Occupation · SOC 25-1032
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses pertaining to the application of physical laws and principles of engineering for the development of machines, materials, instruments, processes, and services. Includes teachers of subjects such as chemical, civil, electrical, industrial, mechanical, mineral, and petroleum engineering. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Median wage
—
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
—
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
2,969 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingLearning StrategiesInstructingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningWritingMathematicsCritical ThinkingJudgment and Decision MakingActive LearningScienceMonitoringComplex Problem SolvingTime ManagementSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisCoordinationSocial PerceptivenessPersuasionNegotiationService OrientationOperations AnalysisManagement of Personnel ResourcesQuality Control AnalysisProgrammingTechnology DesignOperations MonitoringManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesOperation and ControlTroubleshootingEquipment SelectionRepairingInstallationEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Engineering and TechnologyDesignComputers and ElectronicsMathematicsEnglish LanguagePhysicsEducation and TrainingMechanicalChemistryAdministration and ManagementProduction and ProcessingEconomics and AccountingCommunications and MediaAdministrativeCustomer and Personal ServicePsychologySales and MarketingTelecommunicationsBiologyLaw and GovernmentBuilding and ConstructionPublic Safety and SecurityPersonnel and Human ResourcesMedicine and DentistrySociology and AnthropologyTherapy and CounselingGeographyTransportationFine ArtsForeign LanguagePhilosophy and TheologyHistory and ArcheologyFood Production
Technology & tools
Autodesk AutoCADAutodesk RevitBlackboard LearnC++Calendar and scheduling softwareCollaborative editing softwareComputer aided design CAD softwareComputer aided manufacturing CAM softwareCourse management system softwareDOC CopDassault Systemes CATIADassault Systemes SolidWorksDesire2Learn LMS softwareEmail softwareFinite element analysis softwareGoogle DocsImage scanning softwareJavaScriptLearning management system LMSMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft ProjectMicrosoft WordOracle JavaOracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio ManagementPTC Creo ParametricPythonSakai CLEThe MathWorks MATLABWeb browser softwareiParadigms Turnitin
Representative tasks
Training and Teaching OthersThinking CreativelyUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeAnalyzing Data or InformationProcessing InformationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsWorking with ComputersGetting InformationCoaching and Developing OthersCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkScheduling Work and ActivitiesDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesDocumenting/Recording InformationJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleDeveloping and Building TeamsMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsPerforming Administrative ActivitiesInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersStaffing Organizational UnitsControlling Machines and ProcessesSelling or Influencing OthersAssisting and Caring for OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentHandling and Moving ObjectsPerforming General Physical Activities
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Course syllabi and homework assignments — draft and organize under faculty mentorship for undergraduate engineering courses at a research university.Assigned lecture topics in mechanics or hydraulics — prepare and deliver introductory presentations to undergraduate students with guidance from senior faculty.Student assignments and laboratory reports — evaluate and apply provided grading rubrics under the supervision of a lead instructor.Current engineering literature and conference proceedings — read and summarize to remain aware of recent developments in a designated specialization.Undergraduate class discussions — initiate and moderate with structured prompts in small seminar or recitation settings.CAD and analytical software tools — demonstrate basic proficiency to support laboratory instruction in engineering design courses.Research data collection protocols — follow established procedures to contribute to faculty-led research projects in a university laboratory.Grant application components — assist in drafting sections of external funding proposals under the direction of a principal investigator.Graduate student laboratory tasks — co-supervise alongside a senior faculty member in an engineering research environment.Instructional handouts and supplementary materials — produce using word processing and course management software for assigned class sections.
developing
Full-semester undergraduate or graduate courses — plan, organize, and deliver lectures on topics such as robotics or fluid mechanics with minimal faculty oversight.Student class work, laboratory exercises, and written papers — assess consistently and return constructive feedback within established departmental timelines.Active learning and varied instructional strategies — select and apply to engage diverse student populations in engineering degree programs.Research manuscripts — write and revise for submission to peer-reviewed engineering journals or conference proceedings in a recognized specialization.Grant proposal narratives and budgets — develop independently for federal or industry sponsors to secure modest external research funding.Graduate teaching and internship activities — supervise and provide regular performance feedback to master's-level students in a departmental research group.Professional society meetings and engineering conferences — participate in and synthesize insights to refresh course content and research directions.CAD and CAM software environments — integrate into laboratory instruction to reinforce engineering design-and-manufacturing concepts for students.Analytical and scientific software platforms — apply to research investigations and coach students in their appropriate use during guided lab sessions.Cross-disciplinary engineering and mathematics knowledge — draw upon to respond to non-routine student questions and facilitate in-depth class discussions.
