Open-Rank Tenured/Tenure-Track Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering – Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Role details

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Vanderbilt University invites applications for an open-rank, tenured/tenure-track faculty position in robotics and autonomous systems, to begin in Fall 2027. We seek outstanding candidates whose research advances the fundamentals of robotics and autonomy and who are eager to apply that work to pressing challenges in national security and defense. The successful candidate is expected to be an experienced researcher with an established research program and a strong track record of securing external funding.

This position is part of an interdisciplinary cluster hire affiliated with the Vanderbilt University Institute of National Security, founded in 2024. The Institute advances its mission by sponsoring research in areas such as AI resilience and cyber defense while connecting Vanderbilt faculty and students with leaders across the military, government, and industry. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to help shape this rapidly growing enterprise. Research areas of interest include, but are not limited to, aerial, underwater, and ground-based autonomous vehicles and wearable robotics for human performance augmentation.

The candidate's expertise should complement and strengthen existing departmental strengths in dynamics and control, robotics, thermofluid sciences, materials, and manufacturing, and they should bring a strong theoretical foundation and a clear vision for applying fundamental mechanical engineering principles to problems of national consequence. The successful candidate is expected to develop a strong, externally funded research program and to pursue excellence in both scholarship and teaching. They should be capable of teaching one or more core mechanical engineering courses and contributing to the expansion of graduate-level offerings.

Applicants with expertise in either experimental or computational research are encouraged to apply. Experience with the application of AI and machine-learning tools in research, and the incorporation of these technologies into teaching, will be considered a significant advantage.