Research Assistant Professor, Research Associate Professor and Research Professor in Cyber Security

Virginia Tech • Arlington, VA

4d • $150,000 - $260,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Virginia Tech National Security Institute (VTNSI) seeks a Research Assistant Professor, Research Associate Professor, or Research Professor in Cyber Security to support the growth of its cyber security, cyber analytics, and cyber operations programs. Rank will be determined based on experience and credentials. The role is a research staff position with the Ted and Karyn Hume Center for National Security and Technology and its Intelligent Systems Division (ISD), whose research and development capabilities include AI applications, AI assurance, and AI and digital engineering. The successful applicant will contribute to existing programs, help develop new programs, and mentor students.

The position supports university-sponsored research and development, technical writing and publication, development of funded research through proposal teams and business development, and preparation of the future national security workforce through mentoring, advisement, training, and education. The institute seeks expertise in cyber security, cyber operations, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science, including experience applying these methods to complex organizations or systems. Positions are located at the Virginia Tech Research Center in Arlington, Virginia. Candidates must be U.S. citizens and hold an active security clearance that they can maintain. A criminal conviction check is required.

This is a restricted appointment, exempt from overtime, with a 40-hour workweek. Salary is $150,000–$260,000, commensurate with experience and rank: $150,000–$180,000 for Research Assistant Professor, $180,000–$220,000 for Research Associate Professor, and $220,000–$260,000 for Research Professor.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must hold an active security clearance and be able to maintain it.
• Earned doctorate in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Psychology, or a related field.
• Experience with cyber security and cyber operations, including software, AI/ML, or autonomy.
• Evidence of high potential for excellence in research and development, demonstrated through academic study or experience.
• Scholarship and funding credentials appropriate to the rank of Research Assistant Professor, Research Associate Professor, or Research Professor.
• Demonstrated mastery of the field through relevant research publications in peer-reviewed academic venues appropriate to the discipline.
• Proficiency with tools germane to the research field.
• Demonstrated ability to work as a member of a team on research projects.

Nice To Haves

• Active TS/SCI security clearance.
• Proficiency in cyber security and cyber testing, including software, AI/ML, or autonomy; network and penetration testing; malware analysis; or red teaming.
• Experience with cryptography or software reverse engineering.
• Proficiency in testing AI-enabled systems, including benchmarking, prompting, narratives, and AI use in human workflows, and agentic AI, including assessing behavior and security and autonomous use of AI.
• Experience in policy, risk assessment, or risk management frameworks (RMF) for systems testing.
• Experience writing grant and contract proposals.
• Experience serving as principal investigator on research grants and contracts.
• Interest or experience working effectively with a diverse faculty, staff, and student population.
• Experience conducting research programs supporting defense and intelligence sponsors.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research and development in support of university-sponsored programs.
• Author technical documents and publish peer-reviewed academic papers.
• Participate in proposal teams and support VTNSI business development to develop new funded research programs.
• Mentor and advise students, and support workforce training and education for the future national security workforce.
• Contribute to existing Intelligent Systems Division research programs and lead the development of new programs.

Benefits

• Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance, which offers professional development opportunities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree