The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) seeks exceptional candidates for two tenure-track faculty positions in the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science ( EECS) at the rank of Assistant Professor. Primary consideration will be given to candidates in the areas of security and privacy, computer graphics (including VR/AR), programming languages, robotics, or human-computer interaction. Strong candidates from other areas of research will also be considered. Candidates whose only research area is AI/ML will not be considered for this search.
The successful candidate will be expected to (1) conduct and publish scholarly research; (2) pursue funding to support an active research agenda; (3) teach undergraduate and graduate courses in computer science and related areas; (4) mentor graduate students; and (5) participate in departmental service.
Information about the University, College, Department, and Knoxville
UTK is the state’s flagship campus and leading research institution with a strong partnership with nearby Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), where many UTK faculty have ongoing joint positions and/or joint research projects.
The Tickle College of Engineering (TCE) is in the midst of an unprecedented period of growth and success, including adding over 30 new faculty at all levels to the college over 4 years as part of ambitious hiring campaigns led by Chancellor Donde Plowman and Dean Matthew Mench. The college has set records in research expenditures, enrollment, incoming student GPA, intellectual property development, and USNWR rank in the past three years. Key partnerships with Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) through the University of Tennessee Oak Ridge Innovation Institute (UTORII) and Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS) that manages the Y-12 National Security Complex have created an expanded opportunity space for faculty and students in the region. New facilities include the state-of-the art Zeanah Engineering Complex, the University of Tennessee Manufacturing and Design Enterprise (TN-MADE) facility, and the Innovation South building that houses UTK’s Fibers and Composites Manufacturing Facility (FCMF), a National Prototype Research Center (NSPC) as part of a partnership with CNS Y-12 under construction, and new facilities for the Biomedical Engineering department and a quantum foundry in planning stages.
TCE currently has 213 tenure/tenure track and over 80 non-tenure track faculty in its nine academic departments and offers 11 undergraduate, 16 MS, and 15 PhD/DE degree programs. Affiliated with TCE and located in Tullahoma, Tennessee, the UT Space Institute is a hub of aerospace and defense research. The college is also home to eight research centers and three interdisciplinary institutes. With approximately 4,800 undergraduate and 1,500 graduate students, the college sits 28th among public universities in the most recent U.S. News and World Report graduate rankings. Faculty in the college have won 33 early career awards (NSF, DOE, DARPA, AFOSR, AHA, and Sloan) since 2016. In FY25, the college had annual research expenditures of $113.9M.
EECS at UTK has 50 full-time T/TT faculty members, three members of the National Academy of Engineering Fellows, 15 IEEE Fellows, 15 NSF/DOE CAREER awardees, and 19 ranked in World’s Top 2% Scientists as compiled by Stanford. The department has a growing enrollment of more than 1000 undergraduate and more than 450 graduate students across the three majors of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Computer Science. In addition, the department offers undergraduate minors in computer science, cybersecurity, datacenter technology and management, and machine learning. Successful faculty candidates will be expected to contribute to the continued growth and excellence of EECS.
The city of Knoxville is a hidden gem with an elegant and walkable downtown, rich and varied nightlife, vibrant neighborhoods, eclectic restaurants, and amazing access to outdoor activities of all kinds as well as exciting cultural events throughout the year. UTK is in Knoxville, Tennessee, within an easy driving distance to Nashville, Atlanta, Asheville, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. From Knoxville’s TYS Airport, Knoxville has nonstop flights to 22 major airports in the US, including direct flights to cities such as DC, NYC, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix.
In addition, Knoxville and the surrounding areas boast great K-12 schools and one of the most highly educated populations in the entire US. With one of the lowest costs of living in the country, Knoxville was recently recognized in U.S. News and World Report as the 29th best place to live in the U.S. In 2024, US News ranked the State of Tennessee as #5 in fiscal stability, #12 in economy, and #21 in infrastructure.
Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in Computer Science, or a closely related field, at the time of appointment.
The candidate is expected to show potential to establish an independent research program, secure external funding, and contribute to interdisciplinary collaboration. The candidate is also expected to show effective, high-quality teaching skills, and the ability to effectively mentor undergraduate and graduate students.
For full consideration, applications should be received by October 15, 2026. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Please submit the following items via Interfolio to complete your application:
■ Cover Letter
■ Curriculum Vitae
■ Research Statement
■ Teaching Statement
■ Names and Contact Information of Three References
For questions, please email the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Scott Ruoti ( ruoti@utk.edu).
All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university.
Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at Equal Opportunity and Accessibility, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to eoa@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-2498. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Investigation and Resolution, 216 Business Incubator Building, E J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to investigations@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-0717.
