CHAIR & PROFESSOR, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Classification Title:	CHAIR & PROFESSOR
Classification Minimum Requirements:	An earned doctorate in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a closely related field. A distinguished record of scholarly research, education, mentoring, and professional contribution that merits appointment as a tenured full professor at the University of Florida. Evidence of successful leadership in a research-intensive university or comparably complex organization, including building collaborative, high-performing organizational cultures and developing faculty, staff, and emerging leaders. Demonstrated ability to develop and articulate a compelling strategic vision to advance the reputation and ranking of the department by translating that vision into clear priorities, strategic investments and measurable outcomes. Is skilled in the development and expansion of sponsored research programs, including fostering collaborative research and advancing high-impact programs. Excellent communication, judgment, integrity, and relationship-building skills; ability to communicate and work effectively with faculty, staff, students, administrators, and external stakeholders. Demonstrated commitment to student success and to a scholarly and working environment where people with varied backgrounds and perspectives can contribute and thrive.
Job Description:	The Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering at the University of Florida invites nominations and applications for Department Chair of the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department. Reporting to the Dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, the Chair will provide strategic, intellectual, and administrative leadership for an internationally visible research and education enterprise. The successful candidate will be an accomplished scholar and an effective organizational leader with a strong record of externally funded research who can substantially improve the department’s recognition and ranking, develop a clear vision for international impact and connect the department’s strengths to consequential opportunities for Florida and the world. The selected leader will join the Dean’s leadership team and will be expected to advance both the department and the college, contribute to university priorities, and engage constructively with the state, nation, and profession.

• More than 1,600 enrolled students and 54 tenure-track faculty members.
• $34 million in research expenditures in FY2025, with ten institutes or centers led or co-led by ECE faculty.
• 28 Fellows of the IEEE, AAAS and ACM and 28 Endowed Faculty positions
• The graduate program is ranked No. 20 among public universities in the 2026 U.S. News rankings.
• The department’s broad portfolio reaches from artificial intelligence and machine learning, communications, computing, cybersecurity, robotics, hardware security, microelectronics, semiconductor manufacturing, advanced packaging, metrology, to power electronics and connected systems.

Strategic and intellectual leadership. Co-create a departmental direction with measurable goals for scholarship, research, education, talent, infrastructure, reputation, entrepreneurship and impact. Balance foundational fields with emerging opportunities in AI, semiconductors, cybersecurity, communications, computing, sensing, autonomy, quantum engineering, and connected systems, and has a high personal research reputation

Faculty and staff success. Recruit, mentor, retain, evaluate, and recognize excellent faculty and staff. Build leadership capacity, support early- and mid-career development, and sustain a culture of openness, rigor, intellectual curiosity, and constructive accountability.

Research and innovation. Grow high-impact research and sponsored activity; enable large interdisciplinary teams; improve proposal and project support; connect faculty to the institutes and centers; and advance technology transfer, standards, intellectual property, startups, and industry collaboration; raise the department’s external research profile by connecting to major funding agencies.

Education and student success. Lead continuous improvement of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, including accreditation, curriculum development, laboratory and design experiences, advising, doctoral mentoring, enrollment strategy, student well-being, completion, and career outcomes.

External partnerships and advancement. Strengthen relationships with alumni, donors, semiconductor and electronics firms, computing and communications companies, national-security partners, government agencies, professional societies, and Florida’s growing technology ecosystem, and enhance department fundraising capabilities

Expected Salary:

Commensurate with Education and Experience

Required Qualifications:

• An earned doctorate in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a closely related field.
• A distinguished record of scholarly research, education, mentoring, and professional contribution that merits appointment as a tenured full professor at the University of Florida.
• Evidence of successful leadership in a research-intensive university or comparably complex organization, including building collaborative, high-performing organizational cultures and developing faculty, staff, and emerging leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and articulate a compelling strategic vision to advance the reputation and ranking of the department by translating that vision into clear priorities, strategic investments and measurable outcomes.
• Is skilled in the development and expansion of sponsored research programs, including fostering collaborative research and advancing high-impact programs.
• Excellent communication, judgment, integrity, and relationship-building skills; ability to communicate and work effectively with faculty, staff, students, administrators, and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated commitment to student success and to a scholarly and working environment where people with varied backgrounds and perspectives can contribute and thrive.

Preferred:

• Experience recruiting, mentoring, evaluating, and retaining faculty and staff across career stages and appointment types.
• Experience developing multidisciplinary initiatives, major collaborative proposals, centers, institutes, or other large-scale research activities.
• Experience building productive industry partnerships, including sponsored research, consortia, or public-private collaborations.
• Experience using industry engagement to strengthen education, experiential learning, workforce preparation, and research opportunities.
• The ability to identify emerging funding opportunities and organize faculty and external partners around them.
• Experience working with College and University leadership and across academic units.
• Experience in advancement, philanthropy, alumni engagement, or development of external resources.
• Professional leadership and service in electrical or computer engineering, or a related discipline.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

The search committee will begin reviewing applications immediately and will continue to receive applications until the position is filled. Applications must be submitted through UFCareers at: https://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/listing/ (Search Job 541808). Complete applications must include the following files in PDF format: (1) A cover letter describing the candidate's interest in the position, relevant academic leadership experience, and scholarly background; (2) curriculum vitae; (3) the names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of five professional references; (Additional required documents should be uploaded as one PDF to the “other documents” section in the application.);(4) a leadership vision statement of no more than 3 pages detailing your leadership approach, a preliminary vision for the department, and two or three strategic priorities the candidate would explore with the community.  Competitive candidates are expected to clearly complement the overall mission of the department and the college. The anticipated start date for this position is August 16, 2027. Priority consideration will be given to applications received by December 1, 2026. Please direct questions about the position to Senior Associate Dean John M. Shea, Faculty Search Chair, email: jmshea@ufl.edu or Professor YK Yoon, Faculty Search Co-Chair, email: ykyoon@ece.ufl.edu

The University of Florida is the flagship institution of the State University System of Florida, a member of the Association of American Universities, and consistently ranked among the nation’s leading public universities.  UF is currently ranked as one of the top 10 best public universities, 8th according to the 2026 U.S. News & World Report of Best Colleges and is recognized by Forbes as one of 10 public “New Ivies” for producing exceptional graduates. With 16 colleges, more than 150 research centers and institutes, and over 60,000 undergraduate and graduate students, UF is one of the largest universities in the nation. UF offers broad opportunities for interdisciplinary work across engineering, medicine, agriculture, the sciences, and other fields. In FY2026, University of Florida research spending reached a record $1.34 billion. UF is also home to HiPerGator, the fastest AI supercomputer in higher education. The Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering has over 400 faculty members and combines disciplinary depth with cross-cutting institutes, centers, shared facilities, industry partnerships, and a statewide mission. 

For more information about college initiatives, visit eng.ufl.edu

Application must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. (ET) of the posting end date.

Health Assessment Required: No

 

Advertised: 22 Oct 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close:

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