Adjunct Research Associate Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Position overview
Position title: Assistant, Associate or Full Adjunct Professor
Salary range: A reasonable salary range estimate for this position is $107,100 - $232,100. The posted UC academic salary scales meaningful link text set the minimum pay determined by rank and/or step at appointment. See the following table for the salary scale for this position Pre-6 Lecturer Salary Scale.
Application Window
Open date: July 29, 2026
Most recent review date: Friday, Aug 14, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) Applications received after this date will be reviewed by the search committee if the position has not yet been filled.
Final date: Wednesday, Jul 28, 2027 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.
Position description
The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering ( Home | Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering ), at the University of California, San Diego, ( University of California San Diego ) is conducting an open search for Adjunct Professors (non-tenure track - Instructor, Assistant, Associate, or Full level).
At UC San Diego, the Adjunct Professor Series (1) are individuals who are predominantly engaged in research or other creative work and who participate in teaching, or (2) are individuals who contribute primarily to teaching and have limited responsibility for research or other creative work; these individuals may be professional practitioners of appropriate distinction. Appointees with titles in this series also engage in University and public service consistent with their assignments.
Apm 280
Research areas could include but are not limited to: Aerospace, Controls, Design, Engineering Education, Environmental, Fluid Mechanics & Heat Transfer, Info Storage, Mechanics & Materials, Robotics, Systems Engineering, Biomechanics, Biomaterials, Medical Devices, Combustion, Plasma & Fusion, and Renewables.
The candidate's job duties and responsibilities will be a combination of:

1. Teaching and possibly designing innovative coursework in their respective area(s) of expertise.
2. Providing mentorship to university students; supervising student thesis/research
3. Engaging in professional activities on campus and services related to the pedagogical mission of the department and university.
4. Conducting research and/or creative activity in one's respective area of expertise.

This position will remain open until filled based on the ongoing needs in the MAE Department.
The Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering and the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego are committed to academic excellence and to fostering a welcoming environment for students, faculty, and staff from a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. UC San Diego is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment consistent with applicable law and University policy.
Qualifications
Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
Doctorate degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, or an equivalent field; OR a minimum of 12 years of equivalent experience as a senior leader (i.e. CTO, Director or Senior Lead) in relevant industries.
Application Requirements
Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Statement of Research
• Statement of Teaching
• Cover Letter (Optional)

Reference requirements

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

Please provide the contact information to your references or if you have already received letters, please upload them into AP Recruitment.
Apply link: https://apol-recruit.ucsd.edu/JPF04564
Help contact: ektodorova@ucsd.edu
About UC San Diego
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.
As a university employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.
The University of California prohibits smoking and tobacco use at all of its university-controlled properties.
The UC San Diego Annual Security & Fire Safety Report is available online at: https://www.police.ucsd.edu/docs/annualclery.pdf . This report provides crime and fire statistics, as well as institutional policy statements & procedures. Contact the UC San Diego Police Department at (858) 534-4361 if you want to obtain paper copies of this report.
As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.
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• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy: [ https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000385/SVSH ]
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties: [ https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination ]
Job location
La Jolla, CA