Kokosing Endowed Chair Associate/Full Professor

The Ohio State University • Columbus, OH

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering at The Ohio State University invites applications for the Kokosing Endowed Chair in Construction Management. This endowed faculty position will provide strategic leadership for Ohio State’s Construction Management program and advance construction management education, workforce development, industry engagement, and— for tenure-track candidates—research. The chair will strengthen the connection between theory and practice and build partnerships among academia, industry, government agencies, and professional organizations. Areas of expertise may include heavy civil infrastructure, construction engineering, commercial building, project management and delivery, digital construction, BIM, VDC, automation and robotics, artificial intelligence, digital twins, advanced sensing, structural systems, construction safety, concrete construction, sustainability, site development, and workforce development.

Candidates on either the tenure-track or professional practice track will lead undergraduate education through teaching, curriculum innovation, student mentoring, and program development. They will coordinate construction-related academic programs across FABE, ATI, and CEGE, including curriculum and teaching across campuses, to strengthen transfer pathways, interdisciplinary opportunities, recruitment and retention, and industry engagement. The role includes approximately three to five courses annually, depending on appointment, and advising and mentoring students.

Tenure-track candidates will establish and sustain a nationally recognized, externally funded research program, mentor graduate students, secure competitive funding, and develop interdisciplinary research and outreach initiatives. Research may address construction management and engineering, heavy civil infrastructure, digital construction, project delivery, construction technologies, resilience, safety, sustainability, and workforce innovation. Collaboration with contractors, infrastructure owners, transportation agencies, professional societies, industry associations, technology providers, and government organizations is essential to translating research into practice and raising the national prominence of Ohio State’s Construction Management program.

The position is based in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering within the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. The department has approximately 26 faculty, 17 lecturers, more than 50 staff and research personnel, and nearly 500 undergraduate and graduate students across its academic programs. The Construction Management program is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education and supported by an active Industry Advisory Council.

Requirements

• Earned Ph.D. in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Construction Engineering, Architectural Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated excellence in teaching and curriculum development in Construction Management, Construction Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience or engagement in developing collaborative relationships with local and national industry partners, government agencies, and professional organizations.
• Evidence of leadership in heavy civil construction or construction management, advancing construction education, research, workforce development, or industry engagement.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to engage effectively with diverse academic, industry, and stakeholder audiences.
• Demonstrated commitment to teaching, recruiting, mentoring, and advising a diverse student population.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment involving faculty, students, industry leaders, and external partners.
• For tenure-track faculty: scholarly achievement and national recognition commensurate with appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or Full Professor with tenure.
• For tenure-track faculty: expertise conducting applied and/or fundamental research in one or more relevant areas, such as construction engineering, project management, heavy civil infrastructure, construction technologies, digital construction, BIM, VDC, automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, digital twins, infrastructure systems, sustainability, or construction safety.
• For tenure-track faculty: demonstrated success securing and managing externally funded research, industry-sponsored projects, or other competitive funding programs.

Nice To Haves

• Professional experience in the construction industry, engineering consulting, construction operations, project delivery, or related professional practice.
• Professional Engineer (P.E.), Certified Professional Constructor (CPC), Design-Build Professional (DBIA), Project Management Professional (PMP), or other relevant professional credentials.
• Leadership in construction industry trade associations, professional societies, standards organizations, or workforce development initiatives.
• Experience developing and managing industry-academic partnerships, research centers, workforce training programs, or large multidisciplinary initiatives.
• Expertise in emerging construction innovation, including digital construction, artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, autonomous equipment, advanced sensing, data analytics, digital twins, or smart infrastructure systems.
• Ability to enhance student career readiness through experiential learning, internships, industry engagement, and professional mentoring.
• Ability and interest in teaching one or more areas such as construction methods and materials, soils, aggregates, structural materials, advanced estimating, advanced scheduling and project controls, project management, heavy civil construction, construction equipment and operations, BIM, VDC, and emerging construction technologies.

Responsibilities

• Teach approximately three to five courses annually, depending on appointment, primarily in the Construction Management program.
• Contribute to undergraduate curriculum development, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Foster an inclusive learning environment and mentor students in technical, professional, and leadership skills.
• Coordinate and strengthen construction-related academic programs across FABE, ATI, and CEGE, including student pathways, interdisciplinary programming, workforce development, and collaboration among academic units.
• Advise and mentor undergraduate students, including Construction Management majors, honors students, student competition teams, and student organizations; support recruitment, retention, career development, and experiential learning.
• Develop and sustain partnerships with construction contractors, infrastructure owners, government agencies, professional societies, industry associations, labor organizations, technology providers, alumni, and other stakeholders.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, students, industry partners, and external stakeholders to advance teaching, outreach, service, and industry engagement.
• Provide leadership and service to the department, college, university, profession, and construction industry, including committee work, accreditation, professional organizations, workforce development, and advisory boards.
• Disseminate scholarly contributions through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and engagement with industry and professional organizations.
• For tenure-track appointments, establish and sustain a nationally recognized, externally funded research and scholarship program in construction management, construction engineering, heavy civil infrastructure, digital construction, project delivery, construction technologies, or related fields.
• For tenure-track appointments, advise and mentor master's and doctoral students and support interdisciplinary research and scholars’ professional development.
• For tenure-track appointments, secure and manage competitive funding from federal and state agencies, foundations, and industry partners for research, graduate education, workforce development, and technology transfer.
• For tenure-track appointments, develop collaborative, multidisciplinary research programs drawing on Ohio State faculty, research centers, statewide facilities, and industry partnerships.

Benefits

• Eligible employees receive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Tuition assistance for employees and their dependents.
• State or alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions.
• Ohio State offers dual-career partner consultation, potential employer or employment opportunity identification, relocation consultation and resources, and opportunities to engage on campus and in the surrounding community.
• Institutionalized policies and resources support work-life balance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree