Lecturer 1-4, Mining Engineering

The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.

If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at (775) 784-1495 or [email protected].

Job Description

The Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering (MME) at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) invites applications for a nine-month, non-tenure-track faculty position in Mining Engineering. The successful applicant will be appointed as Lecturer I, II, III, IV, Teaching Assistant Professor, Teaching Associate Professor or Teaching Professor, depending on the applicant’s qualifications, terminal degree, and level of relevant professional experience.

This position is designed for an individual with substantial industry experience who is eager to share their expertise with students and help prepare the next generation of mining professionals. We welcome applicants from across the mining industry, including mining operations and consulting firms. We encourage the following candidates to apply:

• Professionals with leadership experience in production, planning, operations, or mine management in surface and/or underground mining (metals, non-metals, or critical materials).
• Professionals from the aggregate and quarry sectors, particularly those with demonstrated expertise in production, operations, or management.
• Technical leaders in consultative fields, particularly those with demonstrated expertise in mine design, ventilation, technical studies, or emerging technologies.
• Professionals with demonstrated expertise in mining data analytics, mining data management, automation, or artificial intelligence.

• Key Responsibilities:
• Design and deliver undergraduate and graduate courses in mining engineering, ensuring that students develop both strong theoretical foundations and practical, industry-relevant skills.
• Mentor and advise students to support their career readiness and professional growth.
• Build strong connections between the department and the mining industry through guest lectures, site-based projects, and collaborative initiatives.
• Engage actively with professional organizations such as the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME), the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), and similar organizations while encouraging student participation and industry visibility.
• Organize or contribute to industry-focused conferences, workshops, or summits, as appropriate.
• Support departmental outreach, workforce training, and applied research partnerships.
• Help prepare students for leadership roles in traditional mining and aggregate and quarry operations.

• Service:
• Serve on departmental, college, and university committees.
• Support the department’s strategic initiatives, including program development, accreditation, and community outreach.
• Participate actively in relevant professional societies.
• Contribute to professional activities such as journal editorial work and peer review, as appropriate to the successful applicant’s background and assigned rank.

Lecturer Statement

The University of Nevada, Reno reserves the right to hire at any level of Lecturer (I-IV) or Teaching Assistant/Associate/Professor (terminal degree candidates) that is appropriate for the hire.  If you have questions about title, please inquire during the interview process.

Required Qualifications

Candidates will be hired to the appropriate level based on education and experience.

• Lecturer (I-IV): A Master’s degree in Mining Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Teaching Assistant/Associate/Professor: A PhD in Mining Engineering or a closely related discipline.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ten (10) or more years of progressive industry experience in mining, with demonstrated expertise in production, operations, or management. Relevant experience may include aggregate and quarry mining or surface and underground mining operations.
• A Ph.D. in Mining Engineering or a closely related field.
• Evidence of leadership, mentoring, or workforce development within the mining sector.
• Active engagement in professional organizations such as SME, NSSGA, or similar organizations.
• Experience teaching, training, or mentoring students or industry professionals.
• Demonstrated ability to connect classroom instruction with real-world mining practices.

Compensation

Lecturer (I-IV) or Teaching Assistant/Associate/Professor (terminal degree candidates)

To view the salary schedule for this position, please visit Salary Schedules and select Academic Faculty.

Perks of working at UNR

• Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance
• Generous sick leave, life insurance, and long-term disability – Faculty Benefits
• E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers an annual or semester membership and family membership options.  E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center
• Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.
• Faculty Senate is the principal representing body for faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. Faculty Senate
• No state income tax!

Grants-in-aid for Faculty Employees

The University is proud to provide a reduced-rate tuition benefit to faculty and qualified dependents. Faculty can take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate. Dependents of faculty have unlimited credits, but in order to be eligible children must be unmarried and under the age of 24 and must receive at least 50% of their financial support from the employee and/or employee’s spouse or domestic partner.  Faculty Grants-in-Aid

Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program

The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a dual career assistance program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them to identify career opportunities in Northern Nevada. Dual Career Assistance Program

Department Information

The University of Nevada, Reno, has a deep-rooted history in mining, dating back 150 years to the Comstock Lode era. The Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, part of the Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, has played a central role in the university’s success and Nevada’s economic development. The state, historically known for its gold and silver production, is now a critical player in the sustainable resource sector, boasting seven of the largest lithium deposits in the United States. This positions UNR and the Mackay School at the forefront of modern mining, contributing to the nation's transition toward a sustainable, lithium-powered future. The department remains a hub for students and professionals seeking to advance their careers while shaping the future of responsible resource development. Please find more information here: https://www.unr.edu/mining

The department remains a hub for students and professionals seeking to advance their careers while shaping the future of responsible resource development. Please find more information here: https://www.unr.edu/mining

Contact Information

• Search Committee Chair: Gregory Stokes, [email protected]
• Administrative Contact: Beth Jacobsen, (775) 682-8787, [email protected]

Exempt

Yes

Full-Time Equivalent

100.0%

Required Attachment(s)

Please note that once you submit your application, the only attachments viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachments to the cover letter, references, and other documents sections of the application will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachments will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments before the committee review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at [email protected].

Attach the following attachments to your application:
1) Resume/CV detailing professional achievements, industry roles, and, if applicable, academic, teaching or training experience

2) Cover Letter describing the applicant’s qualifications, relevant industry experience, and interest in the position.

3) Contact information for three professional references. References will be contacted only for finalists.

Applicants may also submit the following optional materials:

4) A statement of teaching philosophy describing how the applicant would integrate industry experience into teaching and mentorship. The statement may include examples of previous teaching or training experience, approaches to connecting classroom instruction with mining practice, plans for future courses, or student evaluations, if available.

5) Supporting documents demonstrating teaching ability, industry leadership, or other relevant professional contributions.

Full Consideration

For full consideration, applications must be received by November 7th, 2026.

Posting Close Time

This posting will close at 12:00 am on the date listed below. The posting will no longer be available to apply to after 11:59 pm the day prior.

Posting Close Date

01/12/2027

Note to Applicant

A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.

Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.

The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes). 

About Us

The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.

Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”

Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school – the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.

The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.

Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada – led by the University of Nevada, Reno – was named one of the inaugural 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (TechHubs). Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories. Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.

Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.

The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.

Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement – all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.

For more information, please visit the University’s website.

University of Nevada, Reno