Term Faculty Opportunities
Please visit the “Current Openings” tab to find out more about positions currently available.
Complete the following steps to submit your application to UBC Mechanical Engineering for contract teaching positions:
1. Read the “Application Requirements” tab, and ensure you meet the requirements.
2. Read the “How to Apply” tab, and begin preparing your application package.
3. Review the courses for which UBC Mechanical Engineering is accepting applications under the “Current Openings” tab.
4. Submit your application according to the instructions on the “How to Apply” tab.
Please note that “term faculty” encompasses sessional faculty, teaching adjunct faculty, visiting faculty, and teaching appointments of existing Ph.D. candidates and Postdoctoral Fellows.
Application Requirements
UBC considers both academic and industrial experience when reviewing applications for Term Faculty positions. The ideal applicant will have demonstrated interest in teaching, learning, and the topic(s) they have applied to teach.
For most courses, applicants must be licensed to practice engineering in British Columbia and be in good standing with Engineers and Geoscientists BC. Applicants currently pursuing licensure will be considered if they are expected to receive licensure before the start of classes.
| Notation in table of available courses | Allowable forms of Licensure |
|---|---|
| Full Licensure | One of:
|
| In-training Permitted | One of:
|
| Full Licensure preferred Or Full / In Training preferred |
“Preferred” notations may be added to licensure requirements for elective courses. Licensure is required for the courses to be open to the largest number of students possible, but exceptional candidates without licensure or who are in progress to licensure will be considered. |
| Not Required | Not Required is noted for courses that do not include significant amounts of engineering science or engineering design. Licensure is still considered an asset. |
Applicants must hold, at minimum, a Bachelor’s degree in engineering (or the discipline of the course they are applying for). Postgraduate degrees are not necessarily required for those with significant industrial experience.
Note: In addition to the qualifications above, Ph.D. candidates applying to teach should be aware of UBC Policy 75 and Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements. Ph.D. candidates should include a completed permission form with their Research Supervisor’s signature (Graduate Advisor signature is not required at this stage) in their application package. Note that Masters students and Ph.D. students who have not achieved candidacy are not permitted to teach while a student.
UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. UBC is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from visible minority group members, women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas. Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.
Positions are subject to final budgetary approval. Unless otherwise noted, positions are subject to minimum enrollment thresholds.
How to Apply
- Email your application package to hr@mech.ubc.ca.
- If applying for an advertised opportunity, complete the online application form associated with the job posting.
Application package specifications:
- Application packages should be a single .pdf file, named as “Last, First – YYYY Term Faculty.pdf”;
- Your name should appear on the upper-right hand corner of each page of your package;
- Packages should include the following components, in the order specified:
- Cover letter;
- For each advertised course you are applying to teach, a statement of no more than 250 words that explains your qualifications, interest, and experience, as related to that specific course;
- A current resume of no more than five pages, including: educational background, industrial and academic experience, teaching experience or training, publications and awards, other relevant experience;
- For new applicants: names and full contact information for at least two referees who can speak to your suitability to teach.
- For current UBC Ph.D. candidates: Permission to Teach form with Research Supervisor’s signature (Graduate Advisor signature is not required at the application stage).
Current Openings
Sessional and Adjunct Lecturer Opportunities
UBC Mechanical Engineering is accepting applications for the confirmed, scheduled courses below. All courses available to Sessional and Adjunct Lecturers are listed, but please note that courses may have returning lecturers or adjuncts.
Official UBC course descriptions can be found at http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/courses.cfm?code=MECH. Past syllabi for some of the courses can be found at https://mech.ubc.ca/our-department/courses. Please also review the course structure comments below.
Course Openings
There are no openings available for our regular courses at the moment. We have two special summer courses on offer, and we are accepting expressions of interest.
Call for Expressions of Interest – Summer Instructors
Mechanical Engineering is seeking instructors to teach our Vancouver Summer Program (VSP) courses “Introduction to Robotics,” and “Impact and Policy Challenges for Transportation Systems” in summer 2023 (dates below).
The Vancouver Summer Program welcomes international students to UBC to experience what student life is like at our Vancouver campus. VSP offers two four-week sessions, one in June and one in July. Students take a package of two intensive courses in a session, each course including 3 hours of classes per day, four or five days a week. VSP students taking our packages are undergraduates from STEM fields, but not necessarily in mechanical engineering. Thus, courses should be introductory enough for a first-year engineering student to engage with, but still give a solid understanding of the material.
Topic 1 – Introduction to Robotics
Dates: Course runs twice, in the June 2 – July 2 session, and the July 14 – August 14 session of VSP
Development: Course has been fully developed. Content creation may be required only to update materials for 2023 session.
Time: Mornings (likely 8:30 – 11:30 am)
Description: Introduction to Robotics will provide an overview of common robotic devices and their classifications, and discuss industrial and home robotics applications. Major technical challenges in robotics will be considered, including dynamics related to trajectory and path planning. Through lectures, group activities, and hands-on lab work, students will explore both how robots sense their surroundings and gather information, and how they can interact with their environment. This course is technical in nature and will include a hands-on component. It is oriented towards science and engineering students but they are not required to have experience in robotics. However, students should have an understanding of high-school trigonometry in order to follow the material, and familiarity with programming is encouraged.
Topic 2 – Impact and Policy Challenges for Transportation Systems
Dates: Course runs once, in the July 14 – August 14 session of VSP
Development: Course material needs to be developed.
Time: Afternoons (likely 1:00 – 4:00 pm)
Description: While transportation connects the world economically, politically and socially, it is also a major contributor to climate change and air pollution around the globe. How do we enhance the access transportation gives us while curbing emissions that harm planetary and human health? Can an understanding of the environmental impact of transportation technologies allow us to design more sustainable systems, infrastructure and policies? This course will address these issues with a focus on transportation emissions and energy sources, as well as engaging some of the system-level energy challenges presented by emerging technologies like electrification or hydrogen, examining how the technology we design today impacts our future.
To express your interest in teaching any of the courses above or to learn more, please email vsp@mech.ubc.ca.