Assistant/Associate Professor (Cyber Science)

LOCATION:

Cyber Science Department, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD

APPLICATION TIMELINE:

This position does not have a specific application deadline. Review of applications will begin on January 6, 2027 and continue until the position is filled.

ABOUT THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY:

The United States Naval Academy is a unique institution of higher learning located in beautiful downtown Annapolis, Maryland.  As a service academy and premier undergraduate college, the United States Naval Academy has its own distinctive niche amongst American higher education institutions. Our talented faculty and staff are united by a common purpose--to develop the next generation of officers to be exceptional leaders in our naval service.

Every year more than one million people tour "the Yard" to experience what our employees already know — the United States Naval Academy is a special place, with a special purpose. Employees will find challenging and rewarding work; state-of-the-art facilities which inspire academic and athletic excellence; the benefits of Federal employment; and exceptional quality-of-life.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The U.S. Naval Academy invites applications for a full-time faculty position in the Department of Cyber Science, beginning in Fall 2027. Preference will be given to applicants at the Assistant Professor rank, although candidates at the Associate Professor rank will also be considered.

The Department welcomes applicants with teaching, research, or professional expertise in either technical cybersecurity and cyber operations or cyber law and related legal and policy disciplines.

Technical cybersecurity candidates should be proficient in computer programming, including familiarity with Python and C, and should have teaching or research experience in one or more areas such as Computer Architecture, Embedded Systems, Operating Systems, Web and Database Security, Networking, Cryptography, or Artificial Intelligence.

Cyber law candidates should have teaching, scholarly, or professional experience in one or more areas such as Cybersecurity Law, National Security Law, Privacy and Data Protection, Cybercrime, International Law Governing Cyber Operations, or Cybersecurity Policy and Regulation.  Programming proficiency is not required for candidates specializing in Cyber Law. Applicants are not expected to possess expertise in both technical cybersecurity and cyber law.

The Cyber Science Department at USNA is highly interdisciplinary, and our faculty are trailblazers for initiatives that advance cybersecurity education. These initiatives include a rapidly growing Cyber Operations major that is both ABET-accredited and designated as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations (CAE-CO) and Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) by the National Security Agency, and a brand new, state-of-the-art building to support multidisciplinary cybersecurity education and research.  Because of our position as a service academy and our collaborative activities within the military and government cybersecurity and intelligence communities, we provide a unique opportunity for our faculty to work with cybersecurity thought leaders from all over the world, and to impact an important program with a substantial global impact. In 2019, an overview of our program was published in IEEE Computer: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8677342

Cyber Operations has become a top priority for the Department of Defense, which increasingly relies on technology and cyberspace for warfighting capability, command and control, critical information exchange, and administrative needs. As a result, there is a growing demand for the United States Naval Academy to produce leaders with the appropriate awareness and skills to meet the nation’s operational cyber needs.

Preference is given to applicants for the Assistant Professor position, but the committee will also consider applicants for the rank of Associate Professor.  Salary and appointment to an academic rank will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

• Teaching and developing undergraduate courses focused on Cyber Operations, including technical cybersecurity courses or courses addressing cyber law and related legal and policy issues, as appropriate to the faculty member's expertise. Faculty can expect approximately 10 contact hours per semester.
• Conducting academic research or scholarship in the areas of Cyber Operations, cybersecurity, or Cyber Law. Faculty are expected to maintain an active scholarly agenda and publish in recognized outlets appropriate to their discipline, including peer-reviewed technical publications, law review articles, books, and other established forms of academic scholarship.
• Demonstrating a strong commitment to mentoring undergraduate students in the classroom and through research or scholarly activities.

Candidates should demonstrate an interest in and understanding of cybersecurity or cyber operations, with relevant teaching, research, scholarly, or professional experience. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, network security, systems security engineering, industrial control systems security, reverse engineering, cryptography, secure software development, web and database security, cybersecurity law, national security law, privacy and data protection, cybercrime, and legal frameworks governing military cyber operations.

