Electrical and Computer Engineering Assistant Professor - Robotics & AI

Salary range: $116,846 - $129,756 (commensurate with qualifications and experience). Start date: September 1, 2027.

About the Role

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at Santa Clara University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position starting in fall 2027. We seek candidates in robotics with expertise in areas such as robot perception and sensor fusion, motion and task planning, resource-aware robotics, design of safety-critical robotic systems, manufacturing, and principled uses of AI in these and related fields. Candidates must demonstrate substantial expertise beyond a single area of specialization.

This position is a strategic growth area for ECE, complementing current faculty research and related programs such as the M.S. in Robotics and Automation and the M.S. in AI. It also aims to strengthen connections with the Cunningham Shoquist Center for Applied AI and Human Potential. The department is especially interested in candidates with excellent research promise, a demonstrated track record, and the ability to collaborate across disciplines.

The ideal candidate will have a commitment to teaching excellence at both undergraduate and graduate levels, including lower-division courses, curriculum innovation, and student engagement. Candidates are expected to contribute to graduate teaching and research mentorship in the M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Santa Clara University is committed to hiring faculty eager to promote inclusive excellence at the department and university levels. Our location in Silicon Valley offers unique opportunities for industry collaboration, and candidates are encouraged to include potential collaboration plans in their research statements.

The new assistant professor will join the ECE faculty at a time of significant opportunity for research laboratory establishment and programmatic development, supported by the state-of-the-art Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering or a closely related field by appointment start date.
• Demonstrated research track record or strong research potential in robotics, including high-quality journal publications.
• Commitment and demonstrated potential to teach at both undergraduate and graduate levels and to engage in curriculum development.
• Commitment to contribute to a diverse and inclusive academic culture.
• Academic, industrial, or equivalent research experience, with the ability to articulate plans for future impactful research.

Responsibilities

• Develop a productive, impactful research program, disseminate research through high-quality publications, attract external funding, and engage students in research.
• Teach upper-division undergraduate and graduate courses in areas of specialization, as well as lower-division courses; develop curriculum at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Service to the Department, School, University, and the profession.

Benefits

The School of Engineering is housed in the Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation, a 270,000 square-foot facility featuring research and teaching laboratories, interdisciplinary collaboration spaces, and opportunities for involvement in humanitarian engineering.

Santa Clara University maintains small class sizes and promotes close faculty-student interaction. The ECE Department offers B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees, with 15 full-time tenure-stream faculty members and strong ties to local industry.