Building and Construction Technology Program

University of Massachusetts Amherst

The Building and Construction Technology (BCT) program in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst seeks applications for a full-time (9-month academic-year) non-tenure-track appointment as Lecturer in Building Systems. The initial appointment will be for two years but is renewable based on performance and program need.

Job Description

Teaching

The successful candidate’s teaching combines building systems topics (building/climate interface, HVAC [passive & active], energy analysis and modeling, residential & commercial high performance building strategies) with a thorough understanding of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and an integrative approach to sustainability in the built environment.

Teaching responsibilities include courses in:

• Building Energy and Efficiency
• Building Energy Modeling
• Indoor Environmental Systems
• High Performance Building Construction
• Seminar in BCT Topics

Courses will include coverage of all relevant core topics with emphasis on building performance metrics and BIM. This position includes organizing guest speakers as part of a one-credit seminar course.

The position emphasizes active learning strategies. Candidates must care deeply about education in construction and sustainability, and be a teacher, mentor, and scientist whose interests are broad and support the pedagogy that enables students to analyze and solve complex problems in the built environment.

Service

This position’s core service responsibilities center on administrative leadership for BCT’s Professional Master’s program. This includes serving as program manager and advisor, program promotion, advising for incoming students, and guidance for enrolled students. An active role in curriculum development and maintenance is also expected. Additional service responsibilities are: supporting the Building Science lab and sample collection; advising undergraduate students; maintaining student academic record files; interacting with the Registrar’s Office and the Honors Program to manage degree requirements; and organizing and maintaining information for majors concerning scholarships, internships and job opportunities, as well as student recruiting. Work outside of regular hours (2-3 times per semester) may be required to assist with recruitment and other student-focused activities.

Requirements

Candidates must have a Ph.D. in Building Systems (Science or Technology), Engineering, Architecture or other closely related field. Also required is relevant professional experience in sustainable/green residential and/or commercial construction as well as previous teaching experience at the university level.

Candidates should demonstrate expertise in most of these areas: building systems and technology in residential and commercial construction; code-compliant building design; building-energy modeling; building auditing; and sustainable design & resource-efficient construction practices. Further, candidates must demonstrate a passion for environmental stewardship; excellent oral and written communication skills; interdisciplinary problem solving experience; and use of information technology and construction software, especially for BIM and 3D modeling.

The successful candidate will be creative and demonstrate a team-player attitude. They must have an understanding and interest in the sensitive integration of built and natural environments. In addition to serving Building and Construction Technology, the candidate will also interface with Architecture, Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning, and College of Engineering, so an interdisciplinary mindset is important. The successful candidate will serve, as do all other faculty, as a mentor to minorities and other underrepresented groups within the Department. The University of Massachusetts, Amherst places special emphasis on faculty-student interaction and a commitment to teach and attract a diverse student body.

Application Instructions

Earliest start date is September 1, 2018. Review of applications will begin April 23, 2018. The position will remain open until filled. Applicants must submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a statement of teaching goals, and the names, addresses and contact information of three references. Materials should be submitted online to:

http://umass.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=95516

Specific questions about this search can be directed to:

Ben Weil (bweil@umass.edu), search committee chair

About Us

Building and Construction Technology is one of the programs in the Department of Environmental Conservation within the College of Natural Sciences and the School of Earth and Sustainability at UMass Amherst. We are co-located with the Departments of Architecture and Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning in the UMass Design Building, a newly completed, nationally acclaimed sustainable building on the Amherst campus.

Our department hosts a multi-disciplinary group of faculty with nationally ranked programs in Building and Construction Technology, Natural Resources Conservation, Environmental Science, and Sustainability Science. Our program has an established culture of collegiality and collaboration between faculty, students, staff, industry, and government partners. We commonly teach interdisciplinary classes and share a fundamental commitment to serving a diverse student body and the broader public.

UMass Amherst is part of the Five College Consortium in the beautiful Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, with excellent social, cultural and recreational amenities in a town and rural setting. We are 2 hours from Boston, 3 hours from New York City, and 4.5 hours from Montreal.

The university is committed to active recruitment of a diverse faculty and student body. The University of Massachusetts Amherst is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer of women, minorities, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities and encourages applications from these and other protected group members. Because broad diversity is essential to an inclusive climate and critical to the University’s goals of achieving excellence in all areas, we will holistically assess the many qualifications of each applicant and favorably consider an individual’s record working with students and colleagues with broadly diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds in educational, research or other work activities. We will also favorably consider experience overcoming or helping others overcome barriers to an academic degree and career.