Assistant Professor of UAS Autonomy and Geographical Information Systems

Tenure Track Faculty Position

Assistant Professor of UAS Autonomy and Geographical Information Systems

Department of Aerospace Engineering

College of Engineering

Salary Range: $107,312 - 111,312

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona invites applications for a tenure track faculty position in the Department of Aerospace Engineering. Cal Poly Pomona is one of three polytechnic universities in the 22-campus California State University system and among 12 such institutions nationwide. Since its founding in 1938, Cal Poly Pomona students participate in an integrative experiential learning education that is inclusive, relevant, and values diverse perspectives and experiences. With a variety of degree programs in the arts, humanities, sciences, engineering, and professional disciplines, the university is well known for its learn-by-doing approach and Teacher Scholar Model.

The university is noted for its scenic and historic 1,400-acre campus, which was once the winter ranch of cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg. We acknowledge that Cal Poly Pomona resides on the territorial and homelands of the Tongva and Tataavium people who are the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar. The university's nearly 30,000 students are taught and mentored by the campus's more than 1,400 faculty as part of 54 baccalaureate and 29 master's degree programs, 11 credential and certificate programs, and a doctorate in educational leadership.

Highly regarded among its peer institutions, Cal Poly Pomona is No. 2 in the U.S. News and World Report rankings of top public regional universities in the west and was named the No. 28 best value college in the nation by Money Magazine. Cal Poly Pomona, a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, stands as a national leader in promoting social mobility, and was placed among the 25 top institutions in the country in awarding bachelor's degrees to minoritized students by Diverse Issues in Higher Education. In 2022, the campus launched the Black Thriving Initiative recognizing that Cal Poly Pomona's future as a university is linked to the success of its Black community. More information about our Principles of Community can be found here.

The Cal Poly Pomona campus is located less than 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles at the intersection of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. It is within an hour's drive of beaches, mountains and deserts. For additional information about the university, please visit www.cpp.edu, and for more about faculty life, please see YourLife@CPP.

Student Population

Cal Poly Pomona is the number one polytechnic university in the nation for student diversity and economic mobility. Our caring and inclusive campus community is committed to helping anyone who dreams of success achieve it. In Fall 2024, Cal Poly Pomona served more than 25,000 students and close to 2,000 graduate students, mostly residents of California. Over half of Cal Poly Pomona students are first-generation college students, 70% receive financial aid, and 42% are low-income students. The university enrolls 57% percent of historically underrepresented students. Our diverse student body identifies as 54% Hispanic/Latinx, 21% Asian, 13% White, 4% two or more races, 3% unknown, 2% African American/Black, 2% International, less than 1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and less than 1% Native American. Forty-five percent of students enroll in our STEM majors and our top five enrolled programs across the university include mechanical engineering, computer science, civil engineering, psychology, as well as finance, real estate, and law.

College of Engineering

The College of Engineering's mission is to prepare students for industry and advanced studies by implementing an inclusive polytechnic philosophy through collaborative teamwork, innovation, entrepreneurship, and professional integrity. The College offers 12 ABET-accredited undergraduate degrees and 7 Master's degrees to over 6,300 students across seven academic departments that include: Aerospace Engineering, Chemical and Materials Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Electromechanical Engineering Technology, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. The College is nationally recognized by U.S. News & World Report and currently ranks 5th among undergraduate engineering programs in non-doctorate-granting public institutions. Additionally, it houses more than 40 student clubs that offer hands-on learning opportunities and have been recognized at several national competitions. We encourage a broad range of applicants who are committed to enhancing a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to an inclusive campus environment.

Department of Aerospace Engineering

The Aerospace Engineering Department at Cal Poly Pomona serves more than 750 undergraduate and graduate students and offers a comprehensive aerospace engineering education rooted in the university's polytechnic, learn-by-doing tradition. The department has a strong culture of hands-on teaching, student-centered mentoring, and applied scholarship in areas that include aerodynamics, aircraft and spacecraft structures, flight mechanics, orbital mechanics, propulsion, systems engineering, autonomous systems that include both unamend aerial systems (UAS) and unmanned ground systems, aerospace vehicle design, UAS-based remote sensing for agricultural applications, and AI/ML enabled aerial and ground robots for precision farming. Students engage in open-ended design problems, laboratory work, computational analysis, senior projects, and national competitions that connect classroom learning to real aerospace engineering practice. Faculty support a wide range of student groups and project teams, including AIAA design teams, student research groups, faculty research groups, and other project-based efforts that reflect the technical breadth and professional interests of our students. Collaboration between multiple disciplines is encouraged. Students from Aerospace Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, and Plant Science Departments have opportunities to work in a multi-disciplinary environment.

