Assistant Professor: Semiconductor Innovation

Portland State University invites applications for two tenure-track assistant professor positions in a coordinated cluster hire on the co-design of semiconductor devices, circuits, and computing architectures with and for artificial intelligence. Appointment at the rank of associate or full professor may be considered for candidates with exceptional records. Each successful candidate will select a tenure home in the Department of Physics, the Department of Chemistry, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, or the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.

The tenure home is negotiated at the time of offer, and promotion and tenure review resides in the home department under criteria agreed in writing by the participating departments before the search concludes.

The positions anchor Portland State’s role in the Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology (FAST) NSF Regional Innovation Engine and in the new university Semiconductor Innovation and Nanoscience Center (SINC). PSU co-leads the FAST research thrust on advancing chip co-design with AI automation and contributes to the thrusts AI in metrology and test, and AI for design validation and verification. You are expected to build on current faculty expertise and resources and facilities of the new SINC center, which includes the Center for Electron Microscopy and Nanofabrication (CEMN), PSU’s shared facility for nanoscale imaging, metrology, and fabrication.

Exceptional candidates may be considered to direct SINC. As an ideal candidate, you can think, design, simulate, and build across the entire compute stack.

Instructional Activities

We consider teaching and student learning our core mission; excellence in all teaching is expected. The teaching load at present is up to 24 credits per year, although this may vary depending on research activity and home department. Specific courses will be assigned by the Home Department Chair after consulting with you and other faculty in the department. Initially, your teaching responsibilities will be less than the normal load.

You will be assigned a regular teaching load thereafter, with the possibility of course buyouts.

Research/Scholarly Activities

The position will establish externally funded, internationally visible research programs consistent with the theme above; teach undergraduate and graduate courses in the home department; supervise doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate researchers; and provide service to the department, the university, and the profession. You are expected to establish and maintain an active research program aligned with FAST and SINC priorities. You are expected to obtain external research funding, supervise undergraduate and graduate student research, and disseminate the results and findings of your research in peer-reviewed journals and conferences.