Engineering Professor Tenure Track

Priority Consideration Date: March 30, 2025

Located in the scenic Puget Sound area with Mount Rainier in the distance, Tacoma is the third largest city in Washington State with a thriving and diverse community of over 200,000 residents. Tacoma Community College (TCC) was built on the ancestral territory of Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Puyallup and Squaxin Island Tribes. The 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty forcibly removed them to Reservations to make way for colonizers; we recognize the privilege of utilizing this land has come at great cost. We honor the resilience of the Puyallup and Squaxin Island people, who still live here, defend their rights, and contribute greatly to the well-being of our community. Our institution aims to increase partnerships and community ties with the local indigenous populations. Moreover, TCC stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and the Black community by further strengthening collaboration with the Black Student Union as well as community entities such as the Tacoma-Pierce County Black Collective, the Tacoma Urban League, and local black-owned businesses. In addition, we strongly support the Stop Asian Hate movement and have an active Asian Pacific Islander Student Club as well as an Asian and Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Coalition. TCC is committed to developing more culturally responsive curricula by infusing and incorporating more educational content focused on the lives, experiences, and contributions of Native, Black, Asian, and other marginalized communities. We continually strive to become an anti-racist institution.

To grow our workforce, we are seeking creative, collaborative faculty who are reflective of the diverse community we serve. Tacoma Community College is a public Associate- and Bachelor's-granting institution that serves a student-body of approximately 10,000 students. Our students are 48% students of color, 60% female, and have a median age of 26. We embrace our identity as a community college. Our faculty are engaged in innovative work to improve student retention and program completion, and community success. According to the Community College Survey of Student Engagement, TCC ranks high on measures of active learning and academic challenge, thanks to our creative and scholarly faculty.

We are specifically focusing on improved support for traditionally marginalized populations, including Black/African- American, Indigenous, People of Color, Dreamers, justice-involved, immigrants and refugees, Veterans, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, and the LGBTQIA2+ community. To this end, TCC seeks applicants who:

• Value intellectual curiosity and innovative teaching
• Welcome difference and model respectful interaction with others
• Recognize and honor the important role that diversity brings to an educational community
• Have experience teaching or doing research in Native/Indigenous communities.
• Are committed to educating a racially and socioeconomically diverse student population
• Are committed to teaching in a community college setting
• Care deeply about student success
• Intentionally support and promote efforts related to equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Honor TCC's mission promoting equitable access to educational opportunities
• Reflect the diversity of our community

The Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (SEM) Division, which includes around 38 full-time faculty, offers courses for STEM students, who transfer to colleges and universities throughout the nation, our pre-allied health students, and general education courses. We also proudly have a Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) program, with the stated goal of diversifying the STEM workforce. The Engineering program is housed within the Computer Science, Astronomy, Physics, and Engineering (CAPE) Department. It is a collaborative group of 7 full-time faculty members and 8 part time faculty members. As an Engineering professor, you will have the opportunity to provide direction with a focus on increasing diversity within the discipline.

REGIONAL SETTING

For information on Tacoma and the surrounding area: https://www.tacomacc.edu/tcc-life/life_in_tacoma

This is a full-time tenure-track position that would be expected to teach courses in engineering and related courses. This position occasionally may be assigned classes to be taught on evenings or weekends, or at our Gig Harbor campus. This position reports to the Dean for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (SEM) and supports the broader scope of academic pathways at TCC. This position is expected to start in September 2025.

This is an on-campus position with some options for hybrid and fully online work. The Collective Bargaining Agreement provides for a 176 day yearly contract running approximately from September 1 to June 15. This position occasionally may be assigned classes to be taught on evenings or weekends, or at our Gig Harbor campus. This position reports to the Dean for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics. Tenure track candidates go through a 3-year long tenure process that is supportive in nature.

• Prepare and teach courses in at least four of these areas: thermodynamics, statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, electric circuits with lab, engineering graphics (SolidWorks), engineering design, and materials science.

