Assistant Professor of Hardware Security

WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY; Wichita (KS); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Wichita State University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Hardware Security. The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses, develop and sustain an externally visible research program, mentor students, and provide service to the department, college, university, profession, and community.

We seek applicants with expertise in hardware security and the ability to collaborate on

Qualifications

• Terminal degree in direct field.
• Experience teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Strong potential for external funding and scholarly activity.

Responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in hardware security and related areas.
• Establish and maintain a high-quality research program in hardware security.
• Contribute to service activities within the department, college, and university.
• Fulfill other duties as assigned, contributing to the academic community.

Skills

Teaching experience

Education

PhD in computer engineering / electrical engineering / computer science / cybersecurity

Job description

Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering

Campus Location: Wichita, KS - WSU Main Campus

Hire Type: Full Time

Pay: Range beginning $95,000/yr, commensurate withqualifications

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

Export Compliance Requirement: No export controlrequirement.

Job Story

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in theCollege of Engineering invites applications for a tenure-trackAssistant Professor position in Hardware Security . We seek aninnovative scholar and educator who will contribute to thedepartment’s teaching mission, research profile, and appliedlearning initiatives. The successful candidate will be expected toteach undergraduate and graduate courses, develop and sustain aproductive and externally visible research program, mentorstudents, and provide service to the department, college,university, profession, and community.

We are seeking applicants whose technical interests in hardwaresecurity complement and augment the Department’s existing strengthsand who are well positioned to develop collaborations as part ofmultidisciplinary research teams. Applicants with expertise in allareas of hardware security are encouraged to apply. Our hiringpriorities include secure computer architecture, hardware Trojansand supply chain security, secure chip design, PCB security, secureFPGA/ASIC design and verification, embedded and IoT hardwaresecurity, fault injection, reverse engineering, hardwareside-channel attacks, edge security, embedded AI, and physicalattack resistance.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering hosts threeundergraduate programs (BS in Computer Engineering, BS inCybersecurity, and BS in Electrical Engineering), one master'sprogram (MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering), and a Ph.D.program in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Inaddition, the department houses eight graduate certificateprograms. The department serves over 500 undergraduate students and100 graduate students.

WSU has been designated as a Center of Academic Excellence in CyberDefense (CAE-CD) by the National Security Agency. This designationrecognizes that WSU cybersecurity programs meet rigorous academicstandards and prepare cybersecurity professionals to that willreduce vulnerabilities in our national infrastructure. Thedepartment is highly integrated with industry partners across thecountry and is home to the Hub for Cybersecurity Education andAwareness, the Center for Energy Studies, CommSys Lab, CAPPLab, andthe Energy Systems Lab. In addition to these companies, the campusis home to Airbus, NETApp, the National Institute for AviationResearch (NIAR), the Deloitte Smart Factory @ Wichita, the CrashDynamics Lab, the Hub for Advanced Manufacturing and Research(HAMR), and the National Institute for Health Solutions andInnovation (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 thecourse design and engage with industry and local business communityapplied 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 forthby the department and college.

Job Duties

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

Research : Establish and maintain a high-quality researchprogram in hardware security or a closely related area. Thisincludes publishing peer-reviewed scholarly work and disseminatingresearch results through recognized academic venues. The facultymember is expected to pursue external funding through grants andindustry collaborations to support research activities and, whereappropriate, engage in interdisciplinary projects and industrypartnerships. Excellence in scholarship should be demonstratedthrough a record of research accomplishments or clear potential for high-quality research productivity.

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

Other Duties : Fulfill other duties as assigned, consistentwith the faculty member’s expertise and departmental needs. Facultymembers are expected to uphold the highest professional and ethicalstandards 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 relatedfield with an emphasis on hardware security. Candidates must havecompleted all requirements for the Ph.D. by May 2027.


• Applicants who are at an advanced stage of their doctoralstudies will be considered if they provide strong evidence that alldegree requirements will be completed by the end of June 2027.


• Demonstrated potential for effective teaching in hardwaresecurity and closely related areas.


• Demonstrated potential for productive research and scholarlyactivity in hardware security, as evidenced by a record ofpeer-reviewed publications and a strong potential for futureresearch productivity.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Potential to obtain external research funding, or evidence ofprevious success in securing grants, contracts, orindustry-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 amultidisciplinary 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 collegialacademic environment and adapt to the interdisciplinary and appliedlearning focus of Wichita State.


• Ability to provide instruction curriculum to a variety oflearners.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience teaching or assisting with undergraduate or graduatecourses 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.

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. Sponsorshipeligibility varies by faculty position and will be identified inthe individual job posting.

For faculty positions eligible for sponsorship, internationalcandidates generally must be eligible for sponsorship in a visaclassification compatible with the faculty position. For tenuredand tenure-track faculty appointments, visa classificationsincompatible with such appointments include F-1 Optional PracticalTraining (OPT), J-1 Research Scholar, and J-1 Academic Trainingstatuses.

1. Cover Letter: Describing qualifications and alignment with theposition.


2. Teaching Statement (maximum 2 pages): Describing teachinginterests, experience, and potential cybersecurity or computingcourses the candidate could teach or develop.


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

Priority deadline for applications is December 1, 2026. Theappointment 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 includingbut not limited to phone, printers, copiers, and calculators –Frequent 60-90%