"Assistant Professor- Electrical and Computer Engineering"

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant Professor level, starting in the Fall of 2026 in the area of Robotics and Autonomous Systems Engineering with a strong emphasis on advanced robotic and autonomous systems, including embedded systems for computation and control; the use of AI and Machine Learning for decision making and control; and design, development and testing of real-time software for decision making and control.

VCU is a Carnegie R1 “Very High Research Activity” university, ranking among the top 100 U.S. universities—and among the top 50 public universities—in federal R&D expenditures, with more than $500 million in sponsored research funding. Located in the heart of downtown Richmond, Virginia, VCU fosters innovation through strong community and industry partnerships, creating exceptional opportunities for faculty and students. Richmond is a vibrant, art-filled and culturally rich capital city where the VCU College of Engineering brings together individuals from all over, where there is a shared common passion for engineering, education and stewardship for the communities we represent and serve.

Established in 1996 through a public–private partnership, VCU’s College of Engineering was founded to drive innovation for the 21st-century economy. Today, VCU Engineering fosters dynamic collaborations with industry, community, and academic partners, leading to breakthroughs in areas such as cyber-physical systems, autonomous aircraft and self-driving cars, smart cities, advanced industrial automation, medical device development, data science, cybersecurity, sustainability and clean energy, materials development, health care, rehabilitation, and regenerative medicine. Its multidisciplinary and entrepreneurial approach to education integrates meaningful research experiences into every level of study—undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral—preparing students to lead in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

The College of Engineering at VCU is experiencing rapid growth and transformation, expanding its interdisciplinary research and educational programs while pursuing excellence in areas of global importance. A key initiative is the Convergence Labs @ VCU for AI+, Artificial Intelligence for Public Good, underscoring the College’s commitment to innovative, socially impactful scholarship. This tenure track position is part of this initiative with respect to applications of AI and ML. The Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department also houses a separate Convergence Lab initiative (Cli) with emphasis on Electro-Optic and Infrared sensors, Radio Frequency devices and Communication, Edge Technology Components including security, and Modeling & Simulation.

The ECE Department is a central part of the College. With 19 faculty members – including national and international award recipients and fellows of leading professional societies, the department is growing with a focus on innovation, collaboration, and societal impact. The ECE Department enrolls over 300 undergraduates across BS degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering and MS and PhD degrees.

The department also has a strong sponsored research record with research expenditures totaling over $30M for the past 5 years and over $10M in 2025 to this point. Faculty research spans many major areas of electrical and computer engineering, with recognized strengths in embedded and cyber physical systems, dependability analysis and dependable systems, autonomous vehicles and smart cities, wireless communications and networking, microwave devices and antennas, semiconductor devices, IR and visible light sensors, and power systems. In addition to the Convergence Lab initiative (Cli), the department leads the Central Virginia Node of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) and houses and operates the Virginia Microelectronics Center. Faculty research is regularly funded by premier federal agencies, including the NSF, NIH, DARPA, AFRL, DoD, and DoE.

The department maintains strong collaborations with the other departments in the College and has collaborations with the VCU School of Medicine and School of the Arts.

More information about the department, its programs, and faculty is available at https://egr.vcu.edu/departments/electrical-computer-engineering/

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Electrical or Computer Engineering or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated potential in securing extramural funding and conducting impactful research – particularly in the area of robotics and autonomous systems.
• Commitment to high-quality teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
• A strong record of scholarly publications at top venues.
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A record of industry collaboration or technology transfer.
• Experience contributing to or leading large, multi-investigator research proposals.
• Commitment to community engagement and enhancing the university’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
• Evidence of interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly in areas aligned with VCU’s research strengths, such as health and arts.

Application Process: Interested candidates should submit their materials, including a cover letter, curriculum vitae, research and teaching statements, and contact information for three references (reference letters will be requested only for shortlisted candidates). Only complete applications will be reviewed. For full consideration, please submit your application by October 30, 2025. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. For additional information, please contact the Chair of the faculty search committee, Dr. Sherif Abdelwahed, email: sabdelwahed@vcu.edu.

Position Type: Teaching & Research Faculty Full time equivalent: 100 ORP Eligible: Yes Tenure: Tenure Track Rank: Assistant Professor Months: 9 Department: College of Engineering- Electrical and Computer Engineering Salary: Commensurate Contact Information: Contact Name: Sherif Abdelwahed, Ph.D. Contact Email: sabdelwahed@vcu.edu Contact Phone: (not specified)