Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor in Non-Combustion Reaction, and Data Analytics /AI (RISES)

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, we invite candidates for two (2) tenure-earning assistant professor, tenured associate professor, or tenured professor positions with the university research center on Resilient, Intelligent, and Sustainable Energy Systems (RISES). The positions have an anticipated start date of August 8, 2026. 

These are interdisciplinary positions that will be expected to strengthen both the RISES Center and a chosen tenure home department and may include a combination of joint appointments. A strong advantage of this position is the ability of the candidate to choose multiple units for their joint appointment in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the College of Sciences, or both.

All candidates whose research are at the forefronts 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:

Position # 1- Sustainable Energy Systems: Non-Combustion (Host Department: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering):

An ideal candidate will have extensive expertise in pathways for novel processes of electric power generation and storage that do not involve combustion. The selected candidate should be proficient in process design, characterization, and modeling of low carbon electricity generation technologies that ensure access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable power for all. We seek candidates with a strong foundation in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer, and energy systems engineering, and a demonstrated research record in non-combustion-based electric power generation and/or energy storage.

Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to:

• Advanced nuclear energy systems, including small modular reactors (SMRs), microreactors, molten salt reactors, liquid metal reactors and high-temperature gas cooled reactors, especially those supporting grid resilience.

• Hydrogen production and storage, particularly hydrogen derived from nuclear or natural gas with carbon capture (blue hydrogen).

• Thermal energy storage and high-efficiency heat exchangers for industrial and grid-scale applications.

• Electrochemical systems, including next-generation batteries and fuel cells for defense, aerospace, and critical infrastructure.

• Energy generation and storage systems modeling, optimization, and control, with emphasis on reliability, affordability, and national security.

• Experimental platforms for high-temperature, high-pressure energy systems.

• Risk-informed design of energy infrastructure.
   

Candidates should demonstrate the ability to lead an independent, externally funded research program and contribute to interdisciplinary collaborations. A strong record of peer-reviewed publications, mentorship, and engagement with industry, national laboratories, or large-scale research initiatives is highly desirable. Experience with computational tools (e.g., CFD, FEA, system-level modeling) and/or experimental platforms for energy systems is expected.

Position # 2 - Machine Learning and AI for Energy Systems (Host Department: Computer Science and possibly Electrical and Computer Engineering Department):
 

An ideal candidate would have extensive experience applying modern machine learning techniques to solving complex problems within the energy systems. The candidate should have a strong foundation in deep learning techniques (including convolutional neural networks, recurrent neural networks and multi-head attention models). An experience with specialized foundation models is a plus.

Areas of interest include but are not limited to:

• Energy market and load/generation forecasting, including short- and long-term demand prediction, renewable generation forecasting (solar, wind, hydro) under uncertainty, spatiotemporal modeling for distributed energy systems, energy markets, transfer learning and domain adaptation for data-scarce regions and integration of weather, mobility, and socioeconomic data for predictive modeling.

• Distributed infrastructure resource management, including data-driven modeling and coordination of interdependent infrastructure systems and their subsystems (such as networks of transportation, gas, electricity grid), multi-agent reinforcement learning for distributed coordination and demand response optimization using AI.

• Distributed infrastructure system optimization, such as real-time optimization of interdependent infrastructure and energy systems using AI and advanced control methods, hybrid physics-informed and data-driven modeling and control for stability and flexibility.

• Energy system resiliency research, including detection of faults and cyber-attacks, outage prediction under extreme conditions, resilient cybersecurity solutions, and self-healing algorithms.
   

Candidates should demonstrate not only extensive experience in deep learning, reinforcement learning, and unsupervised learning but also evidence in interdisciplinary, human-centric, community-based, and data-driven research on energy systems.

Successful candidates 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.

