Assistant Professor - Tenure Track – Mechatronics - AY 26/27

Mechanical Engineering
Assistant Professor - Tenure Track – Mechatronics - AY 26/27

The Mechanical Engineering Department in the College of Engineering at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California (Cal Poly) is excited to invite applications for two open positions, each full-time, academic year, tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant Professor rank beginning Fall 2026. 

Cal Poly has a tradition of excellence in teaching and scholarship that supports a curriculum centered on a "Learn by Doing" philosophy and focused on preparing graduates to make a positive impact on their world day one. Cal Poly is committed to the teacher-scholar model. As teachers, faculty are expected to exhibit strong pedagogic skills and to remain proficient and current in their disciplines. The successful candidate will be expected to teach undergraduate and master's level courses, and support and expand curricular development in mechatronics, system dynamics, and controls; pursue research with undergraduate and master’s students in their area of interest; and provide service to the department, the university, and the community. Cal Poly features an approach to mechatronics that focuses on hardware-software interaction and electro-mechanical systems. This position is an opportunity for candidates who are passionate about undergraduate education to join a unique institution that values teaching and scholarship through a Learn by Doing approach. As scholars, faculty should be engaged in scholarly work that is of very high quality as evidenced by external peer review. As colleagues, faculty are encouraged to perform service activities at all levels of the University.

Salary will be commensurate with education and experience of the individual selected. Qualified candidates with industry experience are encouraged to apply. Anticipated hiring range: $106,000 – $117,000 per year.

The College of Engineering at Cal Poly is committed to building a faculty of teacher-scholars who collaborate to provide a multi-disciplinary and hands-on approach to inclusive excellence in student learning and applied research. We believe that individuals from broad backgrounds strengthen our programs and positively impact student success. We encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for consideration. Cal Poly emphasizes Learn by Doing, which involves extensive lab work and projects in support of theoretical knowledge.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

As a premier comprehensive polytechnic university, Cal Poly is ranked as the best public master's university in the western U.S., while its Mechanical Engineering undergraduate program is also highly ranked.  The program has a strong focus on undergraduate and master’s level education through a laboratory intensive, hands-on curriculum. Our tenured, tenure-track, and lecturer/adjunct faculty are dedicated engineers with a passion for teaching, innovative applied research, interacting with students, and advising student club activities.  The department values teaching excellence and offers students small class sizes and hands-on activities throughout their undergraduate careers.  In addition to nearly a dozen teaching laboratory spaces, our students’ education and extra-curricular activities are further enhanced by having direct access to state-of-the-art machine shop facilities where students transform their designs into working prototypes.

Cal Poly and the College of Engineering support collaborative research opportunities for faculty. There are numerous opportunities to partner with faculty across campus to engage in impactful research, including the newly established Noyce School of Applied Computing (https://noyce.calpoly.edu/).

For more information about the department, please visit https://me.calpoly.edu/. The starting date for this position is September 2026.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

This position is open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, Cal Poly provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. Cal Poly complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal ant