UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.
About COE
The College of Engineering (CoE) is recognized as one of the top public engineering schools in the country by U.S. News & World Report and is the #1 public engineering program in New England. Our inclusive community includes ~2400 undergraduate, ~750 graduate students and ~145 instructional faculty across five engineering departments—biomedical, chemical, civil and environmental, electrical and computer, and mechanical and industrial. Our faculty members are developing life-saving medical devices and therapeutics, designing smart infrastructures, tackling climate change, and revolutionizing materials science, computing, and cybersecurity. They are recipients of prestigious national awards, including 17 CAREER Awards in five years. With over $50 million in research expenditures and 15+ research centers, we're at the forefront of innovation and discovery. The college's new Sustainable Engineering Laboratories building, slated to open in Fall 2026, will offer immersive labs and learning spaces, enabling us to test and develop technologies that address real-world sustainability challenges. Learn more at https://www.umass.edu/engineering/ and https://engineering.umass.edu/sustainable-engineering-laboratories.
About CICS
The Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS) is home to academic programs that are ranked among the top twenty-five in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and among the top twenty by CS Rankings. CICS currently has 88 core faculty, including 20 ACM Fellows,11 IEEE Fellows, and 36 NSF CAREER Award winners. The college’s research encompasses all major technical specializations across the profession and serves as a focal point for interdisciplinary computing research, with four research centers and two cross-campus institutes. Slated to open in Spring 2025, the college's new building is being designed to accommodate its growth and serve as a hub for learning, innovation, and community. More information about CICS and its revolutionary vision for computing research and education—Computing for the Common Good— can be found at cics.umass.edu.
About Robotics@UMass
UMass Amherst recently established a Robotics research initiative to provide a unique collaborative research environment to nurture future roboticists with innovative ideas, broad and systematic perspectives, and a collaborative research attitude. This is a joint effort by the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences and the College of Engineering to strengthen the University’s research and teaching portfolio in robotics. Robotics@UMass is led by a team of six core robotics faculty members with expertise in areas including human-centered robotics, physical human-robot interaction, legged robots, soft robotics, multi-robot systems, robot learning, and lifelong autonomy. Robotics@UMass also currently includes more than ten affiliated faculty members from colleges across campus to create a research and education program that reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the field of robotics. For example, human-centered robotics has been recognized as one current thrust area in the Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS) Center for Personalized Health Monitoring (CPHM) and the Elaine Marieb Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation at UMass. More information about Robotics@UMass can be found here:https://www.umass.edu/robotics.
Job Description
The University of Massachusetts Amherst invites applications for full-time (9-month) faculty, at the level of Associate or full Professor that will be jointly appointed with the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences and the College of Engineering. This position will strengthen the collaboration between these colleges and will help lead the Robotics@UMass initiative and expand research, leadership, teaching, and outreach in all areas of robotics. We seek a new faculty member who can further elevate and contribute to our collaborative and supportive robotics community.
As a campus with a continually growing diverse student body, we encourage applications from women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, and individuals with a commitment to mentoring individuals from underrepresented groups in computer science and engineering.
Requirements
Before starting in this position, applicants must hold a PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related area of robotics. They should have a research and teaching focus in robotics and should show evidence of excellence in research, teaching, and service.
Additional Information
Starting Date: September 1, 2024. Other start dates (e.g., Spring 2025 or Fall 2025) may be considered.
UMass Amherst, COE, and CICS are very supportive of dual-career families. We have a Partner Employment Program and will work with candidates to find opportunities for partners across the University and in the nearby community. Although UMass does not guarantee job placement, efforts are made to help secure a position for spouses or partners. For more information on our Partner Employment Program or other faculty benefits, please see https://www.umass.edu/prospective-faculty/work/balance.
Salary will be highly competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience. Inquiries and requests for more information can be sent to: facrec@cs.umass.edu.
Application Instructions
We will begin interviewing in January 2024. To ensure consideration for a Winter/Spring interview, we encourage you to apply no later than December 1, 2023. Candidates must provide the following in their application package.
Cover letter that lays out your interest in this position and why you are a good fit.
Current curriculum vitae.
Statement of research outlining your accomplishments briefly, focusing on your future plans and potential fit at UMass Amherst.
Statement of teaching, including your teaching philosophy and potential courses you might offer at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Statement of vision for the candidate’s role in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Candidates should list past and planned future actions to support the diversity mission of the colleges and UMass.
Contact information for three professional references. Reference letters will only be requested once candidates have been selected for an interview.
The University is committed to active recruitment of a diverse faculty and student body. The University of Massachusetts Amherst is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer of women, minorities, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities and encourages applications from these and other protected group members. Because broad diversity is essential to an inclusive climate and critical to the University’s goals of achieving excellence in all areas, we will holistically assess the many qualifications of each applicant and favorably consider an individual’s record working with students and colleagues with broadly diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds in educational, research or other work activities. We will also favorably consider experience overcoming or helping others overcome barriers to an academic career and degree.