The department provides a supportive environment for faculty who value teaching excellence, student success, applied research, and close interaction with students. Faculty and students have access to well-equipped instructional and research laboratories, including subsonic and supersonic wind tunnel laboratories, a UAV laboratory, an aerospace structures laboratory, an astronautics laboratory, and the Liquid Rocket Lab. The department is proud of the diversity of its student body and is committed to creating an inclusive academic environment in which students from different backgrounds can succeed, contribute, and see themselves as aerospace engineers. This commitment is reflected in faculty mentoring, team-based design experiences, support for student organizations, undergraduate research, senior projects, and efforts to provide students with practical pathways into graduate study, industry, and public-sector aerospace careers.

Position description

The Aerospace Engineering Department at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, invites applications for one tenure-track Assistant Professor position beginning in Fall 2027. We seek candidates with expertise in Autonomous Geographical Information Systems, with a particular interest in autonomous unmanned aerial systems and remote sensing. The successful candidate will teach lower-division, upper-division, and graduate courses in aerospace engineering, with expected contributions to UAS autonomy, Aerospace Feedback Control, Aircraft Stability & Control, UAS Applications including Remote Sensing for Agricultural Application, Sensing and Data Acquisition, and other autonomy-, feedback control-, and sensing-oriented areas of the curriculum. The candidate will also support the department's senior project sequence and other project-based learning activities, develop new curriculum and learning experiences in UAS autonomy, GIS, Artificial Intelligence and Geospatial Data Analysis, automated data acquisition and processing, Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI), Photogrammetry and Mapping, etc., and establish an active scholarly program in their area of expertise. Additional responsibilities include mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, pursuing external funding, participating in department, college, and university service, and supporting the department's polytechnic, hands-on educational mission. In addition, the successful candidate will also work closely with other Colleges including Colleges of Science and Agriculture to develop and introduce new courses and new UAS and GIS minors and to establish an externally funded Program in autonomous UAS System and Remote Sensing.

Minimum requirements include

• A Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Remote Sensing, Geospatial Analysis or a closely aligned field from an accredited university. The degree must be conferred by the start date of the position.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications

1. Academic experience or strength in UAS Autonomy, Aircraft Stability and Control, Avionics System, Mission Planning, and Sensing and Data Acquisition
2. Demonstrated ability or potential for teaching undergraduate and graduate aerospace engineering courses and developing autonomy, control-, and sensing-oriented curriculum.
3. Demonstrated ability or potential for authoring peer-reviewed publications, securing external funding, and mentoring undergraduate and graduate student research.
4. Industrial, government, or professional experience in aerospace engineering, aircraft design, systems engineering, or related areas.
5. A bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering or related fields from an ABET-accredited program.
6. Demonstrated ability for effective written and oral communication.

Application Process

A completed application will consist of:

• Cover letter in which you describe your interest in the position, relevant experience, and how you meet the minimum and preferred qualifications;
• Curriculum vitae;
• Teaching Philosophy statement (2-page max) that addresses Cal Poly Pomona's commitment to excellence in education (see above).
• Research Statement (2-page max);
• The names and contact information for at least three individuals that can serve as references;
• Unofficial transcripts (undergraduate and graduate, official transcripts will be required of finalists)
• Applicants should review the list of undergraduate and graduate Aerospace Engineering courses in the Cal Poly Pomona University Catalog: https://catalog.cpp.edu/preview_entity.php?catoid=78&ent_oid=6316. Based on this course list, applicants should submit a brief statement or table identifying: (a) courses they are prepared to teach with minimal preparation, (b) courses they would be able to teach with some additional preparation, and (c) new courses they would be interested in developing for the Department.

Finalists for the position will be required to: Provide official transcripts for the highest degree before the on-campus interview. Provide three letters of reference dated within the last two years. Create a presentation showcasing scholarly work and a teaching demonstration for faculty and students.

First consideration will be given to completed applications received by October 15, 2026. Applications received after the deadline will be reviewed at the discretion of the search committee. Applications accepted only via PageUp -online application portal-for University hires.

Please direct inquiries to: Faculty Search Committee Chair Dr. Navid Nakhjiri Aerospace Engineering Department California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Email: nnakhjiri@cpp.edu