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

Virginia Tech • Arlington, VA

2d • 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 programs in cyber security, cyber analytics, and cyber operations. Rank will be determined based on experience and credentials. The position serves as a research staff member of the Ted and Karyn Hume Center for National Security and Technology and the Intelligent Systems Division (ISD), whose research focuses on AI applications, AI assurance, and AI and digital engineering. The successful candidate will contribute to existing research programs, lead development of new programs, and mentor students. The position is located at the Virginia Tech Research Center in Arlington, Virginia. Candidates must be U.S. citizens with an active security clearance and be able to maintain it. A criminal conviction check is required.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship.
• An active security clearance and the ability to maintain it.
• An 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 publication of relevant research in peer-reviewed academic venues appropriate to the discipline.
• Proficiency with tools relevant to the field of research.
• Demonstrated ability to work as a team member in executing research projects.
• Expertise in cyber security, cyber operations, artificial intelligence, machine learning, or data science, with experience applying these methods to complex organizations and/or system technologies.

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 in and/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 on proposal teams and support VTNSI business development to develop new funded research programs.
• Mentor and advise students, and support development of the future national security workforce through workforce training and education.
• Contribute to existing research programs and lead the development of new programs.
• Work as a member of a team to execute research projects.

What This Job Offers

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