Entry Level Cyber Innovation Center Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Department/Organization
214241 - Computer Science
Rank
Associate/Full Professor
Position Summary
The Department of Computer Science (CS) and the Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering at The University of Alabama invite applications for a tenure or tenure-track Associate or Full Professor position to direct the newly established Cyber Innovation Hub. Candidates with leadership and research experience in different aspects of Cybersecurity are invited to apply.
Detailed Position Information
The Department of Computer Science (CS: https://cs.ua.edu/) and the Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering (SCoE: https://eng.ua.edu/) at The University of Alabama (UA: https://ua.edu/) invite applications for multiple tenure-track and tenured faculty positions at all ranks, including Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor levels, within the CS department.
This posting is specific for candidates applying for a position at the rank of Associate or Full Professor to lead the newly established Cyber Innovation Hub.
Toward achieving excellence in all of our cybersecurity efforts, the CS department and the Styslinger College of Engineering seek to hire an accomplished and visionary leader to direct the Cyber Innovation Hub and contribute to both: (1) building upon existing strengths in the Department, College, and University and (2) expanding the scope, visibility, and impact of cybersecurity research, education, and outreach within the Department, College, and UA as a whole. The successful candidate will be expected to provide strategic leadership for the Hub; develop a nationally recognized, externally funded research agenda; mentor faculty, research staff, and graduate students; foster interdisciplinary collaborations across campus; and build strong partnerships with government agencies, industry partners, national laboratories, and other academic institutions. The candidate should have demonstrated expertise in one or more major areas of cybersecurity, such as secure and trustworthy systems, cyber-physical systems security, critical infrastructure protection, artificial intelligence and machine learning for security, privacy, digital forensics, network and cloud security, software and hardware security, human-centered security, or emerging areas of cyber innovation. In addition, the candidate will be expected to support the growth of cybersecurity curricula and experiential learning opportunities, contribute to workforce development initiatives, pursue major center-level and collaborative funding opportunities, and help position UA as a leading institution in cybersecurity scholarship, innovation, and public service.
There are numerous exciting developments around the department, the college, and the campus that provide outstanding support to the department's faculty. Over the past year and a half, the CS department has added 14 new faculty members across the Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor ranks, reflecting the department's rapid growth, strong momentum, and commitment to expanding its research and educational capacity. The University has demonstrated strong institutional support for quantum research, as highlighted by the recent appointments of distinguished professors in this and related areas as the inaugural Endowed Shelby Distinguished Professor. The University has an ongoing project to build the next-generation High Performance Computing (HPC) and Data Center on campus and will provide the infrastructure and instrumentation to support cutting-edge computational research for many years to come.
The CS department and College consider teaching, research, and service as the three critical and complimentary portions of their overall mission. Candidates must demonstrate a clear potential to successfully develop, lead, mentor, and extramurally fund a highly productive research group with significant scholarly impact in a focus area with long-term potential to further build upon the rapid rise and great success of the CS department and the College. An ability to collaborate with existing faculty in the key focus areas both within the CS department and the College, as well as potential colleagues across the campus, is also highly desirable.
The department, college and university are also notable for the collegial, welcoming and supportive spirit built into the fabric of who we are and how we interact across our college family of students, faculty, and staff. It is therefore expected that candidates demonstrate an ability to support this important aspect of our community. The CS department and College also pride themselves on the outstanding educational experience provided to their students, and thus faculty candidates must demonstrate an ability to develop and teach courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in the faculty member's area(s) of expertise, as well as to teach courses that support the delivery and accreditation of the CS department's core degree programs.
At the undergraduate level, the department offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Computer Science, Cyber Security, and Artificial Intelligence. The department also offers minors in computer science, computing technology and applications, and Computing, Data and AI Literacy. At the graduate level, the department offers Master of Science degrees in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, and Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science. Department also offers all its graduate and minor programs through online delivery. Graduate enrollment in the department is growing quickly as the research programs in the department continue to grow rapidly.
Minimum Qualifications
• Earned Ph.D. in Computer Science or a closely related discipline from an accredited institution.
• Exemplary record of prior research work and a record of impactful scholarly publications in refereed journals, conference proceedings, and similarly impactful venues.
• Demonstrated leadership ability to direct, organize, and advance a multidisciplinary cybersecurity research, education, and outreach center such as the Cyber Innovation Hub.
• Demonstrated interest and/or record in computer science education and professional service in area(s) of specialization.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Evidence of the potential to construct and sustain a quality research program.
• Exhibit the potential for excellent teaching at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.
Applicants must also meet all university criteria for appointment to the rank of Associate/Full Professor.
Preferred Qualifications
• Evidence of the ability to develop strategic priorities, coordinate faculty and student teams, build internal and external partnerships, and pursue major collaborative funding opportunities in cybersecurity. • Demonstrated record of high-quality research and scholarly publications that is recognized nationally and/or internationally. • Significant record of scholarship in a computer science or closely related department with both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. • Post-doctoral experience or other similar post-graduate experience. • Exceptional collegial, interpersonal, and mentoring skills.
