Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Job Purpose

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position beginning Fall 2027. The department seeks a teacher-scholar committed to inclusive, equity-minded undergraduate teaching and an active program of scholarship in electrical and/or computer engineering. This appointment is intended to strengthen the department’s curricular and scholarly capacity in digital hardware, computer engineering, and integrated electronic systems while supporting Gonzaga’s teaching-centered and mission-driven environment.

The department is especially interested in candidates whose expertise can support courses and laboratories in areas such as digital system design, computer hardware design and architecture, embedded systems, VLSI or integrated circuits, and related electrical/computer engineering topics. Candidates with complementary expertise in electronic circuits, semiconductor devices, FPGA/HDL-based design, or closely related areas are also encouraged to apply. Applicants are requested to describe in their cover letter which existing ECE courses they are prepared to teach immediately and what new technical elective(s), laboratory experiences, or senior design projects they would be prepared to develop.

The successful candidate will teach the equivalent of 18 semester credit hours per academic year, typically three 3-credit courses per semester. The department is committed to excellence in undergraduate teaching, attentive advising, extensive laboratory experiences, and sustained faculty engagement with professional development and scholarly activity.

The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department offers ABET-accredited undergraduate programs in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering. Gonzaga seeks candidates who will contribute to a welcoming campus climate and to its Catholic, Jesuit, and humanistic mission. In keeping with the recruiting workflow, application materials for this position are designed to address scholarly achievement, pedagogy, and the candidate’s ability to contribute to Gonzaga’s commitment to human dignity, social justice, diversity, intercultural competence, global engagement, solidarity with the poor and vulnerable, and care for the planet.

With a mission rooted in the Jesuit tradition, Gonzaga seeks to educate students to become compassionate leaders who engage with the world, seek justice, and contribute to the common good. The university mission statement is available at https://www.gonzaga.edu/about/our-mission-jesuit-values/mission-statement. As a campus community, Gonzaga prioritizes inclusive excellence and increasing campus diversity, particularly in supporting students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in higher education. The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering seeks candidates who align with this mission and who can articulate, through teaching, mentoring, scholarship, and service, how they would advance it.

Gonzaga’s campus sits adjacent to downtown Spokane, WA, along the Spokane River in the Inland Northwest’s most metropolitan region. The university exists on the traditional homelands of the Spokane people, one of the Interior Salish speaking tribes of the region. Spokane is Washington’s second-largest city and offers a vibrant arts, food, and outdoor community.

For more information on our mission, please visit: https://www.gonzaga.edu/about/our-mission-jesuit-values/mission-statement.

Essential Functions

• Teach 18 credit hours of courses per year. Initial teaching responsibilities are expected to include one or more courses in areas such as digital system design, computer hardware design and architecture, embedded systems, electronics, VLSI/integrated circuits, or other courses aligned with departmental needs. There may also be opportunities to teach first-year engineering courses, senior technical electives in the candidate’s area of expertise, and courses within the senior design sequence. - (Essential)
• Establish and sustain a scholarly program in the candidate’s area of expertise. Candidates are encouraged to develop scholarship that supports undergraduate student participation, to mentor undergraduate researchers, and to disseminate outcomes through publications, presentations, creative work, prototypes, or other discipline-appropriate forms. - (Essential)
• Provide academic and career advising and mentoring to undergraduate students. - (Essential)
• Support the Department, University, and profession through service and other forms of academic citizenship. - (Essential)

Minimum Qualifications

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field by July 15, 2027.

Evidence of teaching effectiveness, mentorship, or strong promise of excellence in undergraduate teaching.

Demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following areas: digital systems, computer hardware/architecture, embedded systems, VLSI or integrated circuits, or closely related ECE fields aligned with departmental needs.

Evidence of an ongoing or clearly developing scholarly/research agenda.

Ability to contribute to Gonzaga’s Catholic, Jesuit, humanistic mission and to create welcoming learning environments for students with a variety of backgrounds and identities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Evidence of engaging, inclusive teaching practices in undergraduate engineering education.
• Record of course and laboratory development in electrical and/or computer engineering.
• Ability to teach and develop laboratory-rich courses in digital design, computer architecture, embedded systems, electronics, VLSI, or related areas.
• Demonstrated ability to establish a research program that meaningfully involves undergraduate students.
• Evidence of relevant postdoctoral, industrial, other professional work record in a field aligned with the position.
• Excellent communication skills in spoken and written English and a demonstrated interest in advising undergraduate students.
• Record of working with students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in engineering through teaching, research, mentoring, outreach, or administration.

Educational Requirement

Terminal Degree

Physical & On-Campus Requirements

• In-Office Presence - Ability to work on-site in typical office setting and participate in in-person meetings with colleagues: 5 days/week
• Standing/Sitting - Ability to remain in a stationary position for a prolonged period: Daily (>75% of time)
• Walking - Ability to move about on foot to accomplish tasks: Daily (>75% of time)
• Lifting/Carrying - Ability to move or transport objects up to a specified weight: Often (50%-75% of time)
• Attention to Detail - Ability to focus on detailed tasks for extended periods: Daily (>75% of time)
• Problem-Solving - Ability to identify and resolve issues effectively: Daily (>75% of time)

Required Application Materials

To apply, please visit Gonzaga’s employment website at https://employment.gonzaga.edu/jobs/search. Applicants must complete an online application and submit the following materials:

1. A curriculum vitae.
2. A statement of teaching philosophy that includes:
   • evidence of teaching effectiveness or teaching promise,
   • a description of how the candidate creates and maintains an environment that supports learning for students with a variety of backgrounds and identities, and
   • a description of how the candidate would advance Gonzaga’s mission and commitment to inclusive excellence through teaching and advising.
3. A statement describing the candidate’s research agenda and explaining how it can support undergraduate research experiences. The statement should also describe, where applicable, the candidate’s experience mentoring undergraduates and how their scholarship can contribute to Gonzaga’s mission.
4. A cover letter summarizing the candidate’s preparation for the position, addressing the candidate’s understanding of and commitment to Gonzaga’s Mission, and identifying the existing courses, new technical elective(s), and/or senior project areas the candidate would be prepared to offer or supervise.

Names and contact information for three professional references will be collected from advancing candidates during the interview process. References will be sent a link to upload a confidential letter of recommendation.

Please direct questions about this position to Vladimir Labay, Search Chair, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, labay@gonzaga.edu. For consideration, please submit materials by October 1, 2026, midnight, U.S. Pacific Time. For assistance with the online application, please call the Human Resources Department at 509-313-5996.