Assistant/Associate/Full Professor

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech seeks applications for multiple tenure track faculty positions at the Assistant/Associate/Full Professor level, depending on experience and qualifications, in the broad area of robotics with an anticipated start date of August 2027.

We seek candidates who will advance the frontier of robotics at its intersection with artificial intelligence and machine learning. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, foundation models in robotics, agentic systems, embodied intelligence, robot learning, and intelligent autonomous systems. We welcome candidates developing new theories, methods, and technologies that advance the capabilities of robots to perceive, reason, learn, and act in the physical world. We are interested in candidates with a strong research record across areas such as dynamics, control, motion planning, perception, interaction, and learning-based approaches for embodied systems, deep learning, as well as their respective intersections and applications in robotics.

The successful candidate will be able to teach a broad range of core mechanical engineering courses at the undergraduate and graduate level including controls, vibrations, mechanical design, and applied linear systems. Candidates interested in developing AI and machine learning robotic courses for undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to apply.

Required Qualifications Applicants must hold a PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related discipline, including Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering, by the start of their appointment.

Preferred Qualifications A history of a strong record of academic accomplishments, a proven ability to work collaboratively, a commitment to interdisciplinary research and instruction, and a willingness to expand disciplinary boundaries to address complex technical and societal challenges.

Overtime Status Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type Regular

Hours per week 40

Review Date November 6, 2026

Additional Information The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Amanda Collins at [email protected] during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.