Job Description

Title: Assistant/Associate/Full Professor of Electrical Engineering
Employee Classification: Asst Professor
Division Name: Academic Affairs
College/Unit: College of Engineering
Department: Electrical Engineering
Campus Location: Normal, IL

Job Summary

The Department of Electrical Engineering (EE Department) in the new College of Engineering (CEG) at Illinois State University (ISU) invites applications for one open rank tenure-track position beginning on August 16, 2027. An earlier start date is possible, conditional upon EE Department budget/ needs.

As we continue to grow the rigor of our academic programs, we are seeking a qualified candidate with “interdisciplinary expertise” in areas closely aligned with Autonomous Systems and/or Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) Systems. We highly value interdisciplinary expertise that is at the frontiers of computer engineering and electrical engineering. Valued areas of candidate expertise include but are not limited to electric vehicle (EV) battery management systems and charging technologies; intelligent vehicle sensing technologies; vehicle electronics, embedded systems, and sensors; etc. Candidates whose research/teaching expertise complements the above highly valued areas (e.g., AI/ML-enabled vehicle systems; automotive networking; autonomous/connected vehicle systems; cybersecurity; edge computing; embedded and sensing systems; Internet of things and/or vehicles; secure V2V communications, and vehicle autonomy simulation, etc.) are also encouraged to apply.

Because the College is in its foundational stages, we are seeking a candidate who can adapt quickly, be flexible in terms of workload distribution, and serve as a founding member of the EE Department. Responsibilities for the position will change from year to year until the College reaches steady state by 2029-2030 or slightly thereafter. Job responsibilities will include curriculum and lab development; effective undergraduate teaching and research, first-year design and senior design project advising; grant writing and research/scholarship; ISU service, including K-12 visits, industry collaborations, and workshops for student recruitment; and external service, including societies (e.g., ACM & IEEE).

Salary, Rank, and Tenure: The position is a nine-month, tenure-track appointment with the possibility of summer teaching. Salary, rank, and the status of tenure (probationary tenure-track or tenured) are commensurate with qualifications and experience. A comprehensive benefits package is included.

Illinois State University Benefits Highlights:
• Insurance benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life 
- Retirement and supplemental retirement planning options
- Tuition waiver benefits available to staff as well as their eligible dependents
• Paid holidays and administrative closures during Thanksgiving and Winter Break
• Paid benefit time (e.g., personal plus time and sick time)

Additional University Benefit information, including information regarding eligibility to participate in the State Universities Retirement System and the State of Illinois Group Insurance program, can be reviewed here: https://hr.illinoisstate.edu/benefits/

Additional Information

The College of Engineering (CEG) is the newest College at ISU. We welcomed our second cohort of students in Fall 2026, and we will graduate our first cohort of students in Spring 2029. The CEG will emphasize project-based learning and applied research and demonstrate the societal impact engineers make across communities. We will be a leader in educating engineers and plan to be a leader in transforming engineering education to students coming from all backgrounds. For any additional information, please visit the CEG website (https://illinoisstate.edu/college-engineering/).

Illinois State University, IllinoisState.edu, was founded in 1857 as Illinois’ first public university. We enroll approximately 21,000 students in six colleges. Our new strategic plan, Excellence by Design: 2024-2029, lists our seven core values: Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship; Individualized Attention; Equity, Diversity, Access, and Belonging; Collaboration; Community and Civic Engagement; Respect; and Integrity. By acting on these values, we create a learning environment that results in our university being the first-choice public university in Illinois for high-achieving, motivated students who seek an individualized educational experience combined with the resources of a large university. Learn more about Illinois State’s Metrics of Excellence at IllinoisState.edu/PointsofPride.

Bloomington-Normal Community: ISU is located in the growing twin cities of Bloomington and Normal, with a metro population of approximately 172,000. The community is also home to Illinois Wesleyan University, Heartland Community College, St. Joseph Medical Center, Carle BroMenn Medical Center, COUNTRY Financial, State Farm Insurance’s International Headquarters, Central Illinois Regional Airport, and truck manufacturer Rivian Motors. The community has distinguished itself for its outstanding school systems, and its citizens’ high level of educational attainment, as well as its parks and recreation, health care, vibrant fine arts scene, job growth, economic opportunity, historic sites, and low crime rates. Bloomington made Livability’s top 100 Best Places to Live (2024) and ranked No. 3 on College Values Online’s list of Best Small College Towns in America (2024). Bloomington-Normal is conveniently located about three hours from Indianapolis; two hours from both Chicago and St. Louis; and an hour from Peoria, Champaign-Urbana, Decatur, and Springfield. Many of these locations are accessible from Bloomington-Normal via Amtrak, which is located one block from ISU. For more information on our community, visit https://www.visitbn.org.

Salary Rate / Pay Rate

Assistant Professor $80,000 – $92,500; Associate Professor $95,000 – $125,000;Full Professor $115,000 – $135,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience for each rank

Required Qualifications

1) A terminal degree in Computer Engineering or Electrical Engineering or a closely related field. ABD candidates with an expected completion of a PhD by August 2027 will also be considered.
2) Research expertise on the frontiers of computer engineering and electrical engineering (i.e., autonomous and hybrid electric vehicle systems or closely related area of primary expertise); or complementary expertise (e.g., AI/ML-enabled vehicle systems, automotive networking, autonomous/connected vehicle systems, cybersecurity, embedded and sensing systems, Internet of things & vehicles, secure V2V communications, vehicle autonomy simulation, etc.).
3) Teaching expertise and/or interest in the frontiers of computer engineering and electrical engineering (i.e., autonomous and hybrid electric vehicle systems or a closely related area).
4) Experience or interest in building a computer engineering advisory track for our EE students.
5) In addition to qualifications (1) through (4), candidates must be able to demonstrate oral proficiency in the English language as a requirement for this position, as mandated by IL law.

Work Hours

Varies

Proposed Starting Date

August 16th, 2027. An earlier start date (e.g., July 2027) is possible subject to EE Department’s needs.

Required Applicant Documents

1) Cover letter describing why the candidate is interested in joining a founding college (max 2 pages);
2) Research expertise/interests on the frontiers of Computer Engg. & Electrical Engg. (max 2 pages);
3) Teaching experience/philosophy and experience/vision of course/lab development (max 4 pages);
4) Curriculum vitae;
5) Name, affiliation, and contact information (email/phone) of at least three professional references.

Please Note: These documents are required to be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior to clicking on "Apply"

Special Instructions for Applicants

Review of applications will begin on January 11th, 2027, and will continue until the position is filled.

Contact Information for Applicants

eesearch@ilstu.edu

Important Information for Applicants

This position is subject to a criminal background investigation and if applicable, an employment history review, based on University Policy 3.1.30 and any offer of employment is contingent upon you passing a satisfactory criminal background investigation and/or an employment history review. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.

Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other state or federal law you may request an accommodation by contacting the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at (309) 438-3383. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access will hold any confidential information you provide in confidence.

If you are having difficulty accessing the system, please call Human Resources at (309) 438-8311.