Associate/Full Professor - Robotics

About UMass Amherst:

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 30 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 ~150 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 18 CAREER Awards in five years. With over $60 million in annual research expenditures and 20+ 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:

Celebrating 60 years of pioneering contributions to computing, the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS) at UMass Amherst is home to ~975 graduate and ~2,000 undergraduate students with programs that are ranked among the top twenty-five in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and CS Rankings. Following a decade of tremendous growth, CICS currently has 89 core faculty, including 20 ACM Fellows, 11 IEEE Fellows, and 38 NSF CAREER Award winners. CICS research encompasses all major technical specializations across the profession and serves as the focal point for interdisciplinary computing research at UMass Amherst, with affiliated research centers such as the Center for Intelligent Information Retrieval, the Center for Data Science, the Center for Smart and Connected Society, the Computational Social Science Institute, and the Cybersecurity Institute, and the NIH-funded Massachusetts AI and Technology Center for Connected Care in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease. The college’s new building, slated to open in 2025, 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 seven core robotics faculty members with expertise in areas including human-centered robotics, physical human-robot interaction, legged robots, soft robotics, micro/nano 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 a full-time (9-month) faculty position at the level of Associate or Full Professor; highly qualified candidates may additionally be considered for a Provost Professorship. We seek a new faculty member who can further elevate and contribute to our collaborative and supportive robotics community. The position offers a competitive support package with research lab space to establish and grow the candidate's research at UMass Amherst. The successful applicant will hold a joint appointment with the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences and the College of Engineering, with their tenure home selected in consultation with the candidate and the two colleges and supported by their experience and background. This position will help to strengthen the collaboration between these colleges and help to shape the direction of the research and academics of the emerging robotics program during a time of investment and growth. 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 committed 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 closely related area. 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, 2025. Other start dates (e.g., Spring 2026 or Fall 2026) 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.

Application Instructions:

We will begin interviewing in Spring 2025. We encourage you to apply no later than January 24, 2025 and applications will be continue to be reviewed until the position is filled. Candidates must provide the following in their application package.

• A cover letter, addressed to “Robotics Faculty Search Committee”. The cover letter should a) introduce yourself, b) briefly describe your research interests, and c) describe your vision for and the contributions you would make to a growing robotics program.
• A research statement. Candidates should situate their past research in a broader scholarly context and give their research vision for this position. Candidates are specifically asked to mention the types of scholarship they will perform, how that scholarship will be disseminated, and the expectations for how that scholarship will be funded. Statements will be evaluated based on assessment of demonstrated excellence or demonstrated promise of future excellence.
• A teaching statement. Candidates should describe their past teaching experience and express their teaching vision for this position. Candidates are asked to list all courses in engineering and/or computing they are qualified to offer and also detail classes they are interested in developing. Candidates should address both undergraduate and graduate classes. Statements will be evaluated based on assessment of demonstrated excellence or demonstrated promise of future excellence.
• A statement of vision for the candidate’s role in advancing equity, justice, inclusion, and broadening participation in engineering and/or computer science. Please discuss prior experiences and planned future actions integrated across research, teaching, service, and outreach that will result in more equitable technology solutions, help broaden participation, build an inclusive community, and contribute to the mission of the two colleges and UMass. (https://www.umass.edu/strategicplan/strategic-plan).
• A current curriculum vitae. The CV should list: 1) education, 2) employment, 3) awards and honors, 4) sponsored research, 5) peer-reviewed publications, 6) service, and 7) other sections as considered appropriate by the candidate.
• Contact information, (name, title, email address, institution) for 3 professional references. References will not be contacted until the second phase of the search.

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.