Description

The Department of Building Construction in the Myers-Lawson School of Construction at Virginia Tech seeks applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Building Construction, effective August 2025. We are seeking candidates motivated to contribute to a collegial, interdisciplinary community with a strong tradition of both fundamental and applied research that aligns with recent initiatives at Virginia Tech, including a campus-wide, multi-disciplinary focus on Intelligent Infrastructure for Human-Centered Communities, as well as a focus on Industry 4.0 for Construction. Such initiatives endorse a wide range of research foci with relevance for the built environment, including but not limited to the following: Tools of analysis, representation, design, and evaluation, including BIM and Digital Twins Semi- or autonomous systems and robotics 3-D printed structures, additive manufacturing, offsite construction and prefabrication Data collection technologies, e.g. sensors, cyber-physical systems Internet-of-Things, wireless and cyber security. Mixed-reality technologies Human-Computer Interaction, Human Factors. The School is currently home to 30 faculty members and over 600 undergraduate and 50 graduate students. The School offers the following degrees: 1) Bachelor of Science in Building Construction, 2) Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering and Management, 3) Master of Science in Building Construction Science and Management, and 4) Doctorate of Philosophy in Environmental Design and Planning. Virginia Tech is a public land-grant university, committed to teaching and learning, research, and outreach to the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the world. Building on its motto of Ut Prosim (that I may serve), Virginia Tech is dedicated to InclusiveVT—serving in the spirit of community, diversity, and excellence. Virginia Tech actively seeks a broad spectrum of candidates to join our community in preparing leaders for the world. The Department of Building Construction is a founding partner of the Myers-Lawson School of Construction and is located within the College of Engineering, whose undergraduate program ranks 13th and graduate program ranks 30th among all U.S. engineering schools (USN&WR). The Mission of the College of Engineering is to educate and inspire our students to be critical thinkers, innovators, and leaders. Our core values are inclusiveness, excellence, integrity, perseverance, and stewardship. This faculty position will be located at Virginia Tech's main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, in an area consistently ranked among the country's best places to live. Faculty in the School work primarily in two adjacent facilities, Bishop-Favrao Hall (completed 2007) and Hitt Hall (completed 2024). Hitt Hall’s unique two-story Innovation Lab provides opportunities for temporary and large-scale student-based projects. The surrounding exterior Innovation Plaza provides additional space for outdoor demonstrations and teaching. Bishop-Favrao Hall functions as a teaching tool, as elements that are usually hidden behind walls and ceiling panels are exposed and labeled. All public spaces in Bishop-Favrao Hall have exposed ceilings to allow students and visitors to see the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and electrical systems. Bishop-Favrao and Hitt Halls are home to the Automation & Robotics in Construction and Design Engineering (ARCADE) Lab, the Building Enclosure and Systems Technologies (BEST) Lab, the Sustainable Facilities & Infrastructure Systems (SF&I) Lab, the Smart Systems Lab, and the Virtual Facilities Research Lab, among others. Work is underway in Northern Virginia on the Hitt Research and Innovation Lab, which will expand the School’s footprint to Northern Virginia.

Application Packet:
1. Curriculum Vitae (CV) 2. 1-page Cover Letter describing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications for the position and if you are available to start in either the Spring 26 semester or the Fall 26 semester 3. 2-page Teaching Statement including your: 1) teaching philosophy, 2) discussion of your prior teaching experience, 3) identification of courses within the BC curriculum that you would feel comfortable teaching, and 4) evidence of effective teaching (if available). 4. 2-page Research Statement including:
1) a summary of your current research accomplishments,
2) your research goals for the next 6 years, and
3) a funding plan for your current and future research. All documents submitted as part of the application must be single-spaced, 11-point font with 1-inch margins and in PDF format.

Requirements

Required qualifications:

Applicants must hold a doctoral degree in construction or a closely related discipline by the appointment start date and must demonstrate a high potential to effectively:
Publish in peer-reviewed journals
Develop an externally funded research program
Teach courses in the building construction curriculum at the undergraduate level
Mentor students
Collaborate across disciplinary boundaries

Preferred qualifications include a demonstrated record of:
Leadership of funded research in one or more of the focus areas listed above
Effective teaching in higher education
A high level of productivity in scholarly output
Commitment to our School values of:
o Inclusion
o Safety
o Service
o Experiential learning