Professor of Practice

Position Function:

The Department of Technology Leadership & Design at Mississippi State University invites applications for one non-tenure track nine-month faculty position under the administrative supervision of the head of the department. A Professor of Practice in Industrial Technology is a professional and a scholar with a strong interest in teaching supervising undergraduate students and providing service to the department.

Salary Grade:UC

For salary grade UC these positions are Unclassified and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.

Department Profile:

Please see our webpage located at of Specialization:

Industrial Technology

Anticipated Appointment Date:

August 16 2026

Tenure Track Status:

Non-Tenure Track - Professional Track

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Teach a variety of undergraduate and/or graduate courses in Industrial Technology.
2. Engage in routine departmental college and university service functions and committees as requested.
3. Advise undergraduate students and organizations.
4. Participate in required scholarly activities as part of the Colleges accreditation standards.
5. Develop and deliver experiential learning opportunities and industry-aligned curricula.
6. Collaborate with faculty and staff on workforce development outreach and industry engagement efforts.
7. Contribute to grant writing proposal development and externally funded projects particularly those tied to applied practice.
8. Serve as a liaison between the university and industry/government partners to promote collaboration and innovation.
9. Mentor students on professional development internships career readiness and capstone or applied research projects.
10. Engage in other related duties as assigned.
In addition to the general Professor of Practice expectations (teaching mentoring service and industry engagement) the faculty member will:
Teach undergraduate courses in Industrial Technology with a focus on applied topics such as welding fluid power manufacturing metrology and safety.
Assist in coordinating and mentoring senior projects including industry-sponsored
and multidisciplinary projects.
Develop and deliver hands-on project-based learning experiences that prepare students for real-world industrial technology roles emphasizing professional practice teamwork communication and ethical responsibility.
Support student organizations and competition teams through mentorship technical guidance and project oversight.
Engage with industry partners to create opportunities for experiential learning guest lectures capstone sponsorship and student internships or co-op placements.
Contribute to curriculum development in areas related to design manufacturing workplace communication and professional practice.
Participate in departmental college and university service activities including committees outreach and recruitment events.
Assist in assessment and accreditation efforts including documentation and continuous improvement of ATMAE-aligned learning outcomes.
Promote a culture of safety and professionalism in lab-based courses and team environments ensuring students adhere to best practices in industrial technology processes.
Remain current with industry trends and tools integrating relevant software hardware and practices into instructional content to ensure workforce readiness.

Minimum Qualifications:

Earned masters degree in Industrial Technology or its equivalent in professional achievement with at least 18 graduate hours in a relevant discipline.
Three or more years of industry government or applied research experience in applied industrial technology fields.
Strong communication and organizational skills and the ability to work effectively with diverse groups of students.

Preferred Qualifications:

Professional experience in one or more of the following areas:
o Welding technologies (GMAW SMAW FCAW GTAW cutting processes welding codes)
o Industrial fluid power systems (hydraulics/pneumatics)
o CAD/CAM CNC machining automated manufacturing systems
o Industrial metrology precision measurement quality systems
o Safety program administration and OSHA regulatory compliance
Teaching experience in higher education technical training or industry based professional development.
Experience managing or operating welding labs machine shops or industrial safety environments.
Professional certifications such as AWS OSHA 30/510 fluid power certification or manufacturing/industry credentials.
Demonstrated success collaborating with industry partners on workforce instructional or applied research initiatives.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

Comprehensive understanding of welding theory processes codes and inspection techniques.
Knowledge of hydraulics pneumatics and industrial fluid power systems.
In depth understanding of machining materials processing CAD/CAM and manufacturing workflows.
Familiarity with industrial safety principles hazard recognition OSHA compliance and safety program design.
Understanding of metrology principles measurement systems and production system analysis.
Ability to operate maintain and teach with welding equipment machine tools metrology instruments and fluid power trainers.
Proficiency with relevant industrial software tools (e.g. CAD/CAM packages Autodesk suite CNC programming tools).
Strong communication presentation and mentoring skills.
Skill in designing labs projects and learning experiences that simulate real world
industrial environments.
Ability to effectively teach students with varying levels of technical background.
Ability to ensure strict safety standards in welding manufacturing and fluid power labs.
Ability to collaborate with industry partners to align curriculum with workforce needs.
Ability to integrate current and emerging technologies into instruction.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

Traditional office environment.

Instructions for Applying:

All applicants must apply online at and submit:
1. A cover letter specifically addressing ones qualifications and readiness for the position
2. A curriculum vitae
3. The names phone numbers and email addresses of three professional references who can address the suitability of the applicant for the position
4. Copies of college transcripts. (Official transcripts are required upon employment). Note: Any social security numbers included on requested transcripts should be redacted prior to submitting online.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination is prohibited in university employment programs or activities based on race color ethnicity sex pregnancy religion national origin disability age sexual orientation genetic information status as a U.S. veteran or any other status to the extent protected by applicable law. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance 231 Famous Maroon Band Street P.O. 6044 Mississippi State MS 39762 .

What do I do if I need an accommodation

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