Occupational Summary
A Professor of the Practice (at the Assistant or Associate level) who will provide leadership
to design and implement a Robotics and Autonomy masters degree program in the MEMS
department of the Pratt School of Engineering. This program will be distinct from the current
masters concentrations found here: mems.duke.edu/masters.
The ideal candidate will serve the Department in two capacities: 1) design, implement, and
sustain a graduate-level master’s degree and parallel certificate programs in the general
area of autonomous systems, leveraging Duke expertise in controls, AI/ML, robotics, IoT,
and 2) teach advanced courses in autonomous systems and robotics, with physical and
virtual student work.
Teaching duties include a series of project-based robotics courses covering any or all of the
following, with team-teaching being an option: 1) mechanisms and actuators, 2) sensors and
microcontrollers, 3) perception and planning, 4) artificial intelligence, learning and adaptive
systems, and 5) optimal control.
Work Performed
Key to this faculty position is development and leadership of the Robotics and Autonomy
master’s program, including coordination of courses across MEMS, ECE and CS. Teaching
duties will consist of three courses per year, including new course development essential for the
program, with reduced teaching load early in the appointment, which will begin in Fall 2022.
Graduate and undergraduate student mentorship and advisement is expected within the context
of this course for projects aligned with the core mission of the department. It is expected that
externally-visible course outcomes are also disseminated broadly. Scholarly activities outside
the classroom are encouraged including, but not limited to, industry collaborations, publications
in robotics and autonomous systems, engineering education research, or other similar
outcomes. Interaction with industrial partners is strongly encouraged to provide practical input to
the program and provide sources for student internships.
Required Qualifications at this Level
Education/Training: A PhD in Mechanical Engineering or closely-related field focused
on robotic design, fabrication, and/or control.
Experience:
1. The successful applicant will have extensive experience in electromechanical system design for robotics, along with simulation, control, and optimization.
2. Candidates with design and prototyping experience are especially encouraged to apply.
3. Teaching experience or mentoring is favorable (undergraduate and/or graduate); course evaluations are to be provided in application materials.
Skills: Simulation with MATLAB/Simulink, Python, machine learning, ROS. Physical prototyping expertise with modern desktop manufacturing tools, experience in virtual teaching, extensive background in project-based learning pedagogies, and a rack record of commitment to inclusive teaching to diverse groups.
The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties
and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.
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provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.
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