ECE Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Physical AI

The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at Virginia Tech invites applications for a tenure-track or tenured faculty position at the assistant or associate professor focusing on Physical Artificial Intelligence (AI). The position is based in Blacksburg, Virginia, with opportunities for collaboration across Virginia Tech’s Institute of Advanced Computing (Alexandria, VA) and other university research institutes. The successful candidate will be expected to develop and maintain a nationally recognized funded research program, teach undergraduate and graduate courses, and participate in department, college, and university service and outreach activities.

The ECE department offers B.S., M.Eng., M.S., and Ph.D. degree programs in both Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering with a current enrollment of approximately 1,300 undergraduate and 670 graduate students. The department has 71 full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty members and 22 non-tenure-track faculty located in two primary locations, which are the Blacksburg Campus and the Greater Washington, DC area including the new VT Institute of Advanced Computing Campus in Alexandria, Virginia. Annual research expenditures exceed $56M.

We seek a visionary scholar to pioneer the convergence of AI with physical laws, materials, devices, and engineered systems, enabling predictive, trustworthy, and autonomous operation of complex physical platforms. The successful candidate will develop AI-native models, digital twins, and control frameworks that bridge the loop between theory, simulation, experimentation, and deployment across one or more of ECE’s core strength areas.

Research Focus: We invite candidates whose research advances Physical AI—AI systems that reason over, learn from, and act within the physical world, grounded in first principles and experimental reality. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: Physics-Informed and Hybrid AI Methods; Digital Twins and Autonomous Physical Systems.

The candidate will teach core courses in computer engineering—such as embedded systems, computer architecture, and network application design—as well as specialized graduate courses in their research area. They will contribute to interdisciplinary initiatives with the Institute of Advanced Computing (IAC), the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI), the National Security Institute (NSI), the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT), and the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS). In addition, they will mentor graduate students and postdoctoral researchers and contribute to professional and university service activities.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. (by start date) in Electrical and Computer Engineering or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated research potential or accomplishments in Physical AI, Physics-Informed AI, or AI for physical systems.
• Strong grounding in physical modeling, devices, systems, or experimentation relevant to ECE.
• Evidence of potential to secure competitive extramural funding.
• Commitment to excellence in teaching, mentoring, and inclusive academic practices.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with experimental platforms, fabrication, hardware systems, or large-scale physical infrastructure.
• Experience with multi-physics modeling, simulation, or scientific computing.
• Experience bridging theory, computation, and real-world data.
• Experience with secure data workflows, reproducibility, or shared research infrastructure.
• Demonstrated interest in interdisciplinary or cross-domain Physical AI

Applicants must apply online at jobs.vt.edu. Application materials include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, up to three relevant research publications, and contact information for at least three references. In addition, applicants must provide three separate written statements (up to 3 pages each): (1) a research statement; (2) a statement of teaching and mentoring philosophy; and (3) a statement expressing the candidate’s ideas for supporting an educational environment consistent with the Virginia Tech Principles of Community. Review of applications will commence on 2026-03-15, and continue until the position is filled.