Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department of the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering at Rowan University invites applications and nominations at the Assistant/Associate/Full Professor level to help lead and grow research in our Virtual Reality (VR) Center.

About The Rowan Virtual Reality Center

Rowan University’s Virtual Reality Center’s team of experts creates innovative virtual reality and augmented reality applications. The Center offers a one-of-a-kind collaborative environment built to support cutting-edge research by the University’s students, faculty, and community for nonprofit, government, and corporate clients.

The VR Center is equipped with numerous fully immersive CAVE(R) environments, an array of virtual reality and augmented reality head-mounted systems, 3-D digitizers, and 3-D printers. A custom-designed immersive lab that features a 7-foot-high by a 40-foot-wide curved wall of screens and provides room for up to 25 people to work together on 3-D applications is the centerpiece of the VR Center.  Over $15M of R&D projects have been sponsored by the National Science Foundation, NASA, FAA, US Army, US Navy, US Economic Development Administration, US Department of Energy, Elekta AB, and others.

The VR Center facilities are located at the South Jersey Technology Park on the West Campus of Rowan University and the Joint Health Sciences Center in Camden, New Jersey.

In executing projects, the VR Center has partnered with faculty from a variety of disciplines, including those in engineering, the humanities, social sciences, communications, medicine, fine arts, performing arts, science, and mathematics.  The Center is involved in developing and offering various AR/VR-related ECE technical electives, as well as Rowan’s first general education course that combines a multidisciplinary team of faculty from engineering, the humanities, and the arts. The Center is also involved in various outreach activities.

About This Position

While this is envisioned as a senior-level position, qualified candidates at all levels are welcome to apply. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related area, and an established track record of sponsored research, publications, and advising Ph.D. students in the areas of virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. Candidates with cross-cutting research interests that cover a broad spectrum of AR/VR applications are particularly encouraged to apply, so are candidates with experience in industry and government relations for sponsored research.

Ideal candidates are those who also embrace interdisciplinary collaborations, work with multi-disciplinary student and faculty teams, are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and have excellent communication skills.

Successful candidate will

• Advocate for and publicize VR Center within and outside of Rowan University,
• Seek and obtain external funding to enhance the VR Center’s established excellence in sponsored research,
• Conduct high-quality research and publish research work in highly regarded conferences and journals,
• Help the ECE Department develop and offer innovative AR/VR related curriculum components,
• Mentor and advise undergraduate and graduate students.
• Supervise student research and entrepreneurial efforts in Rowan’s hallmark Engineering Clinic sequence.

About Rowan University, College of Engineering and The ECE Department

Located in southern New Jersey, in the greater Philadelphia metro area, Rowan University is a comprehensive public institution with 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in fifteen colleges and schools, including two medical schools: Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine.

A national leader in engineering education, the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering was founded in 1995 and quickly gained national recognition for its innovative multidisciplinary, project-based approach to engineering education.  Since 2017, Rowan Engineering doubled both its full-time faculty and student population and started the engineering Ph.D. programs.  We also opened the doors of Engineering Hall, the new home of the ECE Department, and completed a full renovation of our original home, Rowan Hall. These projects tripled our available space and provided the College with state-of-the-art research and teaching facilities.  The College currently enrolls over 1,800 undergraduate and graduate students in six departments and is home to four research centers, including the ECE’s Virtual Reality Center.

Our new focus on providing more research experience to our students and faculty is helping us enhance our research infrastructure and capabilities. We are also developing our South Jersey Technology Park and Joint Health Sciences Center in Camden, New Jersey for expanded industry collaboration and entrepreneurial activities, provide more funding for graduate assistants, and offer substantial and competitive start-up funds to all new tenure-track faculty.

The ECE Department has significant expertise in smart sensors, embedded systems, microgrid, signal & image processing, next-generation computer architecture, wireless and optical communications, machine learning, advanced imaging, power systems, aerospace systems and other fields.

How to Apply

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. For full consideration, applications should – at a minimum – include the below-listed items,

• cover letter summarizing qualifications and the applicant’s interest in the position,
• current detailed CV, highlighting the candidate’s expertise and proven track record for externally funded research in advanced visualization, and AR/VR systems
• statement of research interests, including applicant’s future research goals, and plans for obtaining external funding for achieving those goals,
• names and contact information for three to five references,
• a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) statement highlighting the candidate’s reflections on DEI issues,
• Optionally, any additional relevant documentation (such as copies of up to two key publications, pictures of facilities or links to videos of research presentations) may be submitted in an Appendix.

Applications are only accepted online at the Rowan University job site at this link:  https://jobs.rowan.edu/en-us/job/496881/open-rank-tenuredtenuretrack-position-department-of-electrical-and-computer-engineering-advanced-visualization-and-virtual-reality

Questions can be directed to polikar@rowan.edu, Dr. Robi Polikar, Department Head, Electrical & Computer Engineering. Additional departmental information can be found at http://www.rowan.edu/ece.    

Rowan University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, age, ancestry, nationality, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, disability status, liability for military service, protected veteran status, affectional or sexual orientation, atypical cellular or blood trait, genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing), or any other category protected by law. For the complete Rowan University non-discrimination and affirmative action policy see: https://sites.rowan.edu/hr/_docs/home_page/eeo_policy_statement.pdf

All positions are contingent upon budget appropriations.