Research Assistant Scientist

University of Florida•Gainesville, FL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of Florida is seeking a full-time, nine-month, time-limited, non-tenure-track Research Assistant Scientist. This role will focus on establishing and expanding a research program at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and microelectronics failure analysis (FA), inspection, metrology, reliability, and advanced manufacturing. The successful candidate will identify research opportunities, lead proposal development for funding agencies and industry, define research thrusts and technical roadmaps, and build multidisciplinary teams. The position involves sustained collaborations with academic institutions, government agencies, national laboratories, and industry partners. Research areas may include various AI technologies like machine learning, deep learning, large language models, and physics-informed AI, applied to semiconductor packaging, integrated circuits, and microelectronics manufacturing. The role also includes intellectual and technical leadership for AI-enabled microelectronics inspection and failure analysis programs, guiding projects from concept to publication and technology transition. Specific research topics include multimodal defect detection, computational imaging, anomaly detection, automated root-cause analysis, predictive reliability, multimodal data fusion, digital twins, trustworthy AI, autonomous inspection systems, and privacy-preserving learning. Relevant modalities include X-ray imaging, scanning acoustic microscopy, optical microscopy, infrared and terahertz imaging, SEM/FIB, electrical measurements, and process data. Additional duties involve building and mentoring research teams, supervising researchers, contributing to instruction and curriculum development, disseminating research through publications and presentations, advancing intellectual property, and supporting the growth of the laboratory and associated programs.

Requirements

PhD in Electrical Engineering or a closely related field.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated expertise in AI/ML, including deep learning, computer vision, LLMs, VLMs, multimodal AI, agentic AI, physics-informed AI, or related emerging technologies.
Research experience applying AI to microelectronics, semiconductor manufacturing, advanced packaging, failure analysis, inspection, metrology, reliability, or related engineering challenges.
Experience with multimodal imaging or characterization techniques such as X-ray/CT, scanning acoustic microscopy, optical microscopy, infrared/terahertz imaging, SEM/FIB, or electrical measurements.
Strong record of peer-reviewed publications and demonstrated potential to develop an externally funded research program.
Experience developing proposals and multidisciplinary collaborations with federal agencies, industry, national laboratories, or academic partners.
Experience mentoring graduate and undergraduate researchers and working effectively in interdisciplinary teams.
Familiarity with large-scale multimodal datasets, computational imaging, digital twins, autonomous inspection, or AI-enabled experimental systems is highly desirable.
Demonstrated potential for technology translation, intellectual property development, industry engagement, and workforce training.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership in establishing and expanding a nationally recognized, externally funded research program at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and microelectronics failure analysis (FA), inspection, metrology, reliability, and advanced manufacturing.
Identify emerging research opportunities and lead the development and submission of competitive proposals to federal agencies, industry sponsors, consortia, and other funding organizations.
Define new research thrusts and long-term technical roadmaps.
Build multidisciplinary proposal teams.
Develop sustained collaborations with academic institutions, government agencies, national laboratories, semiconductor manufacturers, equipment vendors, and other industry partners.
Provide intellectual and technical leadership for interdisciplinary research programs in AI-enabled microelectronics inspection and failure analysis.
Guide projects from concept development and experimental design through model development, validation, deployment, publication, and technology transition.
Build and mentor research teams.
Supervise graduate and undergraduate researchers and research staff.
Contribute to instruction, curriculum development, seminars, workshops, and workforce-training activities.
Disseminate research through high-impact publications and technical presentations.
Advance intellectual property and technology transfer.
Support the continued growth, visibility, and research infrastructure of the laboratory and associated academic–government–industry programs.