Teaching Assistant Professor

Role details

Posting Information

Department

Applied Physical Sciences - 318100

Posting Open Date

10/13/2026

Application Deadline

01/04/2027

Open Until Filled

No

Position Type

Permanent Faculty

Working Title

Teaching Assistant Professor

Appointment Type

Fixed Term Faculty

Vacancy ID

FAC0006166

Full-time/Part-time

Full-Time Permanent

Hours per week

40

FTE

1

Position Location

North Carolina, US

Hiring Range

Dependent on Experience and/or Qualifications

Proposed Start Date

07/01/2027

Position Information

Be a Tar Heel!

The Department of Applied Physical Sciences at the University of North Carolina invites applications for a Teaching Assistant Professor (TAP).

This position is a 3-year, 9-month, permanent, fixed-term faculty appointment. The individual in the position will be evaluated annually for teaching and service. APS has developed an innovative, general engineering undergraduate major with tracks in materials engineering and environmental engineering. The APS program capitalizes on the strengths of UNC in the liberal arts to train students to address the complex, interdisciplinary challenges of today.

We seek a dynamic educator who will thrive in this innovative environment and is prepared to design, improve upon, and teach undergraduate courses using pedagogy informed by engineering education research. The successful candidate will join a cohesive and innovative group of faculty who are dedicated to teaching excellence.

The TAP will teach three classes per semester including first year classes, engineering foundations courses, and upper-level electives. The TAP will also be expected to provide service to the department by working with the Director of Undergraduate Studies to support the implementation of the new undergraduate program. This could include the development of one or more of the following: an assessment plan, peer teaching oversight, faculty mentoring, and undergraduate laboratory activities. There could be opportunities to teach summer school classes. A PhD in Engineering, Materials Science, Applied Sciences, Engineering Education or a related field is required.

Candidates with demonstrated experience in innovative and evidence-based teaching methods will be considered most competitive, including the following: prior teaching in engineering courses, especially materials engineering; industry-education relations; teaching which is responsive to developing artificial intelligence tools.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

The Department of Applied Physical Sciences (APS) turns ideas into impact in three areas: health, energy, and water. It pursues those goals through innovations in materials discovery, design, and characterization; devices and instrumentation; and computation and artificial intelligence. Launched in 2013 as the first new science department in the College of Arts and Sciences in nearly 40 years, APS combines applied sciences and engineering to pursue team-based, interdisciplinary research in health, energy, and water.

That same hands-on spirit powers BeAM (Be A Maker), APS’s university-wide making initiative, anchored by a 3,400-square-foot makerspace in Murray Hall that serves the entire Carolina community.

Position Summary

The Teaching Assistant Professor will teach three classes per semester including first year classes, engineering foundational courses, and upper-level electives in materials and engineering. The TAP will also be expected to provide service to the department by working with the Director of Undergraduate Studies to support the implementation of the new undergraduate program. This could include the development of one or more of the following: an assessment plan, student advising processes, peer teaching oversight, faculty mentoring, and undergraduate laboratory activities. This position may also have opportunities to teach summer school classes.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Candidate must hold a Ph.D (or equivalent degree) in Applied Sciences, Materials Science, or any Engineering discipline, including Engineering Education.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

Candidates with demonstrated experience in innovative and evidence-based teaching methods will be considered most competitive. Prior teaching experience in engineering courses, especially materials engineering, is desirable.

Special Physical/Mental Requirements

Campus Security Authority Responsibilities

Not Applicable.