Employment Opportunities

The National Security Institute is a fast-growing center at Virginia Tech, and currently supports over 100 faculty, staff, and graduate students. Virginia Tech, which ranked in the top 30 of Forbes' America’s Best Employers for New Grads list and the third-highest ranked educational employer on the list, is committed to developing well-rounded employees who are active members of the university community as well as the community at-large. From comprehensive insurance plans to tuition assistance, Virginia Tech offers employees a variety of benefits and perks.

We are always looking for additional talent to support our programs as faculty, researchers, program managers, and administrative professionals. Opportunities exist both at the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, and at the Virginia Tech Research Center in Arlington, Virginia. We primarily seek US citizens and permanent residents to support our defense-funded research projects.

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Research Assistant Professor, Research Associate Professor, Research Professor , redirect
The Virginia Tech National Security Institute is looking for applicants for this pooled position in Blacksburg, Virginia. This position serves as a research staff member of the Hume Center, within one of its three research laboratories: Mission Systems Division, Information Systems Division, or Spectrum Dominance Division. Specific responsibilities include the following: (1) support the execution of university sponsored programs by conducting research and development; (2) author technical documents and publish peer-reviewed academic papers; (3) support the development of new funded research programs by participating on proposal teams and supporting the business development activities of VTNSI; (4) mentor students engaged in experiential learning programs; (5) advise graduate students pursuing advanced degrees; and (6) occasionally teach courses.
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Research Faculty Open Rank, SDD , redirect
The Virginia Tech National Security Institute is seeking multiple motivated applicants to join as Research Faculty to support our Spectrum Dominance Division (SDD). The winning candidates can expect highly competitive salary and benefits in a university setting. This pooled position is focused on individuals with expertise in any of three key technology areas to support a growing portfolio of programs: (1) Digital communications, signal processing, software-defined radio, and machine learning techniques applied to temporal data, such as RF I/Q streams, audio, or video (2) Quantum information science and engineering, with emphasis on quantum algorithm development using current and/or near-term quantum computers (3) Computational electromagnetics, with emphasis on electromagnetic materials, interactions between EM behaviors/propagation, and manufacturing / testing of EM materials. Requires Masters or PhD degrees depending on positions open.
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Research Associate, SDD , redirect
The Virginia Tech National Security Institute’s (VTNSI) Spectrum Dominance Division (SDD) is seeking to fill an early- or mid-career research associate position, joining our team for various technical areas including but not limited to: threat weapon system analysis, reverse engineering design, and cognitive radar and electronic warfare (EW) algorithm development. To help achieve the overarching aspirations of VTNSI, and the specific technical goals of the SDD, we are looking for applicants with expertise in radar, EW, antenna design and analysis, AI/ML techniques, and reverse engineering. Prior professional experience in these areas is not a prerequisite but at least some academic or hands-on background is required. Given the nature of the research and requirements from federal sponsors, the candidate must be a US citizen and will be required to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance. An earned Master’s degree or an earned Bachelor’s degree and significant experience in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related STEM discipline to the position summary is also required. Must have prior experience with radio frequency (RF) applications, specifically in radar or EW. Must be able to convey technical research and analysis through effective communication.
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Research Engineer, SDD , redirect
The Virginia Tech National Security Institute’s (VTNSI) Spectrum Dominance Division (SDD) is seeking to fill an early-career research engineering position, joining our team for various technical areas including but not limited to: threat weapon system analysis, reverse engineering design, and cognitive radar and electronic warfare (EW) algorithm development. To help achieve the overarching aspirations of VTNSI, and the specific technical goals of the SDD, we are looking for applicants with an interest in radar, EW, antenna design and analysis, AI/ML techniques, and reverse engineering. Prior professional experience in these areas is not a prerequisite but at least some academic or hands-on background is required. Given the nature of the research and requirements from federal sponsors, the candidate must be a US citizen and will be required to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance. An earned Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related STEM discipline to the position summary is required.