Engineering a world of possibilities
The Earth and Society Programs Portfolio at Colorado School of Mines invites applications for a Professor of Practice in the Futures core curriculum, with an anticipated start in Fall 2026. We seek an individual with significant industrial experience and a creative instructor whose work complements and expands our strengths in this unique Signature Student Experience program and who will have the potential to contribute to additional Mines initiatives especially around industry partnerships, earth and environmental engineering and societal applications, and innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Professor of Practice will be an outstanding educator and entrepreneur who inspires students and engages in modern pedagogical approaches and applications, while embodying and advancing the University’s commitment to preparing students for success in their time at Mines and beyond. Candidates excited about contributing to Mine’s innovative Futures curriculum are encouraged to apply. Faculty in this position will be expected to teach in 3 sections of the Futures course for each of the Fall and Spring semesters. Additional service will also be expected and focused on efforts that also contribute to growth and support of the Futures program as well as the home department. The Professor of Practice may also have opportunities to teach more specialized courses in their respective department or contribute to interdisciplinary programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
The Futures Program:
Futures is an innovative and interdisciplinary course included in the Mines core curriculum. Every semester approximately 900 undergraduate students in their 1st or 2nd year will be enrolled in the course. Each class has 150 students and is taught by no less than 5 faculty members who are associated with fields and departments across campus. Each class is further sectioned into cohorts that rotate through 4 simultaneously taught 4-week seminar modules with these different instructors. While the instructors teach their specific expertise, they all focus their lens’ around a main course theme. Each class has its own theme relevant to the future (e.g., Energy Futures, Technology Futures, Critical Resources Futures, etc.). Ultimately each student goes through multiple 4-week seminars with instructors that focus on the main theme in a variety of ways, thus gaining knowledge and experience with multiple perspectives and systems awareness around a theme relevant to the complex future ahead.
The Futures program is administratively housed in the Earth and Society Programs Portfolio but as the course is a required core curriculum offering, students and faculty across all disciplines and majors participate. This course intentionally highlights the complex integration of important perspectives and systems that contribute to many themes of the Future incorporating engineering systems, environmental, economic, social, humanitarian, and policy considerations in every offering.
Candidate Background and Areas of Teaching Competency:
We specifically invite candidates with strong interdisciplinary interests and global application backgrounds. Regardless of disciplinary background, candidates must demonstrate sustained interest in complex systems and STEM-relevant theme integration around environmental and societal future needs. Preferred candidates will be able to demonstrate a commitment to undergraduate instruction, impact of relevant pedagogies, and productive collaborations with scholars across disciplines.
Relevant disciplinary backgrounds for this specific position focus on civil or environmental engineering systems, futures studies, earth and environmental studies, or related sociotechnical or STEM integrated areas of focus. Relevant experiential backgrounds for this specific position include global construction, civil, environmental, policy, and entrepreneurial applications with demonstrated contribution to implementation and improvement in community building and construction.
Special consideration will be given to candidates that can communicate how they can specifically contribute to supporting students in understanding real-world application with respect to the current and emergent themes of the Futures course. These themes focus on areas of Mines excellence and often represent the Future of Mine’s Undergraduate, Graduate, and Interdisciplinary programs. Some themes of the Futures classes include:
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Engineering Systems Integration (society, technology, policy, economy, etc.)
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Energy (e.g., global needs and expansion, resources, renewable)
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Earth and Environment (e.g., water, earthquakes, disaster mitigation, sustainability)
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Advancing Technology (e.g., quantum Computing, artificial intelligence, robotics and automation)
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Entrepreneurship and Innovation
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Construction and Manufacturing Applications
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Space Resources
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Research and Impact
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Community and Development
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Human Health and Wellness
Responsibilities
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Participate extensively in the delivery of the Futures courses
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Continual promotion and development of the Futures program that is valuable and approachable to whole undergraduate population
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Collaborate with other faculty and the Futures leadership team to prepare, deliver, evaluate and continuously innovate and refine the course
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Supervise and mentor undergraduate students in coursework, continuing education, and student worker positions, including former futures students and futures student graders
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Engage in service to Mines, including membership in department and university committees
Teaching in Futures:
- Because the Professor of Practice will be expected to teach in 3 sections of the Futures course for each semester, they will need to be committed to and competent in both types of instructor roles (theme instructor and seminar instructor) and will need to be ready to provide education and experiences to a number of themes simultaneously. Theme instructors oversee the full class and support the 150 students through the full semester with intermittent classroom days centered around learning objectives of reflection and values identification, theme expansion, and perspective integration. Seminar instructors teach a 4-week seminar three times over the semester to three different cohorts of 35-40 students. All instructors are responsible for stewarding greater understanding of complex systems and installing a value for futures orientation and preparedness. All Futures instructors are also expected to contribute to the identification and organization of additional outside events and opportunities that facilitate experiential learning and expand theme awareness and appreciation beyond the classroom.
