Department Head of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science and Professor

Job Title

Department Head of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science and Professor

Brookings, SD

The McComish Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science ( EECS ) at South Dakota State University ( SDSU ) is seeking dynamic and collaborative leader to serve as the Department Head at the rank of Professor. Depending on the selected candidate’s area of expertise, faculty endowment may also be available. We are looking for a leader who is committed to providing a rigorous and practical educational experience with an emphasis on expanding federally funded research and graduate programs to support South Dakota State University’s R1 Our Way mission, as well as establishing and providing scientific support to local industry and government.

This position is 12-month, full-time, benefits-eligible position, located in Brookings SD and reports to the Dean of the Jerome J. Johr College of Engineering (JJLCOE ). Anticipated start of January 2027. The McComish Department of EECS offers BS, MS, and Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence Engineering, Computer Science; and Electrical Engineering;
Specialization in Power Systems Engineering; and minors in Informatics, Computer Engineering, and Software Engineering. Currently, the department has over 250 undergraduate students, over 50 graduate students, and a vibrant graduate program with external annual funding of approximately $2.5M. The BS program in Computer Science is accredited by the CAC of ABET under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Computer Science and Similarly Named Computing Programs and the BS program in Electrical Engineering is accredited by the EAC of ABET, under the General Criteria and Program Criteria for Electrical, Computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

The department, college, and University provide excellent facilities for cutting-edge research. Several faculty members in the college, including faculty members in the EECS department, have received NSF - CAREER or equivalent awards. Currently, the EECS Department has three endowed faculty positions. The department is committed to providing a rigorous and practical educational experience, with an emphasis on design and problem-solving, conducting world-class research relevant to the region, and providing technical assistance to existing and emerging businesses, industries, and government.

The Department Head will work closely with the Dean and the leadership team of the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering ( JJLCOE ) to promote the land-grant mission and an ambitious agenda to address the world’s grand challenges in the areas of computer science, computer engineering, artificial intelligence, and electrical engineering. The selected candidate is expected to lead the EECS Department in identifying future areas of growth and investment while providing organizational and administrative expertise to the Department and the JJLCOE .

The candidate is expected to steer the growth of the department consistent with SDSU’s refreshed strategic plan titled "Pathway to Premier 2030". The strategic plan includes a goal to elevate SDSU as a research university and pursue a pathway to achieve designation as an R1 Research University by Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. It is imperative that this position maintains an understanding of current and emerging issues in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and Electrical Engineering as defined by rapidly changing workforce needs as well as applied and fundamental research needs in varied yet integrated areas related to cloud computing, machine learning, materials and sensor development, IOT, embedded software, high-performance computing, and the power industry.

This knowledge will guide both research and teaching initiatives within the department. It is the Department Head’s responsibility to lead the faculty in their efforts to provide high-quality service courses at all levels, engage with client departments to determine their course needs, monitor trends in general education and…