Western Carolina University
Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering
About WCU: Western Carolina University continues to rank high on Forbes 'Best Employers' lists each year. Including:
- 2025 – Ranked 1st in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes 'America's Best Employers by State' list.
- 2024 – Ranking in the top 8.5% on Forbes 'America's Best Midsize Employers' list, WCU was ranked 34 out of the top 400 employers across all industries.
- 2023 – Ranked in the top 20% on Forbes 'America's Best Midsize Employers' list, WCU was ranked 97 out of the top 500 employers across all industries.
- 2022 – Ranked 14th in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes 'America's Best Employers by State' list.
Western Carolina University is the UNC system's westernmost campus and has been consistently ranked as one of the top 15 public regional institutions in the South.
Employees of WCU are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other resources, policies and programs to ensure a happy and healthy work/life balance. Benefit eligible employees have access to dental, vision and health insurance plans – eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.
Eligible employees have access to tuition waivers for up to three courses per academic year; employee may enroll at any of the constituent UNC System campuses. Also offered are free group exercise classes multiple times per week, a discounted membership to the campus recreation center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays and 24 hours of paid community service leave each year. Leave earning employees (staff and 12-month faculty) who work at least half of the working days of their first month of employment will begin accruing vacation and sick leave immediately. Paid parental leave after 12 months of continuous service.
WCU offers an abundance of training and development programs, certifications, workshops and conferences – many of which are offered free of charge.
Position Summary: The primary location of this position is the main Cullowhee, NC campus.
The College of Engineering (COE) at Western Carolina University (WCU) is growing! The University has received substantial support from the North Carolina legislature to expand engineering to meet the rapidly growing needs of the region and state. Our engineering and construction management programs feature project-based learning embedded throughout the curricula, preparing our students for professional practice and advanced study. Industry engagement is a hallmark of our programs, and we pride ourselves on having faculty with significant industry experience. Our culture embraces faculty-student interaction through experiences such as undergraduate research. We are committed to regional economic development and changing the lives of our students and their families through a transformative experience at our main rural campus setting in the mountains of western North Carolina, and at sites in Asheville and across western NC. The college's programs are instrumental to the economic vitality of the region and are advancing the university to be one of the nation's premier regional comprehensive institutions. We are creating leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs with the foundation and skills needed for transformative careers in engineering and beyond.
We are recruiting for a faculty position in Electrical/Computer Engineering (or closely related field) at the Assistant or Associate Professor rank to serve a foundational role in developing and growing programs and research activity within the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. This is a nine-month tenure/tenure-track position. Rank will be determined at point of hire. The anticipated start date is January or August 2027.
Faculty are routinely expected to teach in multiple topic areas at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Faculty candidates with teaching and research expertise in one or more of the following areas are highly encouraged to apply:
- Computer engineering including digital twins, smart and connected systems, edge computing, and industrial cyber-physical systems
- Semiconductor test and reliability engineering including wide bandgap semiconductor devices
- Design, simulation, test, and validation of RF components, circuits, and systems
- Quantum computing and quantum networks
The successful candidate should have an interest and commitment to teaching, scholarship, and professional service to the university and region. Research that engages undergraduate and master's level graduate students are highly encouraged. Many faculty pursue scholarship and applied research with external clients through our nationally recognized Rapid Center. For more information on the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering please visit engr.wcu.edu.
Our Engineering and Engineering Technology programs are accredited by ABET's EAC and ETAC, respectively. The College of Engineering has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a top tier Undergraduate Engineering program for the past several years. WCU also holds inclusive excellence as a core value, and we work together to foster a welcoming community, where all are respected and know they belong.
The successful candidates will be expected to support the University's external engagement mission. Applicants are encouraged to visit the WCU website www.wcu.edu to learn more about WCU.
About the Region:
Western Carolina University (WCU) is a 12,000-student regional comprehensive university in the University of North Carolina system. As the westernmost institution in the UNC system, WCU attracts students from around the globe for its nationally ranked programs, affordability through NC Promise, and exceptional student support. Recognized as a top adventure college and surrounded by the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, students can explore the region's vast natural diversity through unrivaled experiential learning and recreational activities.
WCU offers 120 undergraduate programs and more than 50 graduate programs. The campus is located in the picturesque Cullowhee valley between the Great Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains, midway between Charlotte and Atlanta. WCU is 50 miles west of Asheville, NC, a city with vibrant art, entertainment, food, and culture scenes. The entire region is noted for its excellent quality of life and access to outdoor activities with WCU recently being voted the Top Adventure College in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required for this position: Applicants with experience in more than one area of need will be reviewed favorably. Applicants with teaching experience at the college level, including lab courses, will also be reviewed favorably.
Minimum Qualifications:
- A doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or closely related field is required prior to the starting date.
Preferred Qualifications: Preferred candidates will have one or more of the following:
- Three years of relevant industry experience
- Professional engineering licensure and registration
- Research experience, funded grants, refereed publications, and undergraduate and graduate student supervision
Position Type: Permanent Full-Time
Special Instructions to Applicants: Application materials must be submitted online. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until a candidate has been selected for hire.
Please include the following: letter of application, current CV, statement of teaching philosophy, statement of scholarship plans, list of three professional references with complete contact information, and unofficial transcripts showing degree conferral dates for all degrees at the master's degree level and higher*.
For questions or additional information please contact Dr. Andy Ritenour at aritenour@wcu.edu
*All applicants are required to submit an unofficial transcript of their highest attained degree, showing all completed coursework and the date the degree was conferred. The transcript must state Degree Awarded, Degree Conferred or a similar phrase. For candidates who are ABD, please submit your most recent doctoral program transcript along with your master's degree transcript, if you hold such a degree. The master's degree transcript must have a notation such as Degree Awarded, Degree Conferred or similar phrase, to verify it as your highest completed degree.
AA/EOE
Western Carolina University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; ethnicity; religion; sex; pregnancy; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; national origin; age; disability; genetic information; political affiliation; National Guard or veteran status, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, and policies, and the policies of The University of North Carolina. Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations in the application and interview process please call (828) 227-7218 or email at jobs@email.wcu.edu.
University Safety
The Western Carolina University Annual Safety Report is available online at University Annual Safety Report or in hard-copy by request at the office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, 227 HFR Administration Building, Cullowhee, NC 28723 (828-227-7147) or the Office of University Police, 111 Camp Annex, Cullowhee, NC 28723 (828-227-7301). The report, required of all universities participating in Title IV student financial aid programs, discusses crime statistics, procedures for reporting suspicious or criminal activity, security, police authority, crime prevention strategies, university policies on substance abuse and sexual offenses, workplace violence and fire safety.
To apply, please visit: https://jobs.wcu.edu/postings/35456