American University of Beirut

​Professor of Practice (Assistant or Associate)

Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (MSFEA)
American University of Beirut 

Overview

Supported by a generous gift from the Semaan Endowment Foundation, the Interdisciplinary Design Practice Program (IDPP)​ was founded in 2018 at the American University of Beirut with the goal of transforming the undergraduate educational experience in the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (MSFEA). The IDPP aimed to develop our students’ ability to problem find and frame as expertly as they problem solve; that is, it aimed to cultivate the intellectual agility, collaborative abilities, and tolerance for ambiguity necessary for meaningfully addressing complex, “messy” 21st century challenges that offer no clear point of entry and whose outcomes are often unpredictable. Five years later, with the emergence of the new, autonomous School of Design, the IDPP is poised to expand this ambitious vision and offer its innovative approaches to every AUB student regardless of discipline.

This Professor of Practice role is integral to the successful scaling of this program. The PoP will be responsible for teaching the IDPP’s core credit courses as well as developing and/or teaching new credit and non-credit offerings as necessary. As such, the ideal candidate will be deeply versed in design thinking tools, methods, and mindsets and is able to serve as a champion for the value of non-linear creative problem-solving approaches in addressing the 21st century’s most wicked problems. The Professor of Practice will work primarily with students and faculty throughout the University, partnering with our stakeholder communities to promote a culture of design thinking and innovation across MSFEA and AUB, and will collaborate as needed with the Chair/Founding Director in their effort to scale external awareness of and enthusiastic support for the IDPP.

The Professor of Practice will also be responsible for leading the day-to-day operations of the IDPP, working both independently and collaboratively to perform the following essential duties and responsibilities:​

• Teaching/Advising/Coaching

• Teach design thinking credit and non-credit courses and workshops for undergraduate students at the introductory and advanced levels

• Contribute significantly to the IDPP’s curriculum development, including to the ongoing effort to establish a Minor in Product and Service Design

• Hire, organize, and supervise Post-Baccalaureate Fellows and student volunteers (Peer Design Advocates)

• Advise students in a variety of contexts in launching projects and leading activities that showcase the value of creative and non-linear methodologies to address “wicked” problems

• Design and lead faculty and staff development opportunities for capacity building in design thinking

• Support faculty who are integrating design thinking methodologies into their research, coursework, and/or pedagogy

• Research and Assessment

• Collect and track assessment data related to all IDPP initiatives

• Contribute to writing and editing annual reports and research papers in collaboration with the C/ED and other stakeholders

• Operations

• Initiate and shepherd supply orders, expenditure tracking and reimbursements, and event planning requests through administrative channels

• Monitor spending and adherence to budgets

• Support makerspace staff and its Faculty Director

• Manage and coordinate space/facilities needs, including maintaining prototyping equipment and supplies

• Produce or direct rapid production of evocative visual communication

• Managing social media presence and website redesign and maintenance; collaborate with C/ED on developing campus-wide publicity and communications related to the IDPP

• Community Building

• Invent novel ways to introduce students, staff, faculty, community members, and partners to the IDPP and perform regular outreach

• Represent the IDPP at various functions on and off campus as needed

• Support the C/ED in reaching out to the wider Beirut, Lebanon, and MENA communities in order to build partnerships and programs that will lead to compelling success stories for the IDPP

• Ensure that the IDPP is open, inclusive, and represented proportionally by participants from all AUB faculties
  
  

Qualifications

This right candidate for this position must possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities to be able to successfully perform the essential functions of the job or must be able to demonstrate how the essential functions will be performed (with or without reasonable accommodation) using other knowledge, skills, and abilities not listed below:

Candidates should have 5-7 years of teaching or related experience as well as experience developing and implementing new educational programs from 0 to 1.  Candidate should have a Masters or equivalent degree.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Proven expertise in at least one of the following areas:

• experience with metrics, evaluation, or other forms of measuring progress
  

• design research, research-through-design, scientific research methods and study design (qualitative and/or quantitative)

• Skilled at developing cohesive and evocative branding and messaging campaigns
  

• Native fluency in Levantine Arabic and/or deep knowledge of national and regional culture(s)
  

• Candidates should have 5-7 years of teaching or related experience as well as experience developing and implementing new educational programs from 0 to 1.  Candidate should have a Masters or equivalent degree
  
  

The regular hours for this full-time position are 40 hours per week, 5 days per week, on a variable schedule. Overtime, holiday, weekend, and evening work hours may be required. Regular hours may vary due to IDPP needs. Must be willing to work a flexible schedule.

Application procedure

Please submit the following information to Dr. Alan Shihadeh, Dean of the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, at msfeadean@aub.edu.lb and msfea@aub.edu.lb :

• A letter of interest outlining qualifications for the position, teaching experience, and research interests (if applicable)
  

• A curriculum vitae

• A portfolio of your design-driven work
  

• Contact information for four references including name, e-mail address, and telephone number

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Ideal start is January 2024, but willing to consider a later date for the right candidate. 

​​Tenure-Track, Open-Rank Position in Urban Design at the Department of Architecture and Design

Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (MSFEA)
American University of Beirut 

Overview

The Department of Architecture and Design in the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture at the American University of Beirut, invites applications to a tenure-track, open-rank position in Urban Design.