proficient
Graduate-level curricula in advanced engineering topics — design, continuously refine, and deliver autonomously across a sustained portfolio of courses at a doctoral-granting institution.Doctoral student research programs — supervise end-to-end, from dissertation proposal through defense, within a university engineering department.Original research investigations — lead independently, producing peer-reviewed publications and presentations that advance knowledge in a defined engineering subdiscipline.Competitive federal and industry grant proposals — author and submit as principal investigator, securing multi-year external funding for laboratory operations and graduate support.Complex, non-routine engineering problems — diagnose and resolve by applying deductive and inductive reasoning across intersecting domains including physics, mathematics, and systems analysis.Undergraduate and graduate course learning outcomes — evaluate through systematic assessment data, revising instructional methods to demonstrably improve student achievement.Interdisciplinary engineering systems — analyze and critically evaluate using computational modeling tools, integrating findings into both research and classroom instruction.Emerging technologies and engineering standards — monitor continuously through literature review and professional engagement, translating advances directly into updated course content.Collaborative research partnerships — establish and manage with industry or government laboratories, coordinating student involvement and ensuring regulatory compliance.Engineering design and manufacturing software ecosystems — leverage at an expert level to support research workflows and authentic project-based learning experiences.
advanced
Departmental or program-level research agenda — define and champion, aligning faculty scholarship with institutional priorities and national engineering workforce needs.Junior faculty and postdoctoral researchers — mentor in pedagogy, grant writing, and scholarly publication to accelerate their professional growth within the engineering academy.Large-scale, multi-investigator grant programs — lead as principal investigator or center director, coordinating complex budgets and federal agency relationships over multi-year awards.Engineering program accreditation processes — direct institution-wide, ensuring curriculum, assessment, and faculty qualifications satisfy ABET and regional accreditation standards.Strategic curriculum transformation initiatives — spearhead across degree programs, incorporating systems analysis, emerging computation, and inclusive pedagogy at an organizational scale.University–industry advisory boards and professional engineering societies — represent the institution, shaping standards and policy at regional and national levels.Cross-college interdisciplinary research centers — establish and lead, marshaling resources, faculty expertise, and external partnerships to address grand engineering challenges.Engineering education innovation — generate and disseminate at scale, authoring books or widely adopted frameworks that influence teaching practice across peer institutions.Departmental faculty hiring, tenure review, and performance evaluation — lead with integrity and evidence-based criteria, building a high-achieving and diverse academic workforce.Complex organizational decisions regarding resource allocation, laboratory infrastructure, and program development — exercise expert judgment that shapes the long-term direction of the engineering school.
Also known as
73 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Adjunct Engineering InstructorAdjunct InstructorAdjunct ProfessorAeronautical Engineering ProfessorAeronautical Engineering TeacherAeronautics TeacherAgricultural Engineering TeacherApplied Mechanics TeacherArchitectural Engineering TeacherAssistant ProfessorAssociate ProfessorAutomotive Engineering TeacherCeramic Engineering ProfessorChemical Engineering ProfessorChemical Engineering TeacherCircuits and Robotics InstructorCivil Engineering ProfessorCivil Engineering TeacherCollege Faculty MemberCollege ProfessorDesign TeacherDrafting TeacherDrawing InstructorElectrical Engineering LecturerElectrical Engineering ProfessorElectrical Engineering TeacherElectronic Science TeacherElectronics Engineering ProfessorElectronics TeacherEngineering Faculty MemberEngineering Fundamentals InstructorEngineering InstructorEngineering LecturerEngineering ProfessorEngineering TeacherEnvironmental Engineering ProfessorGeological Engineering TeacherHeat Engineering TeacherHighway Engineering TeacherHydraulics Teacher