Unleash Your Potential With Us
As a next-generation public research institution, we are an inclusive community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to shape the future and solve the world’s most challenging problems. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you become an integral part of our mission to become a university for the future. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with uniquely talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses and regional locations. That means greater challenges to tackle, more meaningful opportunities to grow, and rewarding experiences that go beyond a paycheck.
The Opportunity
The University of Central Florida (UCF) has established several interdisciplinary faculty research clusters to strengthen its academic offerings and research mission. In support of this effort, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) invites applicants for two (2) full-time, 9-month faculty positions at the rank of assistant professor (tenure-earning) or associate professor or professor (tenured) for the university research center on Resilient, Intelligent, and Sustainable Energy Systems (RISES). These positions will carry a rank commensurate with the candidate’s prior experience and record.
All candidates whose research is at the forefront of energy systems, resilience, and sustainability will be considered. The technical fields of specific research interest for the two positions include, but are not limited to:
(1) Reliable DERs for Grid Integration:
The selected candidate must exhibit extensive expertise in the reliability of inverter-based resources. This individual should have a strong understanding of the various failure modes and degradation mechanisms common to inverters, micro-inverters, and DC optimizers, and be able to work on solutions to improve reliability and lengthen the operational lifetime of these components. This will likely require a strong background in power semiconductor materials and devices, power electronics, failure mode analysis, data analytics, and various applications of inverter-based resources (e.g., PV, EVs, wind). The selected candidate should be proficient in the design, characterization, and modeling of the various devices and components that make up inverters and have strong connections to top research groups and companies working in this area. Prior experience in national laboratories, industry, or a large research institute is highly preferred.
(2) Resilience of Energy Systems:
The selected candidate will be someone who can creatively use multidisciplinary tools from network theory, optimization, and nonlinear dynamics to analyze interdependent energy systems and develop innovative metrics and methodologies for resilience enhancement. Examples of resilience analysis include quantification of interdependence, identification and characterization of cascaded and common-mode failures, determination, and impact analysis of uncommon but impactful events, mitigation and response strategies for real-time operation, long-term planning, and investment strategies for hardening, etc. Interests and experiences in interdisciplinary, human-centric, and community-based research on resilience are highly desired.
The positions have an anticipated start date of August 8, 2024. Each interdisciplinary hire will be expected to strengthen the RISES Center and the tenure home department, ECE, in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. They will have research impact as reflected in high-quality publications and the ability to build a well-funded and sustainable research program. We are looking for team players who can further enhance our strong campus-wide efforts in energy systems research. The positions will carry ranks commensurate with the candidate’s prior experience and record.
Minimum Qualifications:
An earned doctorate or an equivalent foreign degree from an accredited institution in an area appropriate to the RISES center at the time of appointment. The selected candidate must also have a record of high impact research related to energy systems demonstrated by a strong scholarly and/or funding record.
To obtain tenure upon hire, the selected candidate must have a demonstrated record of teaching, research, and service commensurate with rank in a department/school related to the candidate’s area of expertise.
Preferred Qualifications:
Past work experience in a national lab and/or industry is desired.
A history of working with research teams, especially teams that span multiple disciplines, is a strongly preferred qualification.
Prior work experience with energy storage systems is highly preferred.
Additional Application Materials Required:
UCF requires all applications and supporting documents to be submitted electronically through the Human Resources employment opportunities website, https://www.ucf.edu/jobs/. In addition to the online application, candidates must upload: 1) a cover letter, 2) a current curriculum vitae, 3) a teaching statement, 4) a research statement, and 5) a list with contact information for three (3) professional references. In the cover letter candidates must address their background in research and scholarship in or related to the areas noted in the job description above. Applicants should also specifically highlight their interdisciplinary approach to research.
Please have all the documents listed above ready when applying so they can be simultaneously uploaded. Once the online submission process is finalized, the system does not allow applicants to submit additional documents later.
NOTE: Upon completion of your application, you will see a confirmation screen and be asked to answer some questions regarding the type of work you will perform at UCF. Do not close out of the application before answering these questions.
The selected candidate will be required to submit official transcripts (and, as applicable, U.S. degree equivalency evaluations) documenting the conferral of their qualifying academic credentials.
Questions regarding this search should be directed to Dr. Aleksandar Dimitrovski at adimitrovski@ucf.edu.
Job Close Date:
Open until filled.
Note to applicants: Please keep in mind that a job posted as ‘Open until filled’ may close at any time without notice. As such, we encourage you to submit your application and all required documentation as quickly as possible to ensure consideration for the posted position.
Are Benefits Important to You?
Working at UCF has its perks! In addition to helping drive change and having a positive impact by supporting our students, staff, and faculty, UCF offers:
- Benefit packages including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, healthcare flexible spending accounts, and an Employee Assistance Program.
- Paid time off, including annual and sick leave and paid holidays.
- Retirement savings options.
- Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando area attractions.
- Education assistance.
- Flexible work environment.
And more…For more benefits information, go to ‘Prospective Employees’ on the UCF Human Resources website (https://hr.ucf.edu/).
Who Are We?
Founded in 1963 to fuel the region’s talent pipeline and support the growing U.S. space program, UCF is built to make a better future for our students and society. It’s one of the reasons U.S. News & World Report ranks UCF among the nation’s top 20 most innovative colleges, while Forbes, Kiplinger, and The Princeton Review rank us a best-value university. UCF is one of 14 universities nationwide designated as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution and a Research 1 university. With 13 colleges, including a fully accredited College of Medicine, UCF offers more than 240 degree programs between its main campus, downtown campus, hospitality campus, academic health sciences campus, and 11 UCF Connect centers located throughout the region. In addition, UCF extends its reach to communities in and beyond Central Florida by offering complete, online programs leading to bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, Ph.D.'s., certificates, and more.
The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer. Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.
Additional Requirements related to Research Positions
Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of higher education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.
The additional screening requirements only apply to employment in research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty positions (including employed visiting positions), graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, postdoctoral scholar positions, and undergraduate positions.
Department
College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) - Electrical and Computer Engineering
Work Schedule
Varies
Type of Appointment
Regular
Expected Salary
Negotiable
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
As an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, UCF encourages all qualified applicants to apply, including women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and members of traditionally underrepresented populations. UCF's Equal Opportunity Statement can be viewed at http://www.oie.ucf.edu/documents/PresidentsStatement.pdf.
As a Florida public university, UCF makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.
The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.
