Tenure-Track Professor of Real Estate Development (Open Rank)

How to Apply

Applicants should submit one PDF (500kb size limit) containing the following:

• Cover letter describing your interest in and qualifications for the position
• Curriculum vitae
• Names and contact information for three references

• Optional: A portfolio of no more than 10 pages submitted by web link or PDF attachment

For full consideration, please submit your materials by October 16, 2026.

Job Summary

The University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of assistant professor, associate professor, or professor to develop field-defining research and teaching in real estate. The successful candidate will join a vibrant and collaborative community of faculty in the Urban and Regional Planning (URP) Program, home to our highly ranked Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP), the Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning, and the Bachelor of Science in Urban Technology. The successful candidate will play a central role in shaping a fast-growing real estate academic portfolio that includes a newly launched undergraduate minor in real estate and an established graduate certificate in real estate development. The portfolio is augmented by the Weiser Center for Real Estate, which hosts an active program of professional engagement and events.

Research: We seek applicants whose research advances real estate and intersects with areas such as land and property markets, regulation, public-private partnerships, urban economics, and community ownership models. We are particularly interested in candidates whose work addresses timely problems, including housing affordability, sustainability, climate resilience, and urban development policy. The successful candidate will provide thought leadership for the professional real estate field and help our students translate that scholarship into practice.

Teaching: We seek applicants qualified to teach courses in our real estate area at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, with the opportunity to develop signature courses for the real estate minor and the graduate certificate in real estate development. The candidate will also teach one or more current or future electives and core offerings in the MURP curriculum, such as public economics or fiscal planning, or potentially courses in urban technology. The standard teaching load at Taubman College is four courses per year, and all teaching will occur in person in Ann Arbor.

Service: The successful candidate will be affiliated with the Weiser Center for Real Estate, contribute significant service to the unit, and may have the opportunity to direct the graduate certificate [1] in real estate development and/or the undergraduate minor in real estate programs. These roles offer a meaningful platform to shape curriculum, programming, and the next generation of real estate leadership at Michigan.

Vision and Values: The mission of the Urban and Regional Planning Program is to lead the way for better urban and regional futures. We aim to build knowledge, develop capabilities, and imagine possibilities to cultivate flourishing communities, guided by four core values: justice-driven, environmentally minded, future-focused, and action-oriented.

Required Qualifications*

• Terminal degree (Ph.D. preferred) in urban and regional planning, real estate (finance or development), business administration, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience in, or demonstrated potential for, conducting research in the areas of real estate that intersect with urban and regional planning or urban technology.
• Demonstrated experience in, or demonstrated potential for, excellence in teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students.

Desired Qualifications*

• Knowledge of and/or experience with the real estate industry and its networks.
• Familiarity with analytic tools used in real estate research and practice.

• Commitment to the mission and values of the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning.

Additional Information

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, U-M offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family, and plan for a secure future. Benefits include a retirement plan with two-for-one matching contributions after the first year; many choices for comprehensive health insurance; life insurance; long-term disability coverage; and flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses. Learn more about U-M benefits. The university is responsive to the needs of dual career couples.

About Taubman College and the Urban and Regional Planning Program

Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning is one of the leading schools of architecture and planning in the United States, offering degree programs in architecture, urban and regional planning, urban design, and urban technology. The college is housed in a recently expanded studio, classroom, and research complex on the University of Michigan’s North Campus, alongside design fabrication labs, visualization facilities, and dedicated space for student-led research and collaboration.

The Urban and Regional Planning Program offers a Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP), a Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning, a Bachelor of Science in Urban Technology, an undergraduate minor in real estate, and a graduate certificate in real estate development. The MURP is consistently ranked among the top planning programs in the country, and the BS in Urban Technology is the first program of its kind in the United States, preparing students to design and govern the data-rich cities of the future. New faculty join a community of approximately 40 planning faculty and 500 students-200 studying real estate-with access to the resources of one of the world’s preeminent research universities.

Our location offers a rare advantage: faculty and students work at the doorstep of metropolitan Detroit, one of the most distinctive real estate and planning landscapes in North America, and within easy reach of Chicago, Toronto, and other major markets in the Great Lakes region. The setting supports applied research, partnerships with public agencies and developers, and project-based learning that few peer programs can match.

About Real Estate at Michigan

Real estate at the University of Michigan brings together faculty, students, and industry leaders across Taubman College, the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, the Law School, and the College of Engineering, creating one of the most distinctive real estate communities in higher education. The undergraduate minor in real estate offers students from across the university a structured path into the field. The graduate certificate in real estate development draws students from planning, business, law, architecture, and engineering into a multidisciplinary credential anchored in development practice.

Both programs feature site visits, treks, case competitions, case studies, and capstone projects with leading developers, public agencies, and community-based organizations across Michigan and beyond. Students engage with practitioners through the Michigan Real Estate Forum, the annual Weiser Real Estate Conference, and a growing network of alumni working in development, investment, public finance, and community real estate.

About the Weiser Center for Real Estate

The Weiser Center for Real Estate is the University of Michigan’s hub for real estate research, teaching, and industry engagement. The Center convenes faculty across schools, supports student fellowships and applied research, and hosts conferences, lectures, and practitioner-in-residence programs that connect Michigan to leaders in development, finance, public policy, and community practice. Faculty affiliated with the Weiser Center benefit from dedicated programming support, graduate student funding, and a broad network of alumni and industry partners.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.

277886

Tenure-Track Professor of Real Estate Development (Open Rank)

PROFESSOR

Ann Arbor Campus

Onsite

Full-Time

Regular

Exempt

Coll Arch Urn Pln

Urban Planning

5/19/2026 – 10/16/2026

Instructional – Regular