Assistant Professor of Hardware Security

Assistant Professor of Hardware Security

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Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering

Campus Location: Wichita, KS - WSU Main Campus

Hire Type: Full Time

Pay: Range beginning $95,000/yr, commensurate with qualifications

Work Schedule: Dependent on teaching assignment and research program needs; work is performed on-site and in person.

Export Compliance Requirement: No export control requirement.

Job Story

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Hardware Security. We seek an innovative scholar and educator who will contribute to the department's teaching mission, research profile, and applied learning initiatives. The successful candidate will be expected to teach undergraduate and graduate courses, develop and sustain a productive and externally visible research program, mentor students, and provide service to the department, college, university, profession, and community.

We are seeking applicants whose technical interests in hardware security complement and augment the Department's existing strengths and who are well positioned to develop collaborations as part of multidisciplinary research teams. Applicants with expertise in all areas of hardware security are encouraged to apply. Our hiring priorities include secure computer architecture, hardware Trojans and supply chain security, secure chip design, PCB security, secure FPGA/ASIC design and verification, embedded and IoT hardware security, fault injection, reverse engineering, hardware side-channel attacks, edge security, embedded AI, and physical attack resistance.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering hosts three undergraduate programs (BS in Computer Engineering, BS in Cybersecurity, and BS in Electrical Engineering), one master''s program (MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering), and a Ph.D. program in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. In addition, the department houses eight graduate certificate programs. The department serves over 500 undergraduate students and 100 graduate students.

WSU has been designated as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) by the National Security Agency. This designation recognizes that WSU cybersecurity programs meet rigorous academic standards and prepare cybersecurity professionals to that will reduce vulnerabilities in our national infrastructure. The department is highly integrated with industry partners across the country and is home to the Hub for Cybersecurity Education and Awareness, the Center for Energy Studies, CommSys Lab, CAPPLab, and the Energy Systems Lab. In addition to these companies, the campus is home to Airbus, NETApp, the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), the Deloitte Smart Factory @ Wichita, the Crash Dynamics Lab, the Hub for Advanced Manufacturing and Research (HAMR), and the National Institute for Health Solutions and Innovation (NIHSI).

Job Summary

Teach courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels using various instructional deliveries (e.g., traditional (face-to-face), hybrid, and fully online). To foster applied learning into the course design and engage with industry and local business community applied projects. To advance knowledge through scholarly activities (e.g., active involvement in committees, student mentorship, recruitment and retention initiative, outreach activities, etc.)

Essential Functions

Meet expectations for research, teaching, and service as set forth by the department and college.

Job Duties

Teaching: Develop and teach undergraduate and graduate courses in hardware security and related areas of computer engineering. Potential teaching areas include processor and system security, secure system-on-chip (SoC) design, trusted computing, hardware Trojans, side-channel attacks, embedded and edge AI systems, FPGA- and ASIC-based system design, Internet of Things (IoT) systems, computer architecture, and other closely related topics. Responsibilities include curriculum development, effective instruction across appropriate delivery modalities, assessment of student learning, academic advising and mentoring, and supervision of undergraduate and graduate student research projects, theses, and dissertations, as appropriate.

Research: Establish and maintain a high-quality research program in hardware security or a closely related area. This includes publishing peer-reviewed scholarly work and disseminating research results through recognized academic venues. The faculty member is expected to pursue external funding through grants and industry collaborations to support research activities and, where appropriate, engage in interdisciplinary projects and industry partnerships. Excellence in scholarship should be demonstrated through a record of research accomplishments or clear potential for high-quality research productivity.

Service: Contribute to service activities within the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the College of Engineering, Wichita State University, and the broader profession. Service activities may include committee work, curriculum and program development, accreditation and assessment activities, student recruitment and outreach, professional society engagement, peer review, and community or industry outreach related to hardware security.

Other Duties: Fulfill other duties as assigned, consistent with the faculty member's expertise and departmental needs. Faculty members are expected to uphold the highest professional and ethical standards in teaching, research, and service.

Required Education and Experience:

• Terminal degree in direct field
• Teaching experience

Faculty Requirements

• An earned doctorate in cybersecurity, computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or a closely related field with an emphasis on hardware security. Candidates must have completed all requirements for the Ph.D. by May 2027.
• Applicants who are at an advanced stage of their doctoral studies will be considered if they provide strong evidence that all degree requirements will be completed by the end of June 2027.
• Demonstrated potential for effective teaching in hardware security and closely related areas.
• Demonstrated potential for productive research and scholarly activity in hardware security, as evidenced by a record of peer-reviewed publications and a strong potential for future research productivity.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Potential to obtain external research funding, or evidence of previous success in securing grants, contracts, or industry-supported research funding.
• Ability to work collaboratively with students, faculty, staff, and external partners in an academic environment.
• Ability to develop collaborations as part of a multidisciplinary research teams.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, and the ability to work effectively with colleagues and students.
• The candidate should be able to collaborate in a collegial academic environment and adapt to the interdisciplinary and applied learning focus of Wichita State.
• Ability to provide instruction curriculum to a variety of learners.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience teaching or assisting with undergraduate or graduate courses in hardware security or closely related areas.
• Experience mentoring students, supervising research projects, or supporting student applied-learning experiences.
• Experience collaborating across disciplines or with industry, government, community, or critical infrastructure partners.

Additional Information:

Work Authorization and Immigration Sponsorship

Wichita State University may be able to sponsor certain faculty positions for employment-based immigration status where authorized by the hiring department and university policy. Sponsorship eligibility varies by faculty position and will be identified in the individual job posting.

For faculty positions eligible for sponsorship, international candidates generally must be eligible for sponsorship in a visa classification compatible with the faculty position. For tenured and tenure-track faculty appointments, visa classifications incompatible with such appointments include F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT), J-1 Research Scholar, and J-1 Academic Training statuses.

1. Cover Letter: Describing qualifications and alignment with the position.

2. Teaching Statement (maximum 2 pages): Describing teaching interests, experience, and potential cybersecurity or computing courses the candidate could teach or develop.

3. Research Statement (maximum 2 pages): Describing current research accomplishments, future research plans, potential funding directions, and opportunities for student involvement.

Priority deadline for applications is December 1, 2026. The appointment date for the position is August 2027.

Physical Requirements:

Ability to remain in a stationary position - Frequent 60-90%; Ability to operate a computer and other office equipment including but not limited to phone, printers, copiers, and calculators - Frequent 60-90%

Additional Physical Requirement: