Assistant Professor of the Practice - Satellite Laboratory

Texas A&M University System•Prairie View, TX

About The Position

Prairie View A&M University seeks an Assistant Professor of Practice to lead and deliver an interdisciplinary, student-centered spacecraft program anchored in the Spacecraft Laboratory. This position supports the Space Innovation and Student Success Initiative by preparing students for careers across the space economy through applied instruction, mentoring, and workforce-relevant training experiences. This position is funded by a grant or restricted funds. Continued employment is contingent on the renewal of grant or restricted funding.

Requirements

Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related field.
4 years of industrial experience.
Multiple years of experience leading student-driven spacecraft laboratories or comparable hands-on engineering programs, including responsibility for lab operations, governance, safety culture, mentoring systems, and sustained design-build-test activities.
Multiple years of experience developing and delivering safety-critical, high-consequence instruction, curriculum, and training, demonstrated through formal teaching, technical training, or operational instruction in environments where procedural rigor and readiness standards are required.
Demonstrated ability to develop and deliver curriculum and hands-on learning experiences, including course/module development, lab-integrated instruction, and assessment methods aligned with workforce preparation.
Proven ability to design, commission, and stand up laboratory and test operations using disciplined processes, including development of procedures, readiness reviews, training qualifications, documentation systems, and continuous improvement practices.
Strong cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder coordination skills, with experience partnering effectively across technical teams and institutional functions (for example: departments, facilities, EHS, compliance, operations, and external partners).
Evidence of effective mentoring and workforce preparation outcomes, including coaching students or early-career engineers through applied projects, reviews, test campaigns, and professional development.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
Experience with spacecraft/satellite standards, mission operations, HIL testing, ground station operations, and laboratory safety governance.
Prior experience designing, commissioning, or managing spacecraft or satellite development laboratories, integration spaces, or test labs.
Several years of professional experience spanning multiple sectors (industry, government, and academia), demonstrating the ability to operate across the full aerospace ecosystem and interface effectively with partners, regulators, sponsors, and technical stakeholders.
Multiple years of experience in export compliance and controlled environments, including demonstrated working knowledge of ITAR/EAR and/or related controlled information frameworks, and experience implementing practical training, documentation, and access control practices.
Working knowledge of industry quality and risk management standards such as ISO 9000, AS 9100, ISO 31000, etc.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership for an interdisciplinary, student-run spacecraft program, including governance structures, mentorship models, and peer-teaching frameworks that scale.
Build and sustain a laboratory culture emphasizing safety, documentation, accountability, and professional conduct.
Lead readiness for major program milestones (design reviews, mission readiness reviews, integration readiness reviews, test readiness reviews, learning reviews, etc.
Implement and maintain laboratory export-control practices aligned to ITAR and EAR, as applicable to spacecraft subsystems, RF work, and mission operations materials.
Partner with university compliance, safety, and research security administrative offices to ensure auditable, instruction-compatible compliant workflows.
Establish practical training, documentation, and access control practices that enable student learning while protecting controlled information.
Lead the technical design and instructional layout of the Spacecraft Laboratory.
Collaborate with faculty, Facilities, EHS, and Space Services to translate instructional requirements into buildable lab layouts and commissioning plans.
Identify infrastructure requirements including power, networking, ESD controls, clean/controlled work areas, RF safety and shielding, thermal-vac or environmental test support, hazardous storage and access controls, and test area governance for integration, test, and operations activities.
Develop lab readiness documentation, including standard operating procedures, hazard analyses, training plans, equipment checklists, and test conduct packages.
Integrate quality, risk, and configuration management concepts into lab instruction and course materials, reflecting common aerospace practice.
Develop and deliver hands-on instruction for spacecraft laboratories and associated lecture courses, emphasizing student-centered learning and applied training.
Demonstrate the ability to teach complex technical content in high-consequence environments where rigor, verification, and procedural compliance are essential.
Collaborate with faculty, and industry representatives to develop and refine spacecraft-focused curriculum, including undergraduate, graduate, and interdisciplinary offerings and related content.
Create and continuously improve lab-integrated courses, modules, and syllabi aligned with current industry standards, safety protocols, and accreditation expectations.
Mentor undergraduate and graduate students engaged in spacecraft coursework, laboratories, and design projects.
Advise student teams on spacecraft system design, subsystem integration, I&T planning, verification and validation, readiness reviews, and operations concepts.
Prepare students for careers in satellite systems, avionics, RF communications, flight software, mission operations, and systems engineering through applied, project-based learning.
Support implementation milestones, reporting, and deliverables associated with the Space Innovation and Student Success Initiative.
Contribute to sustainability and continuous improvement of the Spacecraft Lab.
Support external engagement and industry-informed practices related to spacecraft and space systems.