Title: Assistant Professor - Construction Management Advanced Building Technology

Executive Area: Academic Affairs

College/School/MBU: College of Natural Sciences

Department: Environmental Conservation

Work Location: Amherst

Schedule: Full Time

Work Arrangement: Onsite

Job Summary

The Building and Construction Technology (BCT) program in the Department of Environmental Conservation (ECO) at UMass Amherst (https://www.umass.edu/bct/) seeks applications for a full-time (9-month academic-year) tenure-track appointment as Assistant Professor in Construction Management with an appointment breakdown of 40% research, 40% teaching, and 20% service.

We are seeking talented applicants qualified for an assistant professor position. Under exceptional circumstances, highly qualified candidates at other ranks may receive consideration. The earliest start date is September 1, 2027.

The position emphasizes rigorous research approaches and active learning strategies. Candidates must care deeply about educating about the sustainable built environment and be a teacher, mentor, and scientist whose broad interests support pedagogies that help students analyze and solve complex problems in the built environment and in a global context.

Essential Functions

Candidates with backgrounds and research experience in any of the following (or related) areas are encouraged to apply:

Construction automation and robotics

Advanced digital construction management systems

BIM and data-driven construction

Digital twins for the built environment

Drones, photogrammetry, VR/AR

Integrated building design and construction execution

Construction risk assessment

Construction project controls and economics

Construction safety management

Construction cost and estimating

Lean construction

AI and machine learning in construction

These topics supplement our current research and teaching directions that center on building materials and structures, building science and energy, and construction processes. Across these areas, candidates may also demonstrate how construction management and digital tools can support sustainable and high-performance project delivery, including applications such as material tracking, construction verification, performance monitoring, and data-informed decision-making. As a result, the applicant will have many opportunities to collaborate with other BCT faculty, as well as faculty from engineering, architecture, business, and other groups like UMass Air (for drones) or the VR/AR group.

The successful candidate will teach at least two three-credit courses per year, including relevant courses such as:

Construction project control

Construction cost management

Construction risk management

Construction automation and robotics

Construction heavy equipment

Construction safety management

Preconstruction management

Lean construction

Artificial intelligence applications in construction

VDC/BIM for construction management

Plans and specifications

Service responsibilities include student mentoring and supervision; maintaining student academic record files; interacting with the Registrar’s Office and the honors program to manage degree requirements; and related activities, 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.

Other Functions

Work collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, equality and inclusiveness.

Work in partnership with colleagues within the CNS community and across the campus to support the Dean’s strategic priorities.

Perform other duties as assigned in support of the mission and goals of the College of Natural Sciences.

Minimum Qualifications

Candidates must hold a Ph.D. in Construction Management, Construction Engineering, Civil Engineering, Industrial Engineering (applied to Construction Management), or a closely related discipline by the appointment start date. Proficiency in information technology and construction software is essential, as well as a passion for environmental stewardship in the built environment.

Candidates should have relevant research experience and a publication record. Although a proven ability to secure funding is preferred, it is not required. Candidates must be willing to pursue external funding and collaborative proposals with agencies such as NSF, DOTs, DoE, NIST, state agencies, and industry consortia, and to assemble multidisciplinary research teams. A candidate should demonstrate strong oral and written communication skills, preferably with university teaching experience, along with an aptitude for interdisciplinary problem solving.

Strong applicants will demonstrate depth in one or more areas, an ability to integrate emerging digital approaches with core Construction Management workflows, and a clear trajectory for future research and teaching. This may be reflected through how candidates connect these strengths to project controls, coordination, quality, performance, and other construction-management decisions in both their teaching and research.

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 the departments of Architecture, and Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning, and the 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. UMass Amherst places special emphasis on faculty-student interaction and a commitment to teach and attract a diverse student body.

Additional Details

Building and Construction Technology (BCT) is one of the programs in the Department of Environmental Conservation (ECO) within the College of Natural Sciences (CNS) 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 Olver Design Building, a nationally acclaimed sustainable mass-timber building on the Amherst campus.

BCT provides undergraduate and graduate education in construction management, sustainable building systems, advanced building products, and building science. Our program conducts research in these fields and has physical labs for wood mechanics, building science, and construction technology. We also host the world’s first Trimble Technology Lab.

The ECO 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 department has an established culture of collegiality and collaboration between faculty, students, staff, industry, and industry/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.

At UMass Amherst and in CNS, we strive to be a community where every individual feels a sense of belonging, where every individual is included, and where every individual is valued. These values and goals are reflected in the College of Natural Sciences’ Inclusive Excellence framework and in the UMass Amherst’s For the Common Good: 2024–2034 Strategic Plan.

This position is subject to final budgetary and administrative approval.

Working Conditions

Work is primarily performed in an indoor university environment and involves lifting and transporting materials or equipment and general physical activity, including prolonged standing, walking, or assuming low postures.

Work Schedule and Work Arrangement

Anticipated start date of September 1, 2027.

Monday - Friday, 40 hours a week.

Salary Information

The University expects to pay within an approximate range between $79,350 and $119,014 for this position. Please note:

The low end of this range is based on the minimum salary for the rank included in the collective bargaining agreement between the University and the Massachusetts Society of Professors, UMass Amherst/MTA/NEA. The high-end of the pay range reflects an increase above the median salaries at this rank within the department for faculty who may have multiple years of faculty experience. The specific pay for this position will be determined by the University based on consideration of all relevant factors, including faculty rank and required relevant certifications, when and if it decides to extend an offer of employment.

Special Instructions for Applicants

Applicants must submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, research and teaching statements, along with the contact details of three references. They are also encouraged to include a list of courses they are interested in teaching.

Search questions can be addressed to: Ho-Sung Kim, Search Chair, kimhs@umass.edu. Applicants should apply by the priority deadline of December 1, 2026, to ensure consideration.

This position will remain open for the time period required by any applicable collective bargaining agreement and will continue until a suitable candidate pool is identified. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early.