Minimum Qualifications
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Doctoral degree in civil, construction or environmental engineering
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A minimum of 15 years in industry or engineering application or practice
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National professional achievement in engineering, practice, research or education through recognition of leadership at the national or global level (e.g., by academy and/or senior professional society affiliations and awards)
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Significant contributions to complex implementation of engineering and construction technologies in industry and societies over a period of several years
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Experience in navigating complex societal systems including leadership, economic, policy, and environmental considerations
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Demonstration of accomplished public speaking or teaching at the university or professional practice level
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Demonstrated ability to lead both large group experiential and seminar-style workshop learning environments
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Demonstrated proficiency in developing ambitious programs while gaining support and resources for future growth and implementation
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Ability to teach more discipline specific courses in area of expertise in the home department or Mines interdisciplinary programs and initiatives
Preferred Qualifications:
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Evidence of interdisciplinary collaboration and engagement in engineered systems Engagement in professional activities such as delivering workshops, short courses, professional development and public dissemination of these activities
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Demonstrated entrepreneurship and innovation achievement in engineering, practice, research or education
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Experience working with engineering students and/or mentoring early-career professionals
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Experience teaching or collaborating in interdisciplinary, STEM-adjacent, or socio-technical contexts
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Skills in designing and assessing reflective, portfolio-based, or project-based work
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Interest in pedagogies that support sense of belonging, identity development, and engagement
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Commitment to fostering inclusive learning environments
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Interest in further offering mentorship and non-classroom-based learning opportunities and developmental support to students regardless of class enrollment
TOTAL REWARDS
$109,000 - $128,000
Colorado School of Mines offers a robust portfolio of benefits for all employees. For this role, that includes:
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Flexible health and dental care options
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Generous sick/vacation time
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Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution of 12%
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Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents)
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Access to an on-campus daycare center
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Free RTD Ecopass for regional bus and light rail transportation
Mines’ leadership and innovation bring proximity and access to several research centers, consortia, agencies, labs, and leading-edge technology. Additionally, All Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the state of the art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center. We are proud to have recently opened an on campus daycare center. For more details about benefits at Mines, visit mines.edu/human-resources/benefits.
How to Apply
This posting will close on Sunday, June 7, 2026
Applicants will be asked to complete an online application (personal information, demographic information, references, veteran status) and upload the below documents (required). References will not be collected or contacted until later in the selection process and you will be informed before that contact is made. Applicants will notice on the application form, there is only one location to upload all required materials. Further, once submitted, the applicant will not be able to edit their application. Applicants may submit their application as one combined document or as separate documents. The application must include:
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Cover Letter, detailing their interest and qualifications for the position,
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Curriculum Vitae (CV), including teaching experience and areas of academic and professional pursuit
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Teaching Statement, including examples of small and large classroom instruction and indications of teaching effectiveness (not to exceed 3 pages),
Teaching Statement: Mines prides itself on high quality, hands-on, and project-based learning. Within the teaching statement, candidates should discuss their in-person and hands-on teaching pedagogy and describe any experience they have with large-lecture delivery. The statement may also incorporate a discussion of how your past scholarly works inform your pedagogical approach.
Additional Information and Reasonable Accommodation Requests
It is the intent of Mines to comply with the applicable requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and their implementation rules and regulations, in support of equal opportunities for qualified applicants with disabilities. To meet this goal, Mines will make reasonable accommodations during the employment selection process and within our working environment.
If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on our site as a result of your disability. You can request a reasonable accommodation by contacting our Human Resources team at [email protected] or 303.273.3250 for assistance.
Successful completion of a background investigation is required for this position.
Equal Opportunity
Colorado School of Mines is committed to equal opportunity for all persons. Mines does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), ancestry, creed, marital status, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status or current military service. Further, Mines does not retaliate against community members for filing complaints regarding or implicating any of these protected statuses.
Mines’ commitment to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and equal access is reflected in the administration of its policies, procedures, programs and activities and in its efforts to achieve a talented student body and workforce.
Through its policies, procedures and resources, Mines complies with federal law, Colorado state law, administrative regulations, executive orders and other legal requirements to prevent discrimination (including harassment or retaliation) within the Mines campus community and to address potential allegations of inequality or concerns for safety.
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