Position Title:

Research Assistant Professor - Electrical and Computer Engineering

Appointment Type:

Faculty

Job Description:

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ece.iastate.edu), in the College of Engineering at Iowa State University, invites applications for the position of Research Assistant Professor. This is a 3-year term research faculty position that holds responsibilities primarily contributing to the research mission of the department through scholarly impact and an externally funded research program in the areas of wireless and network systems. Specifically, besides contributing to the research, education, and innovation projects led by the Center for Wireless, Communities and Innovation (wici.iastate.edu), the responsibilities include mentoring graduate and undergraduate students working on research and design projects.

Term Faculty hold limited-term, full or part-time, renewable appointments that are not eligible for tenure, but have the potential to be reviewed for advancement into senior ranks. Research faculty must secure extramural funding to fully support their research program and at least 80% but no more than 90% of their salary, with the remainder salary provided by the department.

Successful candidates will have experience that demonstrates exceptional ability or potential to produce scholarship, compete for and secure funding from external sources, and the capability for long-term leadership in their research field. They will also exhibit excellent communication skills.

Required Minimum Qualifications:

Ph. D. in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent.

Preferred Qualifications:

Research experience and quality publications in advanced wireless and network systems (e.g., safety-critical wireless, URLLC, Open RAN, 6G/NextG);
Hands-on experience with cellular network platforms (e.g., O-RAN, srsRAN, OpenAirInterface, Aether/SD-RAN), edge/cloud computing platforms (e.g., Kubernetes, OpenStack), SDN, and/or VNF;
Hands-on experience in designing, developing, deploying, and/or operating field-deployed wireless, network, and/or distributed systems;
Hands-on experiences in edge/cloud systems management, virtual machines/containers, Linux systems administration, shell scripting, etc;
Capability of building systems prototypes based on reference publications and/or open-source software;
Knowledge of wireless systems, networked/distributed systems, operating systems, virtualization, systems and network security;
Programming skills: Python, C, C++, Java, Web etc.

Department/Program & College Description:

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Iowa State University is home to 60 faculty and is associated with 11 research centers and institutes, for instance, the Center for Wireless, Community and Innovation (WiCI). The department boasts 20 IEEE Fellows, over $15.4M in research expenditures (FY20), and one of the largest ECpE enrollments in the nation.

About Iowa State University and the Ames Community

Iowa State University is classified as a Carnegie Foundation Doctoral/Research University-Extensive. More than 30,000 students are enrolled and are served by over 6,200 faculty and staff. The College of Engineering consists of eight departments with annual research expenditures exceeding $105 million.

Iowa State University is located in Ames, IA, a progressive community of 66,000, located approximately 30 minutes north of Des Moines, one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the Midwest, and is beaming with community pride and accolades.

Iowa State University and the College of Engineering are responsive to the needs of dual-career couples and are dedicated to work-life balance through an array of flexible work policies.

Department Unit/Website:

For more information about our department’s engineering programs, go to www.ece.iastate.edu.

Proposed Start Date:

August 16, 2026

Proposed End Date or Length of Term:

May 15, 2029

Number of Months Employed Per Year:

09 Month Work Period

Time Type:

Full time

Application Instructions:

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. However, to receive full consideration, applications should be received by November 15th, 2026. All interested, qualified persons must apply for this position online at jobs.iastate.edu.

The following documents are required to be submitted in PDF format:

Resume/Curriculum Vitae
Letter of Application/Cover Letter that briefly discusses how the candidate meets each of the preferred qualifications
Contact information for at least three references, including name, mailing address, email address, phone number, and other pertinent information
Research statement

Inquiries regarding this position may be directed to Hongwei Zhang ([email protected]) or Sara K. Harris ([email protected]).

Why Choose ISU?

Iowa State Faculty enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental; as well as:
• Retirement benefits, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous leave plans
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
• Life insurance and long-term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellbeing program

Original Posting Date:

March 4, 2026

Posting Close Date:

Job Requisition Number:

R18719

Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 2680 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515-294-7612, email [email protected].

General ISU compensation information can be found on the University Human Resources website. Please note that this is only a list of ranges and individuals will be paid commensurate with qualifications.

Iowa State University