Research Associate Professor

Department : Col of Engineering and Computing

Classification : 12-month Research Faculty

Job Category : Research Faculty

Job Type : Full-Time

Work Schedule : Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs / wk)

Location : Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type : Hybrid Eligible

Salary : Salary commensurate with education and experience

Restricted : Yes

Criminal Background Check : Yes

Security Clearance Check : Yes

About the Department :

The Associate Dean’s office is the lead executive office for research in the College of Engineering and Computing. It has significant interaction with other Mason leaders from the President and Provost office and from other Mason units and administrators within the College, including department chairs and center directors.

About the Position :

The Research Associate Professor provides leadership in workforce development research, especially in the national security space to the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC).

The incumbent primarily conducts sponsored research on professional development of engineers, scientists, technologists, executives, and managers working in the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Defense Industrial Base, but also serves as an instructor for professional development and for-credit courses in systems engineering and related fields.

The incumbent is often a project Principle Investigator (PI) or Co-Principle Investigator (Co-PI), but sometimes performs another project role.

Additionally, as a technology leader, strategist, change agent, and innovator, the incumbent advises and supports the CEC Associate Dean for Research (ADR) on engineering workforce development research and related areas.

Responsibilities :

Performs the role of Principle Investigator (PI), Co-Principle Investigator (Co-PI), and senior researcher per Mason policies, including the conduct of objective research that generates independent, high quality, reproducible results and publications.

May also teach courses; and

Advises the Associate Dean for Research (ADR) on workforce development research strategy, especially as it relates to national security, and performs other duties commensurate with the incumbent’s skills, abilities, and seniority that may be assigned by the ADR based on the dynamic and evolving nature of CEC.

Required Qualifications :

• PhD in Systems Engineering or terminal degree in a related field;
• Experience serving as Principle Investigator (PI) for multiple federally sponsored research projects with workforce development focus for Department of Defense (DoD) and Defense Industrial Base;
• Experience working on research with leaders in multiple DoD components;
• Experience teaching part-time for federal agencies and civilian contractors;
• Deep experience in academia post-PhD associated with a major research center such as a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) or consortium;
• Deep knowledge of technical and program management;
• Deep skills in leading and participating in research on developing a technical workforce for DoD and other federal agencies;
• Well known in the Systems Engineering professional community;
• Accomplished speaker at conferences and workshops and well published;
• Accomplished researcher with significant sponsored research awards as PI or Co-PI; and
• US Citizen with the ability to obtain a Secret clearance.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Same experience as above but also for non-DoD agencies and contractors; and
• Active Secret clearance.

Instructions to Applicants :

For full consideration, applicants must apply for the Research Associate Professor at Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter, curriculum vitae, research statement, and transcript.

Posting Open Date : April 26, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by : May 10, 2024

Open Until Filled? : Yes

A Force for Innovation in the Heart of Northern Virginia's Technology Corridor :

About the College

The College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) at George Mason University is a fast-growing force for innovation in research and education.

Ranked nationally in the top 100 in both undergraduate and graduate education, the CEC enrolled a record high of 10,933 students in fall 2023.

The college has 34 undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree programs including several first-in-the-nation offerings.

Of its 320 full-time faculty, 93 are tenured, 77 are tenure-track, 90 are term faculty, and 60 are research faculty. As part of a nationally ranked research university, the CEC research teams expended $65 million in sponsored research awards in the past year and had projects with over $119 million in current and anticipated awards.

The college stands out for its leading research in areas such as artificial intelligence, data analytics engineering, cybersecurity engineering, biomedical imaging and devices, healthcare, autonomous systems, 5G / Next G communications, systems architecture, computational biomedicine, advanced materials and manufacturing, sustainable infrastructure, statistics and more.

The college encourages and supports multidisciplinary research and provides ample opportunity for faculty to work with other disciplines.

About the University and the Region

George Mason University is the largest and most diverse public research university in Virginia, with an enrollment of more than 40,000 students studying in over 200 degree programs.

Mason is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in a range of academic fields. It was classified as an R1 research institution in 2016 by the Carnegie Classifications of Institutes of Higher Education.

The university has campuses in Fairfax, Arlington, and Prince William County. Its proximity to Washington, D.C. provides unmatched geographical access to federal agencies and national laboratories.

Northern Virginia is also home to one of the largest concentrations of high-tech firms in the nation, providing excellent opportunities for interaction with industry.

The region is consistently rated as being among the best places to live in the country and has an outstanding local public school system.

About the Future

In conjunction with Amazon’s decision to establish a second headquarters in Northern Virginia, the Commonwealth of Virginia announced a multi-year plan to invest in the growth of degree programs in computing.

As a result, Mason has committed to accelerate its plans to grow its capacity in computing and high-tech fields. Among the university’s exciting initiatives are the launch of the Institute for Digital Innovation a university think tank and incubator to serve the digital economy and the expansion of Mason Square, home to its Arlington facilities.

In 2025, Fuse, a new 355,000 square foot building, will open to students, faculty, and research teams. This net-zero facility will house the Institute for Digital Innovation, state-of the-art classrooms, labs, and collaborative spaces.

It will also include retail space and leasing opportunities for local businesses. These initiatives reflect hundreds of millions of dollars in new investment by Mason that will rapidly elevate the university’s already leading national position in computing and related areas.