course delivery, providing individualized student feedback, and participating in coordination activities. Over time, the candidate will assume leadership responsibilities for the course, including instructional development, teaching assistant recruitment and training, recitation coordination, team grading, and oversight of the associated writing-center structure. The faculty member will also teach courses in their technical area within civil and environmental engineering; expertise in construction, geotechnical, or structural engineering is especially aligned with current departmental needs.

The department has 26 tenure-line faculty lines and 5 non-tenured full-time teaching faculty and offers baccalaureate, masters, and PhD degrees with concentrations in construction, environmental, geotechnical and materials, structures, transportation, and water resources engineering. The successful candidate will join a community of innovators in engineering education both in the department and in The Tickle College of Engineering and will be supported through a strong commitment to faculty development.

Knoxville, TN is a vibrant city with a beautiful and walkable downtown, active neighborhoods, an effervescent nightlife that includes numerous theaters and museums, a rich live music scene across all genres, and eclectic restaurants. Knoxville is nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, surrounded by lakes and the Tennessee River, providing amazing access to various outdoor activities. Knoxville is within easy driving distance of four major metropolitan areas that regularly host larger cultural and entertainment events.

Responsibilities

The standard teaching load is four courses per semester; however, teaching assignments are determined holistically and may account for course enrollment, number of sections, level of student engagement and feedback, grading responsibilities, team-teaching arrangements, and other departmental responsibilities. Faculty teaching assignments across the department are made with consideration given both to departmental needs and teaching interests of the faculty member. Immediate teaching priorities for this position are:

Technical Written and Verbal Communication

Structural, geotechnical, and/or construction engineering

·         Working effectively within a collaborative teaching environment, mentoring and supervising student instructional assistants, support of students’ professional growth across the undergraduate program.

Full engagement with the students, faculty, and programs of the department through participation in faculty meetings and committees, program development, student extracurricular activities, etc

Qualifications:

• Earned M.S. or Ph.D. in Civil Engineering or a closely related field by the time of appointment.
• Candidates without a Ph.D. must have several years of relevant industry experience and will be appointed a Lecturer
• Ability to develop a diverse teaching portfolio of courses including technical communications and coursework within their technical expertise in the structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, and/or construction engineering.
• Exceptional communication skills and strong motivation to work collaboratively
• Eligibility to work in the US
• Registration as a professional engineer or ability to become registered within four years

Application Instructions:
Applicants should submit 1) an application letter addressing qualifications, motivation, and teaching interests, 2) a complete curriculum vitae, and 3) the names and contact information (names, affiliation, email, and telephone number) for five references. Questions about the position should be directed to Dr. Sarah Mobley, Chair of the Search Committee (voice: 865-974-3355; email: sarahmobley@utk.edu). Applications will be reviewed beginning October 1 and will continue until the position is filled.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university.

Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at Equal Opportunity and Accessibility, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to eoa@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-2498. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Investigation and Resolution, 216 Business Incubator Building, E J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to investigations@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-0717.