• Instruct and assist in the growth and success of a diverse population of students through careful preparation of course materials, effective teaching methods including hybrid and online pedagogy, and informed critical feedback on assignments and discussions including student learning outcomes.
• Provide service to the College, including curriculum development and participation in college committees, shared governance, and appropriate professional development activities.
• Develop, review, and revise curriculum.
• Advise and mentor students, helping them to formulate sound educational and career plans
• Participate in SEM Division and College equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts and work towards promoting an anti-racist curriculum.
• Participate in the recruitment and retention of science and engineering students, particularly historically under-represented groups, such as black, brown, and female students.
• Collaborate on strategies to facilitate success for historically underserved populations.
• Participate in program review and instructional assessment.
• Work in support of the mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities of the College.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Duties of the position require the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Ability to effectively respond to the broad-ranging needs of a racially and socioeconomically diverse student population.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with students, faculty, and staff across campus.
• Ability to recruit and retain historically underserved students into science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics.
• Ability to teach a range of courses in engineering.
• Provide leadership in projects and initiatives.
• Review, develop, and assess curriculum.
• Cultural self-awareness and cultural sensitivity to diverse populations of students and colleagues
• Knowledge of, and willingness to use, contemporary teaching techniques such as collaborative, inquiry-based, active, and experiential learning, integrative learning communities, and individual and group student projects.
• Knowledge of, and adherence to, best practices for safety in the classroom and laboratory environments.
• Dedication to remaining current in the discipline by continual professional development.
• Ability to serve as an accessible mentor to students.

Required education and experience:

Preferred Qualifications:

• Teaching experience in community colleges.
• Experience working in industry as an engineer.
• Civil, mechanical, or aerospace engineering background.
• Experience in, or demonstrated commitment to, teaching, mentoring, recruiting, and providing services to Black, Brown, and Native American students.
• Commitment to incorporating culturally sustaining and inclusive classroom practices into teaching and mentorship.

• Successful completion of a criminal history background check prior to employment

Complete application packages must include the following:

1. Tacoma Community College online application.
2. Resume and cover letter describing how your educational background and experience align with the responsibilities and qualifications.
3. Copies of transcripts for all colleges and universities attended (official transcripts will be required for the successful candidate).

1. Tacoma Community College is committed to eliminating barriers and systems of oppression so we may serve all learners and support each other as colleagues. We strive to be an anti-racist institution and value compassion, respect, and continuous improvement. A critical component of this is the understanding that the work of cultivating Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) belongs to all employees. Tacoma Community College desires candidates who have two or more of the following characteristics:

• Knowledge of the challenges faced by minoritized students (historically marginalized or excluded) and a demonstrated commitment to addressing disparities within an institutional setting.
• Experience in, or demonstrated commitment to, teaching, mentoring, or providing services to support the academic success of minoritized students.
• Experience in, or demonstrated commitment to incorporating culturally relevant and inclusive classroom practices into teaching and mentorship.
• Personal connection to the College's strategic goal of advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion as well as the ability to draw on your own positionality to enrich the student experience.

Please provide a statement of no more than two pages that address how you meet two or more of these characteristics. Candidates with less work experience should be specific as to how they demonstrate commitment. Candidates with more work experience should be specific about what they have done as well as what they would like to do.

Terms of Employment:
This is a full-time tenure track faculty position contracted on an annual basis. Placement on the faculty salary schedule will commensurate with educational background and experience per the 2024 Faculty Negotiated Agreement (Download PDF reader) (Article 4.00 Academic Employee Compensation ). The salary range for this position is $68,000 - 80,000 . Tacoma Community College offers a comprehensive health care benefits package for you and your dependents includes medical, dental and vision insurance. Life and long- term disability insurance plans; sick and personal leave; reduced tuition for the employee; and retirement benefits are also provided. For more information, please visit our employment page/employment benefits: https://www.tacomacc.edu/about/employment/. A collective bargaining agreement exist and membership in the TCC Federation of Teachers or payment of a service fee and is available anytime upon hire. Evening and off campus assignments may be a part of the instructional load. Flexibility is required to meet the needs of the department. Degrees must be from accredited colleges or universities recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and verified by National Clearinghouse. International degrees will be verified for U.S. equivalency.