Qualifications & Main Duties

Applicants must have ample research and teaching experience in urban design scholarship and practice, and must demonstrate an ability to integrate such methods and processes in teaching design studios and seminars at the graduate and undergraduate levels, and in graduate thesis advising. They are expected to have a record of design excellence and recognition, and show evidence of a well-established applied research track and/or creative practice in urban design, preferably with grounding in landscape ecology or related fields. They are also expected to advance the research/creative activities of the department and contribute to ongoing curriculum assessment and development. Moreover, they are expected to contribute to support the establishment of new programs. Candidates must have a Master of Urban Design degree or its equivalent.

Application Requirements

Candidates are asked to submit:

• A letter of application, including a brief statement on research and/or practice, and on teaching philosophy
• A curriculum vitae
• Design work and teaching portfolio (including samples of design work, as well as samples of students' work, and course syllabi)
• Samples of research publications
• The names and full contact information of at least three referees
  
  

Application Procedure

Interested candidates should send their application requirements to the MSFEA Dean's Office, with the subject: “Full-Time Tenure Track Position in Urban Design.” Review of applications will begin on September 1, 2023 and will continue until the position is filled. The proposed starting date for this position is Spring 2023-24. Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. Applicants preferring a visiting full-time position for one or two years will also be considered.
The American University of Beirut is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.

• AUB's homepage
• ArD's homepage

Tenure-Track, Open-Rank Position in Graphic Design (Design and technology emphasis) at the Department of Architecture and Design

Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (MSFEA)

American University of Beirut

Overview

The Department of Architecture and Design (ArD) in the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (MSFEA) at the American University of Beirut (AUB), invites applications to a tenure-track, open-rank position in Graphic Design.  

The department has two undergraduate programs, one in architecture and one in graphic design; and two graduate programs: urban planning and policy, and landscape and urban design. The department is currently working to expand its undergraduate offering into other design fields and to establish new graduate programs in architecture, graphic design, and in design studies. While the candidates will be mainly affiliated to the Graphic Design program to which they are expected to contribute regularly, the department has a cross-disciplinary vision and fosters synergies across programs at multiple levels. 

Qualifications & Main Duties

Applicants must have academic and teaching experience in graphic design with evidence of scholarship and practice in advanced design technologies and digital tools, and must demonstrate an ability to integrate such methods and processes in design studios, electives, and core design requirements mainly at the undergraduate level. The ability to teach advanced graduate seminars will give the candidates an advantage with the potential to contribute to the projected growth and development of the department. They are expected to have a record of design excellence and recognition and show evidence of a well-established applied research track and/or creative practice in graphic design. The preferred areas of focus are within the larger field of design and technology, and more specifically: interaction design, UX/UI, creative coding and processing, digital experience design and data/information systems.
They are also expected to advance the research/creative activities of the department and contribute to ongoing curricular assessment and development. Candidates must have an MFA in (Graphic) Design or equivalent, PHD is a plus. Applicants with a professional degree in graphic design and a terminal degree in related fields also qualify. Applicants preferring a visiting full-time position for one or two years will also be considered.

Application Requirements

Candidates are asked to submit:

• A letter of application, including a brief statement on research and/or practice, and on teaching philosophy
• A curriculum vitae
• Design portfolio
• Teaching portfolio (including samples of students' work and course syllabi)
• Samples of research publications
• The names and full contact information of at least three referee

Application Procedure

Interested candidates should send their application requirements to the MSFEA Dean's Office, with the subject: “Full-Time Tenure Track Position in Graphic Design.” Review of applications will begin on September 1, 2023 and will continue until the position is filled. The proposed starting date for this position is Spring 2023-24 or Fall 2024-25. Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

The American University of Beirut is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. AUB’s homepage is at: www.aub.edu.lb.The website of the department is at: www.aub.edu.lb/fea/ard

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Assistant Professor – Department of Mechanical Engineering​

​Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (MSFEA)
American University of Beirut​

Overview

The Department of Mechanical Engineering in the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture at the American University of Beirut invites applications for faculty positions at the rank of assistant professor or higher in the areas of:

• Mechanical Design
• Materials Science/Engineering 
• Mechatronics with a focus on robotics
  

  ​

Qualifications

Applicants for these positions should hold a PhD degree in mechanical engineering in the areas of: 

• Mechanical Design: Candidates with research interest in Mechanical Design Theory and Methodology, CAD CAE, Design Optimization are particularly encouraged to apply.
  
• Materials Science/Engineering: Candidates with research interests in experimental, analytical, or computational modeling are particularly encouraged to apply.
  

• Mechatronics: Candidates with research interests focusing on instrumentation and robotics with applications involving data science, Artificial Intelligence (or Machine Learning or Deep Machine Learning) are particularly encouraged to apply. Postdoctoral and/or industrial experience is desirable but not necessary.
  

The successful candidate is expected to teach graduate and undergraduate courses in the candidate's field, participate in program development, and be active in research.

Applications must include a letter of interest, statements of teaching and research interests, complete curriculum vitae, and the names and contact details of at least three references. The complete application must be addressed to the Dean, Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, American University of Beirut, P. O. Box: 11-0236, Riad El-Solh Beirut: 1107 2020, Lebanon. An electronic copy should also be sent to msfea@aub.edu.lb.

Consideration of the received applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. The proposed starting date for the position is Fall Semester 2023-2024. Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

The American University of Beirut is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. 

• AUB's homepage 
  
• MSFEA's homepage
  

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Part-time Employment Opportunities - Architecture and Design

Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (MSFEA)
American University of Beirut

Candidates interested in a part-time teaching position in Architecture, Graphic Design, or the m​asters of Urban Planning, Policy, and Urban Design are invited to email a completed application (guidelines document) to ard_PT@aub.edu.lb​