Rolls-Royce Commonwealth Professor

Job Description

The Department of Computer Science at Virginia Tech is seeking exceptional candidates for the Rolls-Royce Commonwealth Professorship in the College of Engineering. This endowed position will recognize a distinguished faculty member at the full professor rank, who will have the opportunity to provide visionary leadership in the department, college, and university and shape the future of research and teaching in the areas of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML). We especially encourage applicants with expertise in AI for science, including but not limited to physics-informed ML, knowledge-guided ML, explainable AI, foundation models for scientific domains, surrogate modeling, hybrid-science-ML modeling, multi-scale and multi-fidelity modeling, inverse modeling, statistical downscaling, discovery of scientific theories from data, and ML-assisted optimization of scientific simulations.

The Department of Computer Science is in a period of rapid growth and expanding opportunity. We seek candidates motivated to contribute to a collegial, interdisciplinary community with a strong tradition of fundamental and applied research and innovative teaching. The department currently has 81 faculty members, including 63 tenured or tenure-track faculty, and 19 NSF CAREER awardees; our academic programs serve over 1,500 undergraduate majors and over 800 graduate students.

Virginia Tech is a public land-grant university, committed to teaching and learning, research, and outreach to the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the world. Building on its motto of Ut Prosim (that I may serve), Virginia Tech is dedicated to InclusiveVT—serving in the spirit of community, diversity, and excellence. Virginia Tech actively seeks a broad spectrum of candidates to join our community in preparing leaders for the world. The College of Engineering undergraduate program ranks 13th and graduate program ranks 30th among all U.S. engineering schools (USN&WR). The Mission of the College of Engineering is to educate and inspire our students to be critical thinkers, innovators and leaders. Our core values are inclusiveness, excellence, integrity, perseverance and stewardship.

This position is located at Virginia Tech's main campus in Blacksburg, VA, in an area consistently ranked among the country's best places to live. Our program in the Washington, D.C., area is also expanding rapidly, with Virginia Tech's exciting new Innovation Campus in Alexandria, VA, slated to open in 2024.

The successful candidate will have a doctoral degree in computer science or a related field at the time of appointment, a rank-appropriate record of academic accomplishments and a proven ability to work collaboratively; a commitment to interdisciplinary research and instruction; and a willingness to expand disciplinary boundaries to address complex technical and societal challenges. Tenure-track faculty are expected to initiate and develop independent research that is internationally recognized for excellence, conscientiously mentor research-oriented graduate students, teach effectively at both graduate and undergraduate levels, and serve the university and their professional communities.

Applicants must apply online at jobs.vt.edu: application materials include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and contact information for at least three references. In addition, applicants must provide a research statement and a statement of teaching and mentoring philosophy (up to 3 pages each) including the candidate’s ideas for supporting an equitable and inclusive educational environment consistent with the Virginia Tech Principles of Community; specific examples of experiences, activities, and plans will help us identify candidates who can support and extend our university’s commitment to inclusive excellence. The position requires occasional travel to professional meetings. Review of applications will commence on November 20, 2023 and continue until the position is filled. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Dr. Ali Butt at

The department fully embraces Virginia Tech’s commitment to increase faculty, staff, and student diversity; to ensure a welcoming, affirming, safe, and accessible campus climate; to advance our research, teaching, and service mission through inclusive excellence; and to promote sustainable transformation through institutionalized structures. Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law. If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation, please contact Joe Morgan at

Required Qualifications

- An earned PhD in Computer Science or closely related field at the time of the appointment and a rank-appropriate record of scholarship and collaboration in computing research.

- Record of significant research accomplishments (e.g. publications) and rank-appropriate record of professional service.

- Ability to contribute to the department's teaching mission, at both graduate and undergraduate levels.

Preferred Qualifications

- Demonstrated interest in collaborative research in fields represented by department's existing faculty or planned hiring.

- Demonstrated ability and willingness to work collaboratively with faculty from a variety of disciplines.

- Contributions to improving the diversity of the discipline and experience in working effectively with a diverse student population.

- Recognition of research excellence as demonstrated by e.g. best paper or society awards.

- Instructional experience in higher education.

Appointment Type

Regular

Review Date

11/20/2023

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges , a school of medicine , a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School , and Honors College . The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers . A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.