Open-Rank Faculty Position- Control Systems & Advanced Manufacturing

Role details

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Vanderbilt University School of Engineering invites applications for an open-ranked, faculty position in Control Systems & Advanced Manufacturing. This initiative is part of our commitment to establishing a school-wide interdisciplinary Defense Tech Cluster aimed at advancing technologies for national defense and security that can be scaled and translated into products. The successful candidate(s) will have expertise that aligns with our strategic mission to enhance research and education in Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The areas of particular focus include s ensors and vision systems, edge computing, digital twins for operational planning, additive manufacturing, modular/open architectures, and methods for rapidly moving technology from prototype to scalable production. The successful candidates will be expected to build research programs that interface with one or several institutes strongly connected with the department and often led by ECE faculty members.

These include the recently-formed Vanderbilt Institute for Innovations Beyond Earth ( VIIBE ), the Institute for Space and Defense Electronics ( ISDE ), the Vanderbilt Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering ( VINSE ), the Vanderbilt Lab for Immersive AI Translation ( VALIANT ), the Institute for Convergent Software Integrated Systems ( ICONS , formerly known as the Institute for Software Integrated Systems), and the Vanderbilt Institute of National Security ( INS ). Ranked #16 nationally, Vanderbilt University is a private, internationally recognized research university located on 330 park-like acres 1.5 miles from downtown Nashville, Tennessee.

Its 10 distinct schools share a single cohesive campus that values collaboration. The university enrolls over 13,800 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, including 43% minority students and over 1,700 international students from 113 countries. With a metro population of over 2.2 million people, Nashville’s top industries by employment include trade, transportation, and utilities; education and health services; professional and business services; government; and leisure and hospitality. Other industries include manufacturing, financial activities, construction, and information.

Long known as a hub for health care and music, Nashville is a technology center with a considerable pool of health care, AI, and defense-related jobs available. In recent years, the city has experienced an influx of major office openings by some of the largest global tech companies and prime Silicon Valley startups. Candidates must have a PhD (or equivalent) in Electrical and Computer Engineering or related field by the time of appointment.

The successful candidate will be expected to: • Establish a nationally recognized research program supported by extramural funding • Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in various ECE courses. • Contribute to departmental, school-wide, and university-wide initiatives, fostering a collegial and collaborative environment.