Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary

The engineering professor teaches and researches engineering—educating students in analysis, design, and problem-solving while producing scholarship that advances engineering knowledge and often develops technologies with practical application. A typical week during the academic term blends teaching with research and service. Perhaps 30% of time goes to teaching: preparing lectures, conducting classes, supervising labs. Another 45% involves research—managing research groups, writing proposals, supervising graduate students. The remaining time splits between grading, committee work, industry liaison, and professional activities.

People who thrive as engineering professors combine deep technical expertise with teaching ability and the entrepreneurial skills that building successful research programs requires. Successful professors develop research specializations while building the pedagogical skills that engineering education demands. They must secure research funding, publish regularly, and advise graduate students effectively. Those who struggle often cannot manage the multiple demands of research, teaching, and service or find proposal writing consuming. Others fail because they cannot build research groups or translate technical work into publications.

Engineering education prepares students for professional practice while advancing technology through research that often has direct practical application. The field connects academia with industry through research partnerships, consulting, and technology transfer. Engineering professors appear in discussions of STEM education, engineering research, and the academic institutions that train engineers and develop new technologies.

Practitioners cite the opportunity to advance technology through research and the satisfaction of training future engineers as primary rewards. The research can have tangible real-world impact. The students often become successful professionals. The field offers strong research funding. The consulting and industry connections provide variety. The compensation is competitive with other academic fields. Common frustrations include the constant pressure to secure research funding and the administrative burden of managing research programs. Many find that teaching takes time from research. Industry offers much higher compensation for similar skills. Graduate student advising is time-intensive. Keeping current with advancing technology is demanding.

This career requires a doctoral degree in engineering, with strong research productivity essential for tenure-track positions. Strong technical, teaching, and grant-writing skills are required. The role suits those committed to advancing engineering who can manage research programs. It is poorly suited to those preferring industry practice, uncomfortable with funding pressure, or seeking purely teaching-focused positions. Compensation is good relative to other academic fields, though below industry alternatives.