The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) seeks exceptional candidates to fill one tenured/tenure-track faculty position in the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) in areas related to the design and implementation of machine learning (ML) accelerators. This search is part of a cluster hire to add faculty across multiple departments with expertise in foundational artificial intelligence research that bridges the gap between human intelligence and artificial intelligence.  We are particularly interested in ML/AI hardware architectures, VLSI for AI, and the integration of AI-based computer systems. Strong candidates in electrical or computer engineering in areas not explicitly listed will also be considered.

The successful candidate will be expected to (1) conduct and publish scholarly research; (2) pursue funding to support an active research agenda; (3) teach undergraduate and graduate courses in electrical and/or computer engineering; (4) mentor graduate students; and (5) participate in departmental service.

The foundational AI cluster is part of the "It takes a Volunteer" cluster hiring initiative at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. This cluster aims to build a team of excellence from interdisciplinary areas, including computer science and engineering, biomedical engineering, neuro and cognitive science, and mathematics. As part of this institutional priority initiative, new hires will join a dynamic core group of collaborators with complementary experience and a shared interest in building a national reputation for excellence and innovation in foundational AI. 

The ideal candidates for this cluster search should have a collaborative mindset and prioritize working with colleagues to realize shared research and educational achievements, including large-scale proposals, joint publications, and new transdisciplinary curricular programming. For early career faculty, the cluster offers a unique framework for professional development and mentorship within a rich transdisciplinary environment. The Knoxville campus of the University of Tennessee is seeking candidates who have the ability to promote an atmosphere where all members of the university community feel welcome and can thrive. 

Information about the University, College, Department, and Knoxville
UTK is the state’s flagship campus and leading research institution with a strong partnership with nearby Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), where many UTK faculty have ongoing joint positions and/or joint research projects.

The Tickle College of Engineering (TCE) is in the midst of an unprecedented period of growth and success, including adding over 30 new faculty to the college as part of ambitious hiring campaigns led by Chancellor Donde Plowman and Dean Matthew Mench. The college has set records in research expenditures, enrollment, incoming student GPA, intellectual property development, and USNWR rank in the past three years. New facilities include the state-of-the art Zeanah Engineering Complex, the University of Tennessee Manufacturing and Design Enterprise (TN-MADE) facility, and the Innovation South building now under construction that will house UTK’s Fibers and Composites Manufacturing Facility (FCMF).

TCE has 203 tenure/tenure track and 79 non-tenure track faculty in its nine academic departments and offers 11 undergraduate, 16 MS, and 15 PhD/DE degree programs. Affiliated with TCE and located in Tullahoma, Tennessee, the UT Space Institute is a hub of aerospace and defense research. The college is also home to eight research centers and three interdisciplinary institutes. With approximately 4,300 undergraduate and 1,500 graduate students, the college sits 29th among public universities in the most recent U.S. News and World Report graduate rankings. Faculty in the college have won 29 early career awards (NSF, DOE, DARPA, AFOSR, and ARO) since 2016. In FY24, the college had annual research expenditures of $113.6M.

EECS at UTK has 49 full-time T/TT faculty members, three members of the National Academy of Engineering, 15 IEEE Fellows, 13 NSF/DOE CAREER awardees, and 15 ranked in World’s Top 2% Scientists as compiled by Stanford. The department has a growing enrollment of more than 1000 undergraduate and 450 graduate students across the three majors of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Computer Science. In addition, the department offers undergraduate minors in computer science, cybersecurity, datacenter technology and management, and machine learning. Successful faculty candidates will be expected to contribute to the continued growth and excellence of EECS.

The city of Knoxville is a hidden gem with an elegant and walkable downtown, rich and varied nightlife, vibrant neighborhoods, eclectic restaurants, and amazing access to outdoor activities of all kinds as well as exciting cultural events throughout the year. UTK is in Knoxville, Tennessee, within an easy driving distance to Nashville, Atlanta, Asheville, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. From Knoxville’s TYS Airport, Knoxville has nonstop flights to 22 major airports in the US, including direct flights to cities such as DC, NYC, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix.

In addition, Knoxville and the surrounding areas boast great K-12 schools and one of the most highly educated populations in the entire US. With one of the lowest costs of living in the country, Knoxville was recently recognized in U.S. News and World Report as the 29th best place to live in the U.S. In 2024, US News ranked the State of Tennessee as #5 in fiscal stability, #12 in economy, and #21 in infrastructure.

Minimum Qualifications: A PhD degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline at the time of appointment.

Preferred Qualifications: Previous experience working in the convergent areas of AI/ML and neuro-cognitive science, AI/ML and dynamical system analysis, representation learning, and uncertainty quantification with a tie to human intelligence.

For an Appointment at the Assistant Professor rank: The candidate is expected to show potential for obtaining funding for the research programs, and for participation in interdisciplinary teams. The candidate is also expected to show effective, high-quality teaching skills, and the ability to effectively mentor undergraduate and graduate students.

For an Appointment at the Associate Professor rank: The candidate is expected to have conducted nationally/internationally recognized research works and show strong leadership potential.  The candidate is also expected to show effective, high-quality teaching skills, and the ability to effectively mentor undergraduate and graduate students.

Applicants should electronically submit the following via Interfolio.

1.     CV

2.      Cover Letter

3.     Teaching Statement

4.     Research Statement

5.     Representative publications

6.     Three letters of recommendation.

Review of applications will begin November 7^th, 2025, and continue until the position is filled. Please submit your application by November 7^th, 2025, to ensure full consideration. Please contact the search chair, Dr. Nicole McFarlane, (mcfarlane@utk.edu) if you have any questions.

All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university.

Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at Equal Opportunity and Accessibility, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to eoa@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-2498. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Investigation and Resolution, 216 Business Incubator Building, E J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to investigations@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-0717.

About University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Our primary mission is to move forward the frontiers of human knowledge and enrich and elevate the citizens of the state of Tennessee, the nation, and the world. As the preeminent research-based, land-grant university in the state, UT embodies the spirit of excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, creative activity, outreach, and engagement attained by the nation’s finest public research institutions.

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