Chair Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Northwestern University, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science; United States; On-site; USD 300,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science invites nominations for the Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The Chair will provide strategic, academic, and administrative leadership to a 33‑faculty department with about 630 undergraduate and graduate students, guiding growth and elevating its national standing.

The successful candidate will be an accomplished scholar with a distinguished research record and a commitment to

Qualifications

• Distinguished record of research excellence
• Academic leadership and policy development
• Interdisciplinary collaboration across engineering disciplines

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and administrative leadership for the department
• Advance the department's national visibility and impact
• Foster faculty excellence and collaborative research across domains

Job description

The client is seeking nominations and applications for the position of Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. This department is recognized for its interdisciplinary approach, bringing together faculty with expertise in computer engineering, signals and systems, and solid state, photonics, and quantum technologies. The Chair will have the opportunity to build on established strengths, help define the department's future direction, and elevate its national visibility and impact within the field.

The Chair will lead a department comprising 33 full-time faculty and approximately 630 undergraduate and graduate students, all of whom have demonstrated a strong record of research achievement and interdisciplinary collaboration. Faculty members are recognized as fellows of leading professional societies and have received major research awards, with many holding joint or courtesy appointments that connect the department to broader strengths in areas such as materials science, robotics, and human health. The department also leads research centers in photonic communication and computing, quantum devices, and ultra-scale computing and information security, and maintains partnerships with regional research institutions.

The successful candidate is expected to be an accomplished scholar with a distinguished record of research and technical contributions suitable for appointment as a tenured full professor. The Chair will provide academic, intellectual, and administrative leadership, fostering an environment that supports faculty excellence and collaboration. The role offers the opportunity to guide the department's continued growth, shape its intellectual identity, and strengthen its standing among leading departments in the field.