Tenure-Track Faculty in the ATLAS Institute - with tenure home in Mechanical Engineering

Job Summary

The ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder invites
applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in creative
technology and design. We seek an imaginative, collaborative, and
boundary-pushing scholar whose work transcends traditional
disciplinary boundaries and engages deeply with technology, design,
and human experience. The successful candidate will lead a
forward-looking and externally funded research agenda, teach across
ATLAS’s undergraduate and graduate programs, and contribute
meaningfully to the institute’s interdisciplinary community. The
position will have a tenure home in the Mechanical Engineering
department.

We welcome candidates whose work connects with existing ATLAS
strengths while also introducing new directions.

Example areas include, but are not limited to:

• Bio-inspired & miniature robotics, compliant actuation,

soft robotics, and muscle-tendon locomotion for dynamic
systems.

• Wearable robotics, exoskeletons, prosthetics, flexible/printed

electronics, electronic skin, and adaptive human-assistive
platforms.

• Medical & surgical manipulators, physical human–machine

interaction, sensorimotor control, bio-sensing, and safe
soft-tissue intervention.

• Smart textiles, soft/animate materials, and functional

bio-wearables bridging digital fabrication, molecular/tattoo
interfaces, and interactive crafts.

• Dynamic shape-changing interfaces, programmable materials,

spatial/environmental sensing, and tangible/AR-VR physical
computing.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all
applicable federal, state, and local laws governing
nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a
workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and
dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to
apply, including protected veterans and individuals with
disabilities.

Who We Are

The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) is one of
Colorado’s flagship public institutions and among the most
research-active public universities in the country. The College of
Engineering and Applied Science is the second largest school or
college on the CU Boulder campus and boasts top-tier rankings for
both its graduate and undergraduate engineering programs, earning
the 11th spot among public graduate programs and 17th nationwide
for undergraduate engineering. Multiple specialty areas are also
ranked within the top 20. Equally importantly, we are committed to
fostering a diverse, inclusive, and academically excellent
community. Our approximately 250 tenure-track, 120
instructional-track, and 30 research-track faculty serve more than
6,000 undergraduate students, 1,300 master’s students, and 850 PhD
students. Our college has three core foci: (i) Research &
Innovation, (ii) Education, and (iii) Inclusion. We believe that
our college’s success requires faculty who actively work to create
an inclusive culture within the college and are committed to the
campus plan of creating and
sustaining supportive campus environments . To learn more about
the College of Engineering and Applied Science, please visit the
college website .

One of 12 institutes at CU Boulder, ATLAS is home to researchers
who transcend traditional disciplinary structures of engineering,
design, science, and art to inspire new realms of invention. We
make tangible and digital tools and methods that shape how people
interact with the world for a more inclusive, inspired, and
sustainable society.

ATLAS is a home for radical creativity and invention—where faculty
and students from engineering, design, science, and the arts
converge to prototype new tools, methods, and experiences that
shape a more inclusive, inspired, and sustainable world. Our labs
span areas such as e‑textiles, human‑computer interaction,
biomaterials, nanotechnology, data visualization, fabrication,
music, performance, linguistics, and brain–music interfaces.

Additionally, CU Boulder is internationally recognized as a
research center in the areas of physics, geography, spatial
modeling, and remote sensing, earth and environmental sciences, and
sustainability. To learn more, please visit the ATLAS website .

More than 1,700 students and over 80 faculty and staff in the Paul
M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering form an innovative and
supportive community in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
Students work together to learn the fundamentals of the field and
engage in rigorous, team-based experiences addressing real-world
problems. The department’s award-winning faculty tackle societal
challenges through technological innovation impacting the
environment, security and human health. As a department, we are
committed to high-impact research addressing real-world problems,
active learning and experiential engineering education, and an
inclusive community that brings together students, faculty, staff
and alumni. For more information about the Paul M. Rady Department
of Mechanical Engineering, please visit the department website .

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Successful candidates will lead an innovative, externally

funded research group or creative lab, teach and mentor
undergraduate and graduate offerings, and provide service to the
institute, campus, and professional community while advancing
inclusive excellence.

• The standard workload distribution for this role is 40%

scholarly and creative work (research), 40% teaching, and 20%
leadership and service, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary
collaboration across engineering, design, environmental science,
and the humanities.

What You Should Know

• The anticipated start date for this position is Fall 2027, but

a later start date may be negotiated.

• Appointments will be rostered in the ATLAS Institute with a

tenure home in the Department of Mechanical
Engineering , College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, at
the University of Colorado.

• The successful candidate should be prepared to obtain external

sponsorship to support their research group and teach and work with
students at all levels from a variety of cultural and intellectual
backgrounds.

• As part of the University of Colorado Boulder’s deep commitment

to equity, diversity, and inclusion, the campus has implemented a
reference check
program with respect to final candidates for tenured faculty
appointments. The reference check program is intended to allow CU
Boulder to collect and review information about a candidate's
conduct at their previous institutions, specifically conduct
related to sexual misconduct, harassment, and/or discrimination –
before making hiring decisions. All final candidates for tenured
faculty appointments are required to complete an Authorization to
Release Information.

What We Can Offer

• The anticipated academic-year salary range for this position at

the Assistant Professor rank is $118,000-$130,000.

• A relocation stipend may be available within CEAS

guidelines.

• CU offers a competitive 401(a) retirement plan, with employees

contributing 5% of their annual eligible compensation and CU
contributing 10% of their eligible compensation. This plan is
standard for most faculty hires. For more information on CU's
retirement benefits visit our website here .

• In addition to a competitive salary, the University of Colorado

Boulder offers a wide variety of other benefits and perks. Links to
some of these are below. To forecast the value of your total
compensation, check out our total compensation
calculator . More information on some of our benefits and perks
is available here: gender-neutral paid
parental leave ; housing down-payment
assistance programs ; dual-career &
relocation resources ; and teaching , research , and
professional
development.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder , we are
committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our
employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical,
dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition
assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local
transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder
offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class
outdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one of
Forbes' America's Best
Large Employers , ranking #4 among large employers in Colorado
and #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks and
programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be ambitious. Be groundbreaking. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Applicants must have earned a research doctorate in

engineering, physical sciences, or a closely related field, or have
their degree conferred before starting a tenure-track faculty
appointment.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials* as individual PDF
files:

• Cover Letter: A one-page cover letter describing your

interest in the position and summarizing your personal academic
goals.

• Resume/CV: A current curriculum vitae.
• A Statement of Research Philosophy: A statement of your

experience and plans for research and/or creative work that
contributes to the body of knowledge in your field and provides
broader benefits to education and society. (2-3 pages)

• A Statement of Teaching Philosophy: A statement of your

experience and plans for teaching and mentoring a diverse student
body (2-3 pages).

• Leadership, Service and Community Contributions

Statement: In this statement, describe your leadership and
service experience, and demonstrated ability to contribute to a
supportive campus community. Please provide details on your track
record, calibrated to your career stage, that describe the specific
role you played in these efforts. These could include, but are not
limited to service on committees, outreach activities to broaden
engagement in or with engineering, or serving on advisory boards or
task forces contributing to policies or regulations. In addition,
describe your plans to contribute to our campus plan to Create Supportive
Environments , and the College of Engineering and
Applied Science Strategic Vision . (1-2 pages).

During the application process, you will be asked to provide the
name and contact information for at least three references to
submit a letter of recommendation to be considered along with your
application materials.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, however
for full consideration please apply by November 1, 2026.
Application materials will not be accepted via email. For
consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs . Background checks will be conducted
for all final applicants.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in
any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying
information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school
attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting
or removing this information.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources

Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu