Senior Lecturer / Associate Professor / Professor in Aerospace Engineering

Te Tari Pūhanga Pūrere | Department of Mechanical Engineering
Te Kaupeka Pūhanga | Faculty of Engineering
Located in Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa | New Zealand 

Exciting Opportunity in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Canterbury

Join a Global Leader in Aerospace Research and Education

• Generous annual leave provisions and professional development opportunities
• Enjoy living and working in the revitalised city of Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand

What You Will Do

The University of Canterbury (UC) invites applications for a continuing (permanent) Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor/Professor position in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, with a focus on Aerospace Engineering. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to UC’s growing impact on the national and international aerospace sector, supported by cutting-edge facilities and a dynamic, collaborative research environment.

Position Overview

While the position is housed within the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the successful candidate will operate across the wider Faculty of Engineering, engaging with New Zealand’s national aerospace strategy and its key stakeholders. Aerospace research at UC is inherently interdisciplinary, and the appointee will be expected to collaborate synergistically with existing staff and active initiatives within this rapidly advancing field.

As part of the UC community, the successful candidate will also play a pivotal role in upholding the university’s Treaty of Waitangi partnership obligations, ensuring that partnerships and strategic initiatives, particularly those with national and international relevance, are developed and implemented within this important framework.

Partnerships & Collaboration

UC’s Department of Mechanical Engineering is renowned for its strong industry and research partnerships, both within New Zealand and internationally. Our state-of-the-art laboratories, modern facilities, and internal funding mechanisms provide a robust platform for high-impact, interdisciplinary research in aerodynamics and aerospace engineering.

The appointee will play an integral role in fostering meaningful engagement with existing experts - scholars and professionals - in aerodynamics, fluid-dynamics and cryogenics, with undergraduate and postgraduate students, and help to guide our active, professional, student-led clubs.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and grow the aerospace/aerodynamics research field within the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
• Enhance and teach across undergraduate and graduate programs (including the BE(Hons) in Mechanical Engineering with an optional minor in Aerospace Engineering and the Master of Aerospace Engineering).
• Cultivate strong partnerships with industry, Aerospace New Zealand, public research organizations, and other relevant national and international stakeholders.
• Contribute to the development and execution of the national aerospace strategy, ensuring alignment with key global initiatives such as e.g. Horizon Europe.
• Mentor and guide students, fostering the development of future leaders in the aerospace industry.

Who You Are

The Department of Mechanical Engineering, along with the broader UC and Faculty community, offers an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic, forward-thinking environment that thrives on collaboration and innovation. We are looking for a passionate individual who can contribute to the department’s growth and UC’s vision of being a leader in engineering research and education.

To be successful in this role at a senior academic rank, you will have a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related field. We welcome applications across all senior academic levels with skills and experience assessed against the expectations for each rank below:

At Senior Lecturer rank you will have:

• An active and developing research programme with a growing publication record and emerging national profile.
• Ability to contribute to externally funded research and industry-linked aerospace projects.
• High-quality teaching in undergraduate and postgraduate mechanical/aerospace engineering.
• Supervision of Honours/Masters’ students and developing PhD supervision capability.
• Contribution to the aerospace minor, student engagement, and departmental service.

At Associate Professor rank you will have:

• International standing with a proven and sustained record of external research income.
• Strategic contribution to attract External Research Income (ERI), with emphasis on industry, international, and public research funding in line with current TREF (Tertiary Research Excellence) settings.
• Proven excellence in teaching and leadership in curriculum and programme development.
• Successful supervision of Masters’ and PhD students; mentoring of early-career academics.
• Leadership of research groups, themes, or major collaborative projects.
• Strategic contribution to the growth of UC’s aerospace capability and external partnerships.

At Professor rank you will have:

• International standing with a proven and sustained record of external research income.
• Strong capability to attract External Research Income (ERI), with emphasis on industry, international, and public research funding in line with current TREF (Tertiary Research Excellence) settings.
• Proven leadership of large-scale research programmes or centres.
• Excellence and leadership in teaching, curriculum innovation, and postgraduate education.
• Extensive PhD supervision and senior academic mentoring experience.
• Strong and strategic leadership capabilities to direct the UC Aerospace Research Centre and grow the aerospace minor.

Mahi Ngātahi | Who You Will Work With

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is committed to excellence in teaching, research, and engagement. We value collegiality, collaboration, and innovation in engineering education and research. We value diversity among our staff and strongly encourage applications from people of different cultural backgrounds and members of underrepresented groups.

For more information about the Department, please visit: http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/engineering/schools/mechanical/

Ngā Painga o UC | Why UC

Tangata Tū, Tangata Ora -– Engaged, Empowered, Making a Difference. 

We are committed to accessible higher education, service to the community and the encouragement of talent without barriers of distance, wealth, class, gender or ethnicity. The University explicitly aims to produce graduates and support staff who are engaged with their communities, empowered to act for good and determined to make a difference in the world. 

At the University of Canterbury, we strive for inclusivity and diversity. We understand that some candidates may hesitate to apply unless they meet every criterion. Our hiring decisions strive to go beyond traditional qualifications and job experience. If you're interested in applying but unsure about meeting all requirements or need extra support, please inform us. We also encourage you to share your preferred pronouns at any stage of the recruitment process.

What we offer 

UC offers an exceptional working environment, with strong support for professional development, sabbaticals and prestigious fellowship opportunities, alongside flexible working arrangements and a genuinely supportive culture. Staff benefit from generous parental leave provisions, employer superannuation contributions, and access to high-quality campus facilities in a beautiful, well-connected setting. Living in revitalised Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand offers an outstanding lifestyle, complemented by the significant financial advantage of New Zealand’s four-year tax-free treatment on overseas investments.

For more information about Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury generally, please visit: https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/ and on our Benefits, please visit https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/joinus/benefits/  

This role sits within the Academic Staff Collective Agreement, and the following salary scale applies: Senior Lecturer $119,586 - $135,630, Senior Lecturer Above the Bar $141,600 - $ 149,806, Associate Professor $155,592 - $167,718, Professor $178,257 - $224,115.

The closing date for this position is: Sunday, 1 March 2026 (midnight NZ time)

Please note, applications will be reviewed after the close date.

How to Apply

Applications for this position must be submitted on our careers website (via the 'Apply' button above) and should include the following:

• a 1-page cover letter indicating which rank you are applying for, and a 1–2-page research statement outlining your research interests and goals (combine to uploaded);
• a Resume which includes a list of relevant research publications and a 1–2-page teaching philosophy statement (combine to upload).

Please note, there are only 2 upload fields in the application process. We suggest combining all the above into just one document (pdf format is preferred).

We do not accept applications by email; however, we are happy to answer any queries at WorkatUC@canterbury.ac.nz

For further information specifically about the role, please contact: Head of Department, Stefanie Gutschmidt, stefanie.gutschmidt@canterbury.ac.nz  

For overseas applicants, please visit Immigration New Zealand website, to review the latest health and visa requirements for visiting and working in New Zealand. 

To apply for this job, please click on the 'Apply' button above or go to our job site and enter the job code 29914JAC.