Assistant Professor

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VT); Blacksburg, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Tech’s Department of Chemical Engineering invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position beginning August 2027. The candidate will build an externally funded AI-focused research program and contribute to undergraduate and graduate education, fostering collaboration across engineering, computing, and the sciences.

Responsibilities include advancing high-throughput experiments, AI/ML for energy and sustainability, and AI-guided discovery, design, and materials

Qualifications

• PhD in Chemical Engineering or related field by start date.
• Postdoctoral or industry/national lab research experience preferred.
• Demonstrated cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Develop AI-enabled research program advancing chemical engineering.
• Lead high-throughput experiments and autonomous lab initiatives.
• Collaborate across engineering, computing, and sciences; contribute to teaching.

Skills

AI/ML in CBE

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Teaching experience

Education

PhD in Chemical Engineering

Tools

Python

TensorFlow

MATLAB

Job description

Job Description

The Department of Chemical Engineering at Virginia Tech invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor, with an anticipated start date of August 10, 2027. We seek an outstanding candidate whose research advances artificial intelligence in chemical engineering, broadly defined. The successful candidate will establish an innovative, externally funded research program; contribute to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education; and collaborate across engineering, computing, and sciences.

• High-throughput experimentation, including automated data acquisition, analysis, and decision-making
• AI and machine learning for energy, sustainability, climate, and chemical manufacturing
• AI-guided discovery, design, synthesis and characterization of chemicals and hard- or soft-materials
• AI-enabled research at the interfaces of chemical engineering, chemistry, materials science, biology, medicine, and human health
• Laboratory robotics, closed-loop experimentation, and autonomous or self-driving laboratories

Virginia Tech Chemical Engineering is a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary department whose research addresses major societal challenges spanning artificial intelligence, energy and sustainability, advanced materials, catalysis, separations, manufacturing, biotechnology, medicine, and human health. We welcome applicants whose research complements and expands existing departmental strengths and creates new connections across the College of Engineering and the broader university. We are particularly excited by candidates who are redefining how chemical engineering research is conducted by bringing together emerging capabilities in artificial intelligence and automation with fundamental scientific inquiry and experimentation.

As a comprehensive land-grant university, Virginia Tech is guided by its motto, Ut Prosim (“That I May Serve”). We seek faculty who are excited to pursue research, education, and engagement that advance chemical engineering while making a meaningful impact on society. This spirit of service, combined with a deeply collaborative academic culture, defines our community and our approach to discovery.

Faculty benefit from strong institutional investments in artificial intelligence and interdisciplinary research. Relevant university communities and resources include Virginia Tech’s Artificial Intelligence Frontier, the Sanghani Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, the Macromolecules Innovation Institute, the Fralin Life Sciences Institute, the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, and the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science. Together with advanced computing, shared instrumentation, materials characterization, fabrication, and biological research facilities, these organizations provide a rich environment for AI-enabled discovery, high-throughput experimentation, laboratory automation, and translation from fundamental science to engineering practice.

Virginia Tech is committed to translating fundamental discoveries into real-world impact. Faculty have access to a robust innovation ecosystem that supports the advancement of new technologies from the laboratory to society through LINK, LICENSE, LAUNCH, Virginia Tech’s integrated framework for innovation, commercialization, and entrepreneurship.

Located in Blacksburg, Virginia, Virginia Tech offers an exceptional quality of life, a welcoming university community, and access to the natural beauty and recreational opportunities of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the surrounding region. We invite creative and ambitious scholars to join our community and help shape the future of chemical engineering through discovery, collaboration, innovation, education, mentorship, and service.

Required Qualifications

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or a closely related field is required; the degree must be completed by the time of appointment

Preferred Qualifications

• Postdoctoral research experience or comparable research experience in industry or a national laboratory.
• Demonstrated expertise in developing or applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to advance chemical engineering research.
• Experience collaborating across disciplines, particularly in connecting computational methods with experimental research.
• Experience in undergraduate or graduate teaching, student mentoring, or developing educational activities relevant to chemical engineering

Overtime Status

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

$115,000 - $130,000

Commensurate with experience

Hours per week

40

Review Date

12/01/2026

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 Stacey Ratcliffeat [e-mail] regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.