This is an onsite, 10-month compensation model, excepted service federal position with an initial appointment of approximately 3-years, along with the anticipation of renewal, and opportunity for academic promotion to advanced rank. We offer a highly competitive salary, and full federal benefits.  The ability to fill this position is contingent upon the availability of funding.

• Pay Band: AD-01 / AD-03 / AD-05
  • AD-03 - Will be dependent on degree standing at time of start date.
• Approximate Starting Salary or Approximate Starting Salary Range: $125,000 - $150,000
  • Based on 10-month compensation model
• Final salary will be determined based on:
  • Experience and qualifications of the selected candidate

MINIMUM AND PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• An earned terminal degree appropriate to the candidate's area of specialization. For Cyber Law candidates, this includes a Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.), or equivalent terminal degree in law or a closely related field with demonstrated legal expertise relevant to cybersecurity or cyber operations. For technical cybersecurity candidates, this includes a Ph.D. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning or a closely related field. Anticipated completion of the terminal degree before June of 2027, or 60 days prior to start of appointment, is acceptable.

Preferred Qualifications (we are particularly interested in candidates who have experience or demonstrated interest in some or all of the following areas):

All Candidates:

• An active or developing research or scholarly agenda relevant to cybersecurity, cyber operations, or cyber law.
• University-level teaching experience, particularly at the undergraduate level.
• Experience or interest in mentoring undergraduate student research and scholarly projects.
• An interest in interdisciplinary collaboration and the education of future military officers.

Cyber Law Candidates:

• Demonstrated scholarship or professional expertise in legal issues related to cybersecurity, cyber operations, or national security.
• An ability to teach undergraduate courses addressing Cyber Law, National Security Law, Privacy and Data Protection, Cybercrime, and the domestic and international legal frameworks governing cyber operations.
• A record of, or demonstrated potential for, scholarly publication in law reviews, academic journals, books, or other recognized legal or interdisciplinary scholarly outlets.
• Experience or demonstrated interest in the intersection of law, technology, and national security, including relevant legal practice, government service, policy development, or interdisciplinary research.

Technical Cybersecurity Candidates:

• A terminal degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science, Computer Security, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a closely related technical discipline.
• Demonstrated research accomplishments or potential in a technically focused area of cybersecurity.
• An ability to teach a variety of technical courses in the program, such as Python Programming, Data Structures, Computer Architecture, Embedded Systems, Operating Systems, Web and Database Security, Networking, or Cryptography.

• Teaching Demonstration 
• Presentation of the candidate's research, legal scholarship, or broader scholarly agenda
• On-campus interviews
• Executive-level interview
• Reference Checks

HOW TO APPLY FOR POSITION:

Interested candidates should send application packages to Cyber Science Search Committee, at usna-cyber-science-faculty-search-2027-group@usna.edu

• Cover Letter
  • Please clearly indicate your status as a U.S. citizen in the cover letter, as this is required for the position.
• 2 - page resume (we can only accept resumes up to two pages in length)
  • This document must be sufficient on its own to assess whether the candidate meets all “Required Minimum Qualifications.”
• Contact information for three professional references 
• Supplemental materials 
  • Full list of scholarly products
  • Teaching statement
  • Description of research plan
  • Any additional information candidate would like to submit

Candidates should consider submitting a response to the narrative questions found here. Please note you will need to include the announcement number listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Please note: This position does not have a specific application deadline. Review of applications will begin on January 6, 2027 and continue until the position is filled. The ability to fill this position is contingent upon the availability of funding.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• Two-year trial period will typically be required. 
• Background Investigation: All Civilian Positions at USNA are subject to a background investigation. These investigations are conducted to ensure that individuals hired are trustworthy, of good conduct, and reliable. The selected candidate will be subject to a security investigation leading to successful completion of a background investigation with a favorable adjudication. The selectee's failure to meet this requirement will be grounds for termination. More information about the background investigation process can be found at the Academic Dean and Provost’s website here https://www.usna.edu/Academics/Faculty-Information/Background-Investigation-Info.php. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: