Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering + AI

The Pennsylvania State University•Harrisburg, PA

11d

About The Position

Penn State University Harrisburg is aiming to hire multiple tenure-track positions for an exciting opportunity as part of a bold cluster of hires with a primary focus on Artificial Intelligence across the School of Humanities, the School of Business, and the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology, including the position below. These faculty will complement a strong cohort of existing faculty in AI and many more whose work leverages AI to advance teaching and research; and supports the launch of the B.S. in Artificial Intelligence in Fall 2026. Civil engineering is being transformed by AI and machine learning to improve construction and operation of both horizontal and vertical infrastructure. As a part of a cluster hire, this tenure-track position will play a leading role in the transformation of the construction engineering courses and research within the Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering program at Penn State Harrisburg through cutting-edge knowledge of AI and ML use in civil and construction engineering and a commitment to teaching, research, and service. The successful candidate will contribute to our efforts to create a welcoming and inclusive learning environment for students, foster robust, collaborative research, and engage in service activities supporting institutional goals.

Requirements

Candidates must have a doctoral degree by August 2026 in construction engineering, civil engineering, or a closely related field.
The successful candidate will have a background in construction engineering with emphasis on the use of AI, Machine Learning, and/or other advanced technologies to address the challenges of construction regarding project scheduling, estimating, safety, building codes and contracts, construction economics, project management, ethics and professionalism, and/or building information modeling.

Responsibilities

The candidate will be expected to teach 6 credit hours per semester for the first two years and 9 credits per semester after the 2nd year. Teaching assignments may be reduced based on research productivity.
Teaching responsibilities include undergraduate and graduate courses in Civil Engineering and Construction Engineering. Relevant topics may include but are not limited to construction scheduling, cost estimating, construction management principles, BIM, ethics in engineering and construction, value engineering, sustainable infrastructure including modern building materials, and/or smart cities technologies.
Introduction of AI into many of these courses supports Penn State’s goal of producing AI literate students in all disciplines starting fall 2026.
Faculty will be expected to teach in both the residential BS and MS degree programs in Civil Engineering and Structural Design and Construction Engineering Technology. Faculty also may be asked to teach in the engineering PhD program.
Faculty also will be expected to participate in recruitment and retention activities, advise both undergraduate and graduate students, and supervise graduate student culminating experiences.
The candidate will contribute to our growing emphasis on smart cities, sustainability, and resilient infrastructure. This role will focus on AI-driven solutions in Building Information Modeling (BIM), construction automation, and digital twin technologies to achieve resilience.
The successful candidate will have opportunities to support smart city initiatives, optimize energy usage in buildings, and reduce carbon emissions through intelligent systems. Collaboration across engineering, computer science, and environmental disciplines is encouraged to advance sustainable and resilient infrastructure.
Faculty are expected to serve on committees at the department, school, and college level so that the mission of the college and university are advanced. Professional service activities are supported and expected by all faculty.
Faculty are also expected to actively promote and advance the school’s steadfast commitment to inclusive education and improve the range of voices in STEM to their professional and the regional community of south-central Pennsylvania.

Benefits

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional wellbeing.
In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans.
One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children.

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