Tenure-Track Positions in AI/ML for Agriculture and Forestry Systems Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor - Fall 2026 (1/2)

Description

The Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) is seeking candidates for two tenure-track faculty positions at the assistant, associate, or full professor level in artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) with applications to agriculture and forestry systems. These positions are part of strategic cluster hires in the Resilient Agriculture and Forestry Systems (RAFS) and Plant Ecosystem Resilience in a Changing Environment (PERCE) clusters, which aim to address critical challenges in food security and environmental sustainability through data-driven solutions.

We seek exceptional candidates with expertise in AI/ML who can develop innovative computational solutions to address challenges in agricultural and forestry systems. Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to: precision agriculture technologies, remote sensing and geospatial imaging, multi-sensor data fusion, IoT and sensor networks for environmental monitoring, autonomous agricultural systems, disaster risk assessment and mitigation, predictive modeling, and data analytics for agricultural decision support systems.

Candidates will be expected to (1) establish and maintain an internationally recognized, externally funded research program; (2) actively participate in interdisciplinary collaborations within the RAFS/PERCE clusters and across the university; (3) publish high-impact scholarly research; (4) teach undergraduate and graduate courses in computer science, computer engineering, or electrical engineering; (5) mentor graduate and undergraduate students; and (6) contribute to departmental, college, and university service.

Research Context and Opportunities

The RAFS and PERCE clusters represent a major institutional investment in sustainable and resilient agriculture and forestry systems. Faculty hired through this search will have access to:

• Ten UT AgResearch and Education Centers across Tennessee, providing real-world testbeds for agricultural technology deployment
• State-of-the-art computing resources, including high-performance computing clusters and GPU resources for AI/ML research
• Strong partnerships with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, including access to supercomputing facilities and collaborative research opportunities
• The AI Tennessee Initiative, providing interdisciplinary connections and resources for AI research and education
• Collaborative opportunities with faculty across EECS, Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science (BESS), Entomology and Plant Pathology (EPP), Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries (FWF), and other departments
• Access to extensive agricultural and forestry datasets from statewide research stations and industry partners

Information about the University, College, Department, and Knoxville

UTK is the state’s flagship campus and leading research institution with a strong partnership with the nearby Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), where many UTK faculty have ongoing joint positions and/or joint research projects. As a strategic investment, UTK is leading the AI Tennessee, a research and education initiative by the State and the University to engage with academic, industry and community partners across Tennessee to leverage the benefits of AI across all disciplines and economic sections.

The Tickle College of Engineering (TCE) is in the midst of an unprecedented period of growth and success, including adding over 30 new faculty to the college as part of ambitious hiring campaigns led by Chancellor Donde Plowman and Dean Matthew Mench. The college has set records in research expenditures, enrollment, incoming student GPA, intellectual property development, and USNWR rank in the past three years. New facilities include the state-of-the art Zeanah Engineering Complex, the University of Tennessee Manufacturing and Design Enterprise (TN-MADE) facility, and the Innovation South building now under construction that will house UTK’s Fibers and Composites Manufacturing Facility (FCMF).

TCE currently has 203 tenure/tenure track and 79 non-tenure track faculty in its nine academic departments and offers 11 undergraduate, 16 MS, and 15 PhD/DE degree programs. Affiliated with TCE and located in Tullahoma, Tennessee, the UT Space Institute is a hub of aerospace and defense research. The college is also home to eight research centers and three interdisciplinary institutes. With approximately 4,300 undergraduate and 1,500 graduate students, the college sits 29th among public universities in the most recent U.S. News and World Report graduate rankings. Faculty in the college have won 29 early career awards (NSF, DOE, DARPA, AFOSR, and ARO) since 2016. In FY24, the college had annual