Assistant Professor (AI) – Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure & Environment (ESSIE) at the University of Florida

Assistant Professor (AI) – Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure & Environment (ESSIE)

 

Job Description

The Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment (ESSIE) in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering (HWCOE) at the University of Florida (UF) invites applications for a nine-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor position with a focus on Digital Twin Platforms for Complex Built and Natural Systems. The incumbent will develop digital twin platforms or other computational decision-making tools (e.g., cyber-physical modeling and coupled modeling-experimental approaches) for engineering and environmental science applications in complex built and natural systems. The position will be housed in either the Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering (CCE) or Environmental Engineering Science (EES) within ESSIE. This position has an anticipated start date of August 2022.

UF and ESSIE are uniquely positioned to pioneer advanced “Digital Twins” capabilities in areas ranging from civil infrastructure systems (e.g., transportation, buildings, and utility systems) to natural and human-impacted ecosystems (e.g., ocean/atmosphere, coastal zone, and watershed systems). Measuring and simulating interactions among people, built environments, and natural systems is critical for improving our ability to understand, design, construct, and manage these complex systems. Research in this area is motivated by the interdisciplinary, global-scale challenges facing humanity in the next century (e.g., global climate change, population growth, resilience, social and racial inequity, and resource limitation). The ideal candidate will complement their work with expertise, or a strong record of collaboration, in one or more of the following areas: behavioral, political, and social sciences; human behavior simulation; ethical AI applications; user-system interactions; cognitive modeling; and human-in-the-loop systems. We are particularly interested in researchers who co-develop research and knowledge with the communities impacted by their work.

The University of Florida is the flagship campus of the State of Florida University System and is ranked as the #5 best public US university according to US News and World Report. UF recently announced a $70 million artificial intelligence partnership with NVIDIA to create an AI-centric data center that houses the world’s fastest AI supercomputer in higher education. Of particular relevance to this new faculty position, the HWCOE is creating the programmatic backbone to UF’s efforts to change the future of education and workforce development through university-wide AI training and experiential learning efforts.

Within the HWCOE, ESSIE is a vibrant, interdisciplinary, and highly collaborative environment, consistently ranked among the top departments for both graduate and undergraduate programs. It offers BS, MS, and PhD degree programs with an enrollment of ~700 full-time undergraduate students and over 300 graduate students, of which ~125 are PhD students. Currently, ESSIE has 47 tenured/tenure-track faculty, including 17 ASCE Fellows and 12 NSF CAREER award winners. The CCE and EES graduate and undergraduate programs are all ranked among the top 20 for public universities, and the departments lead several university-wide interdisciplinary institutes, including the Center for Coastal Solutions, the UF Transportation Institute, and the H.T. Odum Center for Wetlands. This hire will capitalize on existing strengths across UF, ESSIE, and the HWCOE and be strongly positioned to compete for funding across multiple federal programs.

 

 

Job Qualifications

The successful candidate must have (or be expecting) a PhD in Civil, Transportation, Coastal, or Environmental Engineering or a closely related field (including Earth system science or ecology) that includes a strong computer science, applied mathematics, or data science background. Successful candidates should have a strong interest in teaching and mentoring, contributing to existing courses, and developing innovative undergraduate and graduate curricula that encompass civil, coastal, and environmental engineering science disciplines. In addition, candidates should have a strong record or potential for interdisciplinary research and successful collaborative investigations in relevant disciplines, as demonstrated in their record of peer-reviewed publications and proposal development.

 

Instructions

The search committee will begin reviewing applications immediately, with the first full committee screening occurring on January 10, 2022. All applications must be submitted through Interfolio at: https://facultyjobs.hr.ufl.edu/.  (Please see Job Requisition #85985). Complete applications must include the following files in PDF format: (1) cover letter (summary and introduction related to hiring emphasis areas and synergies with ESSIE); (2) a curriculum vitae; (3) a statement describing the applicant’s experience in enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion through research, teaching, or service, and vision for promoting a more inclusive experience at the University of Florida; (4) a research program vision statement detailing short- and long-term goals; (5) a teaching statement describing the applicant’s teaching experience and vision for developing a teaching program at the University of Florida; (6) up to three refereed journal or conference articles (co-)authored by the applicant; and (7) the names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of no less than three and up to five references. To be competitive, these materials should highlight how the applicant’s vision complements the overall mission of the department. The cover letter should be addressed to: Dr. David Kaplan, Search Committee Chair.

Questions about this position may be directed to Dr. David Kaplan, dkaplan@ufl.edu, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, 365 Weil Hall, P.O. Box 116580, Gainesville, FL 32611-6580.

Final candidate will be required to provide official transcript to the hiring department upon hire.  A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible.  Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org/.

The University of Florida is an equal opportunity institution dedicated to building a broadly diverse and inclusive faculty and staff.

The University of Florida is An Equal Employment Opportunity Institution. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352/392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800/955-8771 (TDD). Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. Searches are conducted in accordance with Florida’s Sunshine Law.