Kiewit Corporation Endowed Chair in Construction Engineering

Engineering a world of possibilities

Following receipt of a generous gift from the Kiewit Corporation and Bruce Grewcock ’76, Mines Board of Trustees chair and chairman of Kiewit Corporation, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the Colorado School of Mines (Mines) invites applications for a newly established Kiewit Corporation Endowed Chair in Construction Engineering.

The endowed chair will provide visionary academic and industry leadership for the Construction Engineering program, guiding its teaching, research and outreach efforts to benefit the entire construction sector. The chair will collaborate with a broad network of companies to ensure the curriculum and research reflect the needs of a rapidly evolving industry, developing the workforce and innovations that serve all construction partners.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be expected to work effectively in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment within the department and across campus. The chair will collaborate with a broad network of companies to ensure the curriculum reflects the needs of a rapidly evolving industry, developing the workforce and innovations that serve all construction partners.  In addition, the chair will work on alumni engagement and external partnerships and on increasing external support and funding for construction-related pedagogy. The chair will be expected to teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels by contributing to existing courses as well as developing and delivering new courses within the Construction Engineering program.

Minimum Qualifications

• A doctoral Degree in Civil or Construction Engineering
• A sustained history of senior academic leadership such as serving as a department head or major center director for at least 5 years
• An impactful research record through publication, citations, h-index and other scholastic metrics
• A proven record of graduate student advising at the doctoral level
• A strong record of sponsored research funding
• Significant heavy civil/large-scale infrastructure construction experience in practice and/or academe
• Membership of the National Academy of Construction (NAC)
• Professional Engineering Licensure

Preferred Qualifications

• Engagement in professional activities such as delivering short courses and other pedagogical developments and publication
• Engagement in professional construction engineering activities, for example, the ASCE Construction Institute

For further information about the position or the Department vision, please contact Prof. Shiling Pei (search chair) at spei@mines.edu

More About the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

The department is expanding to incorporate the newly formed BS in Construction Engineering.  Currently, the Department has 26.5 faculty members, with 7.5 teaching professors, 1 Professor of Practice and 18 tenured/tenure track professors. We currently have 2.5 departmental staff members who support the mission of our programs. The department services 552 undergraduate majors (355 Civil Engineering, 148 Environmental Engineering and 49 Construction Engineering) and 89 graduate students) and 86 graduate students (71 and 15 pursuing  M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Civil & Environmental Engineering and Environmental Engineering Science respectively). The department also supports interdisciplinary graduate degree programs in Hydrologic Science & Engineering, and Humanitarian Engineering & Science. Our faculty are internationally recognized in the areas of geotechnical engineering, structural engineering and environmental and water resource engineering and science. Our research activity is very high, typically among the top three programs on campus for annual expenditures.

More about Mines

Colorado School of Mines, Colorado's oldest public university, produces the talent, knowledge and solutions to serve industry and benefit society—all to create a more prosperous future. Mines has about 6400 undergraduate students and 1900 graduate students in a broad range of applied science and engineering disciplines. Mines maintains high-quality, well-funded research programs (~$106M in awards for fiscal year 2024) with strong participation from both graduate and undergraduate students. The 2026 edition of U.S. News and World Report ranks Mines as a top 100 university. Mines has the highest admissions standards of any public university in Colorado and among the highest of any public university in the U.S.  Located in Golden, Colorado, Mines has close proximity to Denver and Boulder, providing opportunities for significant collaboration with government labs (including NLR-formerly NREL, NIST, NCAR, and NOAA), industry, and other universities. Mines graduates are change makers, boundary breakers and problem solvers. Since our earliest days, a Mines education has been and continues to be a transformational opportunity, with one of the strongest returns on investment out there for talented STEM students of all backgrounds.  

Annual Rate

The annual salary for the endowed chair position will be in the range $138,000 to $209,000. We anticipate this position to begin in August 2026.

Mines takes into consideration a combination of candidate’s education, training and experience as well as the position’s scope and complexity, the discretion and latitude required in the role, work location, and external market and internal value when determining a salary level for potential new employees. 

In addition to the amazing benefits mentioned below, Mines continues to show its dedication to its employees by offering an 11% employee contribution through our Mines Defined Contribution Plan and an incredible 12% employer contribution with immediate 100% vesting for our Academic Faculty positions!

Colorado School of Mines offers a robust portfolio of benefits for all employees.

For this role, that includes: 

• Flexible health and dental care options 

• Generous sick/vacation time: 13 paid holidays per year – including a week-long winter break for entire campus. 

• Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution 

• Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents) 

• Free RTD Ecopass 

All Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the state-of-the-art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center. We are proud to have recently opened an on campus daycare center. For more details about benefits at Mines, visit mines.edu/human-resources/benefits. 

How to Apply 

Interested applicants should apply online as soon as possible. For full consideration, applications should be received by Sunday, January 18, 2026.

The application must include:

• a cover letter expressing interest and vision for the position;
• a curriculum vitae;
• a teaching statement (maximum 3 pgs) describing the applicant’s experience relevant to construction engineering education;
• a research statement (maximum 3 pgs) outlining the applicant’s research experience and priorities for the future.

Equal Opportunity 

Through its policies, procedures and resources, Mines complies with federal law, Colorado state law, administrative regulations, executive orders and other legal requirements to prevent discrimination (including harassment or retaliation) within the Mines campus community and to address potential allegations of inequity or concerns for safety. 

Background Investigation Required Prior to Start

Accommodations - It is the intent of Mines to comply with the applicable requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and their implementation rules and regulations, in support of equal opportunities for qualified applicants with disabilities to promote diversity and inclusion at Mines. To meet this goal, Mines will make reasonable accommodations during the employment selection process and within our working environment. 

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on our site as a result of your disability. You can request a reasonable accommodation by contacting our Human Resources team at hr@mines.edu or 303.273.3250 for assistance. 

Colorado's premier engineering and applied science university for 150 years and counting