Professor of Construction Management

A Professor of Construction Management sits at the intersection of the construction industry and higher education — translating field practice into structured learning while contributing original knowledge back to the profession. The role demands genuine fluency in both worlds, which is why these positions are harder to fill than most academic job postings.

The teaching load at most institutions runs two to four courses per semester depending on research expectations. Core courses in project scheduling (CPM, Primavera, MS Project), cost estimating (RSMeans methodology, conceptual and detailed estimates), construction law, and building systems make up the bulk of the undergraduate curriculum. Graduate courses tend toward research methods, advanced project delivery systems, construction finance, and specialized topics in sustainable construction or infrastructure management.

Beyond the classroom, the role involves constant contact with the industry that employs graduates. Industry advisory boards, site visits, guest lecture coordination, and internship placement all fall within a typical faculty member's orbit. At programs with strong industry ties — common at polytechnic universities and programs in construction-heavy regions — faculty spend substantial time cultivating relationships that produce capstone project sponsors, research collaborators, and recruiters.

Research expectations differ sharply by institution type. An R1 university faculty member is expected to produce peer-reviewed publications, pursue external grant funding, and supervise doctoral students. A teaching-focused regional university may require minimal formal research while placing heavy emphasis on curriculum development, program assessment, and industry engagement. Both models are common in construction management education, and candidates should be clear about which environment suits their goals before accepting an offer.

The pace of change in construction technology has created real urgency in curriculum development. Programs that were teaching AutoCAD and spreadsheet estimating five years ago are now incorporating BIM coordination, drone site survey integration, and AI-assisted schedule optimization. Faculty who maintain active industry connections stay ahead of this curve more naturally than those who work exclusively from textbooks and prior project experience.

Education:

• PhD in construction management, civil engineering, architectural engineering, or construction science (required for tenure-track positions at most universities)
• Master's degree in construction management or engineering (acceptable for lecturer and clinical professor roles with substantial industry experience)
• Bachelor's degree in construction management, civil engineering, or architecture (foundational; nearly all faculty hold advanced degrees beyond this)

Professional credentials:

• Professional Engineer (PE) license — highly valued, often decisive in hiring for engineering-adjacent programs
• Certified Construction Manager (CCM) through CMAA
• LEED AP with Building Design + Construction specialty
• Design-Build Professional (DBIA)
• OSHA 30-hour Construction (standard expectation for candidates with field backgrounds)

Industry experience benchmarks:

• 5–10 years of direct construction industry experience in project management, field operations, estimating, or owner's representation for teaching-focused positions
• 3–5 years preferred even for research-oriented tenure-track hires; zero industry experience is rarely competitive
• Portfolio of completed projects, design-build delivery experience, or major infrastructure work adds credibility in front of students and advisory boards

Technical skills expected:

• Scheduling software: Primavera P6, Microsoft Project
• BIM platforms: Autodesk Revit, Navisworks, BIM 360/ACC
• Cost estimating: RSMeans databases, Sage Estimating, Bluebeam Revu
• Construction management platforms: Procore, CMiC, Viewpoint
• Research tools: statistical software (R, SPSS), survey design, literature review methodology

Teaching and academic skills:

• Learning management systems: Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle
• Curriculum development and ACCE student learning outcome documentation
• Graduate thesis advising and capstone project mentorship
• Grant proposal writing for federal and industry-sponsored research

Construction management faculty positions have been consistently difficult to fill for more than a decade. The fundamental problem is a pipeline mismatch: the professionals who have enough industry experience to teach the subject credibly often earn more in the private sector than academic salaries can match, and those who pursued doctoral degrees directly from undergraduate often lack the field credibility that students and advisory boards expect.

This dynamic creates real opportunity for the right candidate. Programs with unfilled positions are often willing to negotiate starting salary, course load, research expectations, and startup packages for candidates who combine doctoral credentials with genuine project management experience. The market is structurally undersupplied, and that is unlikely to change in the near term.

Construction industry hiring demand is simultaneously increasing the value of construction management degrees. AGC and CMAA workforce studies consistently project significant shortages of project managers and construction executives across the U.S. through the 2030s. State DOTs, federal infrastructure programs funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and private sector development activity in data centers, advanced manufacturing, and energy infrastructure are all generating demand for construction management graduates. Universities with strong programs are expanding enrollment, which requires more faculty.

The technology shift in construction is also creating faculty demand in specific specialties. Programs need people who can teach VDC and BIM coordination at a level that goes beyond YouTube tutorials — faculty who have actually run clash detection on a live project or managed a drone survey program for a construction site. These candidates are in very short supply.

For mid-career construction professionals considering a transition to academia, the calculus involves some real trade-offs. Base salaries at most universities are lower than senior PM or project executive compensation in the private sector. But the benefits package — health insurance, retirement contributions, sabbatical eligibility, and the ability to do consulting work during summers — partially offsets that gap. Tenure provides job security that no private employer matches. And for people who genuinely find teaching and mentorship rewarding, the non-monetary value is substantial.

For doctoral graduates seeking their first tenure-track position, the market is favorable relative to most academic fields. Construction management is not experiencing the adjunctification that has hollowed out humanities and social science departments. Tenure-track lines are being created, not eliminated.

Dear Search Committee,

I am applying for the Assistant Professor of Construction Management position at [University]. I am completing my doctorate in construction engineering and management at [University] in May, and I have spent eight years before and during graduate school working in commercial construction — the last four as a project manager on healthcare and higher education projects ranging from $12M to $95M in value.

My dissertation research focuses on subcontractor default risk in design-build delivery, combining contract data from 140 projects with structured interviews from GCs and owners. I expect to submit for defense in March and have two journal articles from this work under review at the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management. But I want to be transparent: my long-term interest is in a teaching-focused role where research informs curriculum rather than the other way around. I thrive in front of students, not in front of a dataset.

In the graduate teaching assistantship I hold, I have primary responsibility for a 38-student section of construction project scheduling using Primavera P6. I redesigned the lab component this year to use a live project provided by [GC Partner] as the scheduling case study rather than a textbook example. Student performance on the final project improved measurably, and more importantly, two students were offered internships by the project sponsor after presenting their work.

I hold a LEED AP BD+C credential and am sitting for the CCM exam in April. I carry an active OSHA 30 and have maintained my relationships with former project team members who regularly guest lecture in my sections.

[University]'s emphasis on industry-integrated learning and your AGC Student Chapter's competition record both reflect a program culture that matches how I think about construction education. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss the position.

[Your Name]