The Albert Nerken School of Engineering at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art seeks outstanding candidates for a tenure-track Assistant Professor faculty position in civil engineering, starting in August 2025. The school is consistently ranked among the top ten undergraduate engineering institutions in the nation and is focused on providing an exceptional engineering education through an intimate experience characterized by small class sizes and a student-faculty ratio of 7:1. We value interdisciplinary approaches and the intersection of art, architecture, humanities, and engineering. Our students and faculty collaborate across disciplinary boundaries to create innovative solutions to societal challenges. The successful candidate will be dedicated to teaching and mentoring undergraduate students in a rigorous project-oriented and supportive academic environment and engaging undergraduate and master's students in research and scholarly activities. The ideal candidate should contribute to Cooper Union’s strategic priority of educational innovation and leading-edge pedagogies. The candidate is expected to collaborate with faculty and staff to develop innovative curricular models, modern pedagogical paradigms, and evidence-based assessment techniques.

The candidate is required to have an earned doctorate in Civil Engineering with a concentration in environmental and sanitary engineering (clean water, air pollution, wastewater treatment and design). The candidate should either hold or be willing to obtain professional licensure, with additional qualifications such as LEED certification and experience in industry and consulting being highly desirable. The candidate should be capable of teaching broadly across the undergraduate civil engineering curriculum, including courses such as environmental systems engineering (including lab components), environmental and sanitary engineering, and sustainable and green infrastructure design. Candidates are expected to establish and enhance their research trajectory with both undergraduate and master's students, with a preference for those who are comfortable with experimental research or working in a laboratory setting. Candidates are expected to embrace emerging environmental sciences and engineering trends, including but not limited to climate change and sustainability in the built environment, which have led to a growing demand for alternative water sources (rainwater, black water, graywater reuse, non-potable water reuse water treatment technology), air quality, renewable energy, and innovative urban mega projects, at the intersection of environmental engineering, urban planning, and architecture. 

The Cooper Union was founded in 1859 by philanthropist Peter Cooper to provide an education "equal to the best" to all who qualify, regardless of race, religion, gender, wealth or social status. Today, The Cooper Union provides a rigorous professional education in the Schools of Art, Architecture, and Engineering, including a broad curriculum offered by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Fostering a culture of collaboration among a diverse student body and faculty, The Cooper Union teaches students that art, architecture, and engineering have cultural, environmental, and ethical contexts and consequences. As students develop their professional abilities, they recognize their responsibility to advance science and art and to create a sustainable future. We encourage and are interested in engaging with candidates from a diversity of experiences and perspectives with the talent to challenge our students to maximize their learning potential.

Interested and qualified candidates should submit in one searchable PDF document:

• A cover letter. To assist the search committee, all cover letters should address your interest in The Cooper Union and how you envision your teaching and research interests will contribute to the department and the institution. 
• Current curriculum vitae.
• A statement about your teaching philosophy: describe principles, practices, or experiences that inform the way you teach (typically 1-2 pages).
• A statement about your research interests, including potential research projects for undergraduates (typically 1-2 pages).
• A statement about diversity and inclusion: describe your interests, experiences, and future plans for promoting diversity and inclusion in engineering (typically 1-2 pages).
• Contact information for at least three references.  At least one reference should be able to specifically address teaching.

Applications should be sent to hr@cooper.edu and questions may be sent to Department Chair Cosmas Tzavelis at cosmas.tzavelis@cooper.edu. Review of applications is ongoing and will continue until the position is filled. The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is an AA/EOE employer.

The Cooper Union offers faculty a competitive compensation and benefits package covering health insurance, retirement benefits, paid parental leave, and savings programs. While the final salary is negotiated based on expertise, skills and experience, the starting salary is approximately $100k.