Assistant / Associate Professor - Offensive Security & Cyber Operations

Dakota State University; Madison (SD); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Retirement plan with employer match

Paid sick leave

Tuition remission

Job summary

Dakota State University—Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track faculty position in Offensive Security and Cyber Operations starting Fall 2027. Rank at Assistant/Associate Professor; location in South Dakota; expected to teach and conduct research across undergraduate to doctoral programs.

Successful candidates will teach, mentor, and develop an active research program in offensive security and cyber operations, with potential to pursue

Qualifications

• Ph.D. by appointment start date; ABD candidates may be considered.
• Technical expertise in offensive security or cyber operations.
• Strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Teach applied undergraduate and graduate courses in offensive security, cyber operations, and related technical areas.
• Develop and deliver rigorous hands-on labs and technical/experiential learning experiences.
• Mentor master’s and doctoral students and serve on graduate research and dissertation committees.
• Develop an active research agenda in offensive security, cyber operations, or a closely related area.
• Conduct and publish high-quality research.
• Actively pursue external grants and sponsored research opportunities.
• Build collaborative relationships with industry, government, national laboratories, and other external partners.
• Contribute to the continued development of DSU’s offensive cybersecurity curriculum and research, as well as student advising, university service, and recruitment activities.

Skills

Offensive security

Cyber operations

Software exploitation

Reverse engineering

Malware analysis

Red teaming

Assembly language

Security tool development

Embedded systems security

Mobile and network security

Education

Ph.D. in cybersecurity / cyber operations / computer science / computer engineering

ABD candidates considered

Job description

The Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences at Dakota State University invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track, benefits-eligible faculty position in Offensive Security and Cyber Operations beginning in Fall 2027 (August). The position will contribute to the continued growth of Dakota State’s nationally recognized cybersecurity programs and its undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs in Cyber Operations.

The successful candidate will teach and conduct research in offensive security and cyber operations, with emphasis in one or more areas such as software exploitation, reverse engineering, malware analysis, offensive network security, red teaming, assembly language, security tool development, embedded systems security, and mobile and network security.

Depending on expertise, the successful candidate may teach across the curriculum, from foundational and applied undergraduate courses to advanced graduate courses and will have opportunities to mentor graduate students and contribute to research in offensive security and cyber operations.

Academic rank will be at the Assistant or Associate Professor level, determined by the candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Responsibilities

• Teach applied undergraduate and graduate courses in offensive security, cyber operations, and related technical areas.
• Develop and deliver rigorous hands-on labs and technical/experiential learning experiences.
• Mentor master’s and doctoral students and serve on graduate research and dissertation committees.
• Develop an active research agenda in offensive security, cyber operations, or a closely related area.
• Conduct and publish high-quality research.
• Actively pursue external grants and sponsored research opportunities.
• Build collaborative relationships with industry, government, national laboratories, and other external partners.
• Contribute to the continued development of DSU’s offensive cybersecurity curriculum and research, as well as student advising, university service, and recruitment activities.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in cybersecurity, cyber operations, computer science, computer engineering, or a closely related discipline by the appointment start date. ABD candidates may be considered.
• Technical expertise in offensive security, cyber operations, or a closely related area.
• Effective written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Residence in South Dakota, or willingness to relocate to South Dakota, by the time of appointment. Exceptions may be considered when compelling programmatic or institutional needs justify an alternative arrangement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Research, teaching, or professional experience in offensive security or cyber operations.
• Experience in applied, hands-on technical learning or research environments.

About the Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences

The Beacom College is a national leader in technology-focused education and research, with undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs spanning artificial intelligence, computer science, cyber defense, cyber operations, cyber and network security, data privacy, and related emerging technologies.

The College has particular depth in cybersecurity, with doctoral programs in Cyber Operations and Cyber Defense and extensive applied coursework and research in offensive and defensive cybersecurity. Dakota State University holds all three National Security Agency Centers of Academic Excellence designations in Cyber Defense, Cyber Operations, and Cyber Research. The College also supports growing programs and research in artificial intelligence and quantum computing, providing opportunities for interdisciplinary work at the intersection of cybersecurity and emerging technologies.

Information about DSU

Dakota State University is a special-focus STEM university emphasizing computing, information technologies, and cyber sciences across all areas of human endeavor. DSU has established a reputation as a distinguished regional and national leader in computer science and cybersecurity education and research. We embrace opportunities to provide our students, faculty, and future collaborators with the most innovative technologies and facilities, produce transformative research and development, and create an outstanding community of faculty, students, and programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.

We are also home to the Madison Cyber Labs (MadLabs), a cyber R&D hub with research clusters that explore and advance technology applications, workforce development, business expansion, economic growth, and policy improvement across multiple disciplines and fields. DSU also has a growing Applied Research Lab and is one of two state institutions in the Center for Quantum Information Science & Technology.

DSU holds three prestigious designations from the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, Cyber Research, and Cyber Operations, making DSU one of only nine institutions that hold all three designations.

Benefits

• Flexible benefits package including health, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, hospital indemnity insurance, flexible spending account, health savings account, and health reimbursement account.
• South Dakota Retirement System. Employees receive 6% fully matched contributions and are vested after three years of service.
• Paid sick leave.
• Reduced tuition for education.
• Professional liability coverage.
• Paid family leave.

DSU is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to, and DSU prohibits unlawful discrimination of all legally protected classes in the offering of all educational programs and employment. Arrangements for accommodations required by disabilities can be made by emailing [e-mail].
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