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.
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 2021 or Spring 2022 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:
- A one-page cover letter describing your interest in the position and summarizing your personal academic goals.
- Resume/CV.
- A two-page statement of your experience and plans for teaching and student mentoring.
- 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: $2,500 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. Compensation starts at $12,500 per 3-credit course and depends on the teaching assignment (effective January 1, 2023).
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
Job Description - Student Assistant
Design Center Colorado is currently hiring 2 student assistants to work on a collaborative project between the Graduate Design program and Woodward. They are seeking students interested in design and testing of a novel internal combustion engine for direct combustion to power generation. The job involves design, fabrication, and testing of a new power assembly.
Qualifications
- Senior or graduate student in good standing
- Have taken MCEN 4228/5228 Renewables, Fuel Cells, IC Engines or equivalent
Pay: $25/hour
Date Posted: 6/16/2022
How to apply
Send your resume to Greg Whiting at gregory.whiting@colorado.edu.
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 entering their CU email address at lists.colorado.edu/sympa/subscribe/mcen-prof. 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:
The department hires a number of students each semester to provide course support on an hourly basis. Responsibilities may include:
- Grading
- Responding to student questions and inquiries about course content and materials
- Assisting the instructor with course content management and organization on Canvas
- Researching data and materials for the course
Pay rates
Undergraduate students = $15.50 per hour
Graduate students = $18.50 per hour
Interested applicants for course support in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering may contact Vera Sebulsky at Vera.Sebulsky@colorado.edu for information about available positions.
Assist various units within the department with administrative work such as:
Front desk student assistant
- Staff front desk, providing information about department and outstanding customer service to everyone who stops by
- Provide front desk operations such as scheduling conference rooms, stocking and maintaining inventory report on office and Xerox supplies, operating copier and fax machine, maintaining front desk/package closet/Xerox room/kitchen and storage as needed
- Perform general administrative duties as assigned such as running errands, filing, word processing, data entry and internet research
- Distribute mail to mailboxes for the faculty, staff, and students
- Log packages, deliver to recipients’ labs/offices, and email recipients to notify
- Distribute and log visitor parking permit requests
- Report Xerox usage to finance team
- Other assignments including (but not limited to) cleaning and moving items
Interested applicants for front desk student assistant openings in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering may contact our Administrative Assistant, Lauren Cherry, at lauren.cherry@colorado.edu for information about available positions.
Finance student assistant
- Process procurement card transactions, including scanning receipts, allocating purchases to the designated speedtypes, and notifying cardholders of submitting reports for department approval
- Assist faculty, staff, and student employees with the process of submitting procurement card paperwork and reimbursement requests
- Set a consistent work schedule and work independently to meet both university and department due dates
- Provide additional support as needed. Assigned tasks may include word processing, data entry, filing and providing coverage for administrative staff during department functions
Interested applicants for finance student assistant openings in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering may contact Finance Manager, Yumie Smith, at yumie.kajinosmith@colorado.edu for information about available positions.
Pay rates
Undergraduate Students
1st and 2nd semester = $15.00
3rd and 4th semester = $15.50
5th and 6th semester = $16.00
7th, 8th and beyond = $16.50
Graduate Students
1st and 2nd semester = $18.00
3rd and 4th semester = $18.50
5th and 6th semester = $19.00
7th, 8th and beyond = $19.50
Starting pay rate depends on student’s skills, qualifications and experience in the respective area. Pay rate may increase after the first semester is possible dependent upon the student’s performance and length of employment.
Assist various faculty within the department with research work such as:
- Assisting graduate student with processing and analysis of data collected during field work
- Assisting graduate student with chemical analysis of air quality samples collected during field work
- Modifying air quality sensor packages to include new sensor modes and maintaining research group’s sensor packages
- Setting up equipment in the lab, assembling experimental setups, and doing a bit of math on acquired data
Pay rates
Undergraduate students
1st and 2nd semester = $15.00 per hour
3rd and 4th semester = $15.50 per hour
5th and 6th semester = $16.00 per hour
7th, 8th and beyond = $16.50 per hour
Graduate students
1st and 2nd semester = $18.00 per hour
3rd and 4th semester = $18.50 per hour
5th and 6th semester = $19.00 per hour
7th, 8th and beyond = $19.50 per hour
Starting pay rate depends on student’s skills, qualifications and experience in the respective area. Pay rate may increase after the first semester is possible dependent upon the student’s performance and length of employment.
Interested applicants can find more information on our faculty and their research on the website. Please reach out to the faculty member directly for information about available positions.
The goal of the Student Apprentice Program is to build a cohort of students who work to develop and promote opportunities related to career development. Student apprentices are tasked with bringing their learning from summer internships and fellowships back to the department to help strengthen connections between students and industry.
Students are accepted into the program during the semester before their internship begins. They participate in monthly check-ins over the summer and receive a $100 stipend. During the academic year, student apprentices serve as part of a student leadership team tasked with the following:
- Provide leadership for MCEN2000 including facilitating recitation sections, meeting individually with students to discuss their career goals, participating in class panels and grading course assignments
- Serve as panel facilitators, industry hosts, and logistical support for events including ME Alumni Connect Day, the Careers in ME Symposium and the Research Lunch Series
- Have their picture, a description of their internship experience, and their email address posted online as a resource for students interested in discussing the internship process
- Work in small teams on projects designed to increase student/industry engagement
Applicants for the Student Apprentice Program should have a confirmed summer position (i.e. internship, research fellowship, etc.). They should be strong communicators who are comfortable speaking in front of a class. They should also be passionate about career-related topics and have a strong interest in helping other student explore their interests. Student completing internships in non-traditional areas of mechanical engineering (i.e. policy, management, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to apply.
Pay Rates
Undergraduate students = $15.50 per hour
Graduate students = $18.50 per hour
Interested applicants may contact Kat McConnell, SEE/ERC Senior Professional Development Advisor, at katherine.mcconnell@colorado.edu for information about available positions.
Undergraduate engineering students in the Discovery Learning Apprenticeship program earn hourly wages while engaging in research with college faculty and graduate students
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for admission to the DLA program
- Positions are announced in late March, with applications accepted through the end of April for apprenticeships during the following academic year
- Students may work up to 300 hours in these positions over the course of the academic year (average of 10 hours per week 30 weeks in the academic year)
- Students attend several mandatory seminars and all DLA students present a Power Point presentation in the spring as a culmination of their work. The top presenters then move on to present a poster at the annual DLA symposium each April
Pay rate
$15 per hour
Interested applicants may contact Sharon Anderson, Director of Active Learning, at sharon.e.anderson@colorado.edu for information about available positions.
This position assists the ME Lab Engineer in providing support to students seeking assistance from the ME Checkout Office at the Idea Forge.
- Assist students with design/test/fabrication projects and problems including the following skillsets:
- SolidWorks (working knowledge is important)
- Dimensioning and tolerancing of drawings
- Use of test and measurement equipment
- Make suggestions/provide guidance with fabrication and assembly processes
- Assist students/faculty locating hardware, components, etc. in the Checkout Office
- Maintain order and cleanliness of the ME spaces in the Idea Forge
Pay rate
$15.00 per hour
Interested applicants may contact ME Lab Engineer Andy Kain at david.kain@colorado.edu for information about available positions.