Founding Director, School of Engineering

Ohio Wesleyan University•Delaware, OH

6h•Onsite

About The Position

Ohio Wesleyan University invites applications and nominations for the Founding Director of the Conrades School of Engineering. This is a career-defining opportunity to design, build, and lead an undergraduate engineering program from the ground up at one of the nation’s most distinguished liberal arts universities. The Conrades School of Engineering is supported by $17 million in alumni contributions. The School launches with a major in mechanical engineering leading to a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), two engineering minors, and groundbreaking collaborations with industry partners. The first cohort of students will enroll in fall 2027. The Founding Director will join a university deeply committed to flexibility, interdisciplinarity, and inclusivity with opportunities for mentoring, professional development, and collaboration across the Ohio Five Liberal Arts Colleges and Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA) consortia. New faculty at OWU benefit from strong institutional support, including the opportunity to apply for start-up funding, a pre-tenure sabbatical, extensive opportunities for student-faculty collaboration through the Summer Scholarship and Research Program and our signature experience, The OWU Connection, and faculty development and mentoring from the Smith Center for Faculty Excellence. The Conrades School of Engineering represents a strategic investment in OWU’s future and a commitment to prepare liberally educated engineers who bring humanistic perspective, ethical reasoning, and creative problem-solving to technical challenges. The School will initially be housed in the Schimmel/Conrades Science Center and encompass: A Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) degree program launching in fall 2027, with plans to pursue accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Two engineering minors, Engineering Science and Science and Engineering in the Public Interest, designed to serve students across the liberal arts curriculum. Existing 3-2 engineering partnerships with the California Institute of Technology, Washington University in St. Louis, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Case Western Reserve University. Industry collaborations that connect students with regional and national employers through internships, capstone projects, and career pathways. Central Ohio’s thriving advanced manufacturing, technology, and defense sectors provide an exceptional environment for building industry partnerships, placing student interns, and recruiting prospective engineering students.

Requirements

An earned Ph.D. in mechanical engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.
Evidence of teaching experience.
Evidence of scholarly activity including the ability to work well with undergraduates on mentored research projects.
A commitment to undergraduate education within a liberal arts context, including mentoring undergraduate research and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, administrators, and external stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Undergraduate teaching experience.
Demonstrated leadership experience in higher education, with evidence of ability to build programs, develop curriculum, or manage academic units.
Experience with ABET accreditation processes.
Professional Engineering (PE) licensure or eligibility.
Substantive experience in equipping and managing engineering laboratory spaces.
Demonstrated success in industry partnerships, grant writing, or fundraising in support of academic programs.
Familiarity with the distinctive opportunities and culture of liberal arts colleges.

Responsibilities

Serve as the program’s primary advocate and public representative.
Actively recruit prospective students in collaboration with the Office of Admission.
Engage with alumni, donors, and the Board of Trustees on engineering.
Manage the program budget, including equipment procurement and resource allocation.
Support fundraising efforts in collaboration with University Advancement.
Implement and refine the curriculum for the BSME degree.
Lead the program through internal governance approvals and external accreditation processes.
Plan, specify, and oversee the outfitting of spaces for engineering laboratories.
Establish curricular connections between the engineering program and the OWU Connection.
Recruit, mentor, and supervise engineering faculty and staff.
Teach introductory engineering courses and courses appropriate to the candidate’s area of expertise.
Teach courses that contribute to the general education curriculum, including First Year Seminar.
Foster a culture of teaching excellence, scholarship, and undergraduate research mentorship.