The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech seeks applications for a tenure-track faculty position in Energy Systems Engineering. Candidates at the Assistant Professor level are particularly sought, however, exceptional candidates at the Associate Professor level will be considered. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, energy system analysis, control, stability, and protection; power system devices; energy storage; DC distribution in the future grid; smart grid and microgrids; integration, operation, monitoring and protection of distributed renewable generation to the grid; system operation and control in restructured electricity industries; and wide area measurements and applications.
The candidate is expected to be a significant contributor to the continued growth of the Center for Power and Energy and to potentially create ties with the Center for Power Electronics and the Future Energy Electronics Center by establishing a vigorous funded research program and contributing to the graduate curriculum. The Center for Power Engineering has state-of-the-art devices and applications for power system protection, monitoring and control. It is known worldwide for the development and use of wide area measurements. The Center for Power Electronics Systems, a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center, is a world leader in power electronics research and education with a broad spectrum of research including energy systems and smart grid interfaces.
The candidate is expected to have expertise in either energy systems (power systems or distributed systems), power system devices (transformers, protective gear, stabilizer, metering devices), or modeling of systems and/or devices. The candidate is also expected to contribute to the broader research and educational mission of the ECE Department. An earned PhD with research in energy systems or closely related field is required and must be completed prior to employment. The candidate will be expected to develop and maintain a nationally recognized funded research program, teach undergraduate and graduate courses, and participate in department, college, and/or university service and outreach activities.
Required Qualifications
- A PhD in electrical engineering or closely related field is required
- Research experience in energy systems or a related area is required
- PhD must be completed prior to employment
- The candidate is expected to have expertise in energy systems (e.g. transmission or distribution systems) or power systems devices (e.g. relays, transformers), or energy system instrumentation (instrument transformers, relays, IEDs), or computational modeling of energy systems
- Evidence of potential for excellence in research, scholarship, and teaching
- Ability to articulate a coherent agenda of research or scholarship and to identify potential funding sources to support such research
- Effective communication skills
Preferred Qualifications
- Willingness and ability to work in a high-tech environment, such as characterized by computer-aided instruction, distance learning, on-line courses, video-conferencing, and collaborative research using electronic networks
- Experience in working with students as academic or career advisor, overseeing student internships or service-learning activities
- Interest and/or experience in mentoring students, both undergraduate or graduate, in research activities
- Interest and experience working effectively with a diverse student population
- Ability and willingness to interact with other engineering or science departments at Virginia Tech and to work collaboratively with faculty from a variety of disciplines
- Prior experience in the role of PI or Co-PI on funded research projects
The Department
The Department offers B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degree programs in both Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering with a current enrollment of 600 undergraduate and 450 graduate students at the Blacksburg, VA campus. A graduate program and research activities are also located in the Washington, DC-Northern Virginia area, with full-time departmental faculty interacting closely with the programs in Blacksburg. An additional 150 graduate students are enrolled in off-campus degree programs.
In the 2009 rankings of US News & World Report, our electrical engineering graduate program was tied for 18th and the computer engineering graduate program was tied for 20th. The electrical engineering and the computer engineering undergraduate programs were each ranked 14th in 2009. The department’s research expenditures were ranked 14th in the most recent data (Fiscal Year 2007) from the National Science Foundation’s survey of academic research and development expenditures.
The Department has 70 full-time faculty members with research expenditures exceeding $25 million annually. The department has some of the nation’s best programs in the areas of power electronics, wireless communications, computer networking, digital design, electromagnetics, space science and remote sensing, fiber optics, sensors, and photonics. The Department is the beneficiary of the Bradley Endowment valued in excess of $13 million. For additional information about the ECE Department and the College of Engineering, please visit http://www.ece.vt.edu and http://www.eng.vt.edu.
The University
Through a combination of its three missions of discovery, learning, and engagement, Virginia Tech continually strives to accomplish the charge of its motto: Ut Prosim (That I May Serve). Virginia Tech is the Commonwealth’s senior land-grant institution located in Blacksburg in the scenic mountains of southwestern Virginia, about 40 miles west of Roanoke. Highly selective in admissions, the University enrolls approximately 23,000 undergraduate and 6,500 graduate students, and more than 2,600 faculty members and researchers. The university offers 77 bachelor’s degree programs through its seven undergraduate academic colleges: Agriculture and Life Sciences, Architecture and Urban Studies, Engineering, Liberal Arts and Human Services, Natural Resources, Pamplin College of Business, and Science. On the graduate level, the university offers 75 master’s and doctoral degree programs through the Graduate School and a professional degree from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. For more information about the university and the Town of Blacksburg, please visit http://www.vt.edu/ and http://www.blacksburg.va.us/, respectively.
The Application Process
Qualified applicants must submit a letter of application, a curriculum vita, and a list of at least three references electronically to http://jobs.vt.edu to posting number 090531. Please follow carefully the instructions found on the employment website regarding the application submission process. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept paper applications. Paper applications or electronic applications sent via e-mail cannot be considered. Review of applications will begin January 1, 2010 and will continue until the position is filled with an appropriate candidate. The anticipated start date is August 2010.
Applications from women and other underrepresented populations in engineering are especially encouraged. Virginia Tech has a program designed to support the retention and advancement of female faculty; see http://www.advance.vt.edu. Individuals with disabilities desiring accommodation in the application process should notify K. Atkins, ECE Dept, (540) 231-4136 or TDD/PC 1-800-828-1120 or Voice 1-800-828-1140. Virginia Tech is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.