UCF is one of the nation’s largest universities with a diverse student body of nearly 70,000 students and has grown substantially in size, quality, diversity, and reputation. Today, the university offers more than 240 degree programs. In 2019, UCF was officially recognized as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education and a "Green College" by the Princeton Review for our efforts in sustainability and environmental responsibility. UCF's students represent all 50 states and over 120 countries. UCF is in a centralized location that is 30 minutes to Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando and 60 minutes to the beach. UCF has 16 sports teams, including football, soccer/futbol, tennis, volleyball, and 600+ cultural, academic, and social student clubs and organizations all led by faculty mentors. In addition, UCF has several associations for faculty and staff, among them, the Black Faculty and Staff Association (BFSA), the Latino Faculty and Staff Association (LaFaSA), and the PRIDE Faculty and Staff Association. UCF received the 2019 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, which recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

The Carnegie Foundation has classified UCF as an R1 Doctoral University for its high research activity and community engagement. This past fiscal year, UCF brought in nearly $205M. The RISES center is one of nation’s very top university research centers as measured by federal funding. For the fifth consecutive year, UCF has been recognized among the nation’s most innovative universities according to U.S. News & World Report while Kiplinger’s and The Princeton Review have ranked UCF as one of the nation’s best values for a college education.

UCF is an economic engine, attracting and supporting industries vital to the region’s future while providing students with real-world experiences that help them succeed after graduation. UCF’s Orlando location also puts it at the center of the Florida High Tech Corridor. The corridor has an excellent industrial base that includes software, defense, space, simulation and training, and a world-renowned entertainment industry. Adjacent to UCF is a thriving research park that conducts over $2 billion in funded research, hosting more than 100 high-technology companies and UCF’s School of Modeling, Simulation, and Training. UCF also has an accredited medical school which was established in 2006 and is a neighbor to the VA, Nemours, and the UCF Lake Nona Medical Center, all of which have a strong interest in sustainable energy systems research and demonstration. Great weather, easy access to the seashore, one of the largest convention centers in the nation, and one of the world’s best airports are just a few features that make Orlando an ideal location. We encourage you to learn more about UCF at http://www.ucf.edu/faculty.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A Ph.D.  or foreign degree equivalent 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.

• In order to obtain tenure upon hire, the selected candidate must have a demonstrated record of teaching, research and service commensurate with rank in the tenure department.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Past work experiences in a national lab and/or industry are desired.

• A history of working with 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 be submitted electronically through the Human Resources employment opportunities website, https://www.ucf.edu/jobs/. In addition to the online application, interested candidates should upload the following:

• A curriculum vitae.

• A letter of interest describing qualifications for the position, such as research agenda and teaching experience/interest. In the letter candidates must include:

  • their background in research and scholarship in or related to the areas noted in the job description above.

  • specifically highlight their interdisciplinary approach to research.

  • specify which position they are applying to and which department they plan to reside. 

• A teaching statement.

• A research statement.

NOTE: Please have all documents ready when applying so they can be attached at that time. Once the online submission process is finalized, the system does not allow applicants to submit additional documents later.

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. Zhihua Qu at qu@ucf.edu.

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

Candidates need to specify in their cover letters which position they are applying to and which department they plan to reside. 

Sponsorship for employment-based visas will only be considered under exceptional circumstances and is not guaranteed. Preference will be given to candidates who are currently authorized to work for any employer in the United States.

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 you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you’ll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you’ll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills and you’ll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Working at UCF has its perks! UCF offers:

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program. 
• Paid time off, including annual (12-month faculty) and sick time off and paid holidays.
• Retirement savings options. 
• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions. 
• Education assistance.
• Flexible work environment. 
• And more…For more benefits information, view the UCF Employee Benefits Guide click here.

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 education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.

The additional screening requirements only apply to research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty, graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, post-doctoral positions, undergraduate positions, visiting assistant professors, and visiting research associates.

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Type of Appointment

Expected Salary

As a Florida public university, the University of Central Florida makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.  

UCF is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer. 

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 407-823-1336 or email onac@ucf.edu.

For general application or posting questions, please email talent@ucf.edu.