Geospatial Research Assistant Jobs in Rancho Cucamonga, CA

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.

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.

Please direct inquiries to:

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

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.

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

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.

• 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.