Instructions and Required Materials for Application
Required application documents include a: (1) cover letter that includes the department name, the rank of position for which the candidate is applying (i.e. Associate Professor/Professor), and a brief description of the area(s) of specialization for the candidate; (2) a resume/curriculum vitae; (3) a three to five page statement of research interests, leadership and plans; (4) a one to two page statement of teaching interests and plans; and (5) the names and contact information for at least four professional references. Review of applications will begin immediately. Applications are preferred on or before November 20, 2026 to receive fullest consideration, but the search will continue until the positions are filled. A position start date of August 16, 2027 would be typical, but flexibility with respect to start date is possible. The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. Questions about the position can be directed to coe-csdept@ua.edu.
About the Division/College/School
As the premier flagship university for the state of Alabama and as one of the first five universities in the nation to offer engineering instruction, The University of Alabama (UA) has more than 175 years of proud engineering history. UA's Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering is committed to conducting cutting-edge research that advances the frontiers of science and engineering, translating such fundamental advancements through applied research and technology commercialization into impactful solutions which improve the human condition and address the challenges facing humankind, and using that immersive research environment to provide unparalleled educational experiences and opportunities for our students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. As a College, we pride ourselves on educating and preparing the next generation of engineering and computer science scholars and professionals who will positively shape the future around us. Through our educational, research, and service activities that support our overall vision to be one of the most impactful engineering programs in the nation, our College continues to provide leadership in the many professional disciplines represented by our College and to the community, state, and nation as we advance our professions, the economy, and the lives of all those whom we serve.
The College is comprised of seven departments: Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics; Chemical and Biological Engineering; Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering; Computer Science; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; and Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. These departments currently deliver 14 different undergraduate and 17 different graduate degree programs. Overall, the College enrolls approximately 6,000 students, making it one of the largest colleges out of the more than 40,000 students on UA's campus.
While the university has been on a constant mission to advance in every aspect of its operations since its inception, UA has in particular seen transformative growth in its research enterprise and impact over the past decade. Through the efforts of The University, UA Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED), the Styslinger College of Engineering and its' centers, departments, and faculty, UA's research enterprise has surged dramatically higher in the last five to ten years. This recent and continuing steep growth rate of research has positioned UA as one of the fastest growing research institutions in the nation. More specifically, the College has seen annual research awards and expenditures grow at an average of more than 25% per year for more than the last 5 years, now surpassing $100 million annually in new research awards. By more than doubling research over the past 5 to 7 years, the size of the graduate programs across the College have more than doubled as well. The continued ambitious growth of research programs amongst our existing faculty and research centers combined with the recent significant additions of a large number of new tenure-track and tenured faculty, particularly the addition of more than 80 such new highly research active faculty over the past four years, has positioned the College for maintaining this steep trajectory of research growth and impact well into the future.
The educational activities of the Styslinger College of Engineering and its constantly increasing volume of impactful research are enabled and supported by a tremendous combination of amazing faculty and staff, an outstanding array of modern new facilities that are the envy of its peers, and a world-class student body at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The College currently has more than 185 faculty members, which includes the significant infusion of both young and experienced faculty talent over the past four years that was mentioned earlier. This year again there are plans to add yet another new cohort of tenure-track and tenured faculty to the College across all of its departments. In terms of facilities, the College has one of the largest overall footprints of any college at UA, currently occupying all or significant portions of 17 different facilities across campus. Some of the most recent additions to that space are the state-of-the-art facilities provided for many of the College's departments in the recently completed Shelby Science and Engineering Quad that was built at a cost approaching $400 million.
In addition to the traditional engineering departments and their facilities, there are also more than 10 different major research centers housed within the College that span and support a wide-ranging set of research thrust areas including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, additive manufacturing, advanced materials, functional polymers and soft matter, water resources and water technology, advanced transportation and vehicle technology, and more. These centers bring together faculty from across the College and the University to capitalize on emerging technological opportunities and to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing the planet both today and well into the future. In addition to these College research centers, a number of university-level research institutes and centers, including the Alabama Water Institute, the Alabama Transportation Institute, and the Alabama Mobility and Power Center, also provide support and infrastructure to an array of research thrusts and projects that engage faculty from across the College and University. This synergistic combination of outstanding people, facilities, and resources will continue to fuel the Styslinger College of Engineering's advancement and growth in education and research well into the future.
Overall, with its award-winning faculty and staff, outstanding and growing student body, tremendous array of state-of-the-art facilities, diverse offerings of nationally accredited degree programs, and the strong support of its local, state, and national partners, the College has positioned itself for continued success and rapid advancement as a leader in engineering science, education, and practice. The College is looking for new faculty who want to build or continue their career in a dynamic organization with truly unlimited potential.
It is indeed an exciting time to join The University of A