Assistant Professor in Vision Engineering

Position Description

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Vision Engineering
Brandeis University - Waltham, Massachusetts

About Brandeis: Brandeis University combines the best traditions of a research-intensive (R1) university with a strong emphasis on teaching, characteristic of a liberal arts college. Our suburban campus in Waltham, MA is part of the dynamic academic science & technology environment of the greater Boston area. As part of our ongoing commitment to interdisciplinary excellence, we have spent the last three years developing new project-based Engineering classes, building new facilities, and recruiting Engineering faculty, culminating in the launch of a new Engineering Science program in Fall 2026. This program embeds Engineering faculty within our world-class Science departments, fostering research, education, collaboration and innovation at the intersection of engineering, the sciences, and the liberal arts.

Position Description: We are seeking applications for a tenure-track faculty position in the broad area of vision science and engineering at the Assistant Professor level who will contribute to shaping the future of this exciting new academic program. This faculty member will hold the “Pepose Family Vision Science & Vision Engineering Professorship”. We are particularly interested in candidates who will establish an independent research program in “vision engineering”, with topics ranging from, but not limited to, the optics of the eye and the circuits that process visual information, the development of new optical and imaging methods with applications in science and engineering, computational and artificial vision, applications at the brain-machine interface, and even perception itself, including psychophysics, display and measurement systems, and the engineering of controlled visual environments.

We are looking for candidates who are enthusiastic about collaborating with our roughly sixty life scientists and engineers across Biology, Psychology, Neuroscience, Physics, Computer Science, and Chemistry. The successful candidate will have a dual appointment in the Engineering program and an appropriate science department, and their teaching will be devoted to the Engineering program. They will have the opportunity to recruit students from multiple Ph.D. programs, including Neuroscience, Psychology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, Applied Math, and others across the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology. The salary range for this position is $100,000-120,000 (nine-month academic salary), commensurate with experience.

The successful candidate will join our growing team of engineers in an innovative and inclusive undergraduate Engineering Science major that is truly integrated in the sciences and liberal arts, and prepares students for graduate studies or diverse careers in engineering and professional fields. The role involves teaching core Engineering courses, upper-level courses in the candidate’s area of expertise, collaborating extensively with faculty across the University to enhance the curriculum, and participating in ABET certification: https://www.brandeis.edu/arts-sciences/new-initiatives/engineering/index.html

Qualifications: Candidates should possess a Ph.D. in Engineering or have significant Engineering experience, with a demonstrated record of research productivity in the area of vision science and engineering. We expect the successful candidate to establish a robust, externally-funded research program, participate in interdisciplinary collaborations, and engage in scholarly publication. The candidate should be passionate about inclusive undergraduate engineering teaching in collaboration with the sciences and liberal arts.

Opportunity and Impact: At Brandeis, we believe that collaboration between engineers and scientists is vital for driving innovation. Engineers bring technical expertise to translate scientific discoveries into practical technologies, while scientists provide visionary insights that inspire cutting-edge engineering solutions. Together, we can accelerate research breakthroughs and expand the boundaries of possibility. This position offers a distinctive opportunity to shape the future of research and teaching at Brandeis, contributing engineering thinking and tools to our creative and interactive scientific community.

Application Process:

First consideration will be given to applications received by December 15th, 2026 and will continue until the position is filled. The position will start on July 1, 2027, or on a mutually agreeable date thereafter, pending budget approval. Applicants should submit a detailed curriculum vitae, a statement of teaching interests, a research plan, a statement of the broader impacts of their engineering research, teaching, and advising, and contact information for three referees to AcademicJobsOnline at https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/33376

The broader impacts statement should briefly summarize the social impact of the applicant's research, teaching, and advising, their perspective on the responsibilities of engineering programs in the 21st century, and ideas for how to broaden the community of engineers at Brandeis and beyond.

The university’s pay ranges represent a good faith estimate of what Brandeis reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of posting. The pay offered to a selected candidate during hiring will be based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience and education/training, internal peer equity, and applicable legal requirements.

Brandeis University is an equal opportunity employer which does not discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religious creed, gender identity and expression, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, genetic information, disability, caste, military or veteran status or any other category protected by law (also known as membership in a "protected class").

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.