Job Description

The Assistant Professor of Music Technology will serve as a full-time, tenure-track faculty member housed in the Music program in the School of Performing Arts within the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design (AAD).

The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and, as appropriate, graduate courses with an emphasis on engineering technology for applications in music and audio, including topics such as audio signal processing, human-computer interaction, user interface design, embedded and real-time systems, software development, measurement and analysis, and spatial audio. The ideal candidate will lead the development of new courses and learning experiences in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for audio and music platforms. The faculty member will maintain an active research and/or creative agenda commensurate with tenure expectations, mentor students, contribute to recruitment and outreach, and collaborate across AAD and with campus partners such as the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT).

Virginia Tech’s Music Technology area is growing and features advanced studio and lab resources supporting spatial audio (e.g., 7.1.4 Atmos-capable monitoring, 24.2 Dante), critical listening, acoustics, and project-based learning. The program offers multiple degree pathways and hands-on experiences, providing the environment for engineering-forward pedagogy and research that bridges the arts and technology.

Specific duties and responsibilities of the position include:

Teaching: Offer courses across the music-technology curriculum with emphasis on engineering technology. Supervise capstones, applied research, and technical practicums.

AI/ML Curriculum Leadership: Lead the design and delivery of courses in artificial intelligence and machine learning for audio and music platforms (e.g., MIR, machine listening, deep learning for audio, dataset curation/ethics, responsible generative practices) and integrate AI across the curriculum.

Research & Creative Activity: Sustain a nationally visible research/creative agenda in music engineering technology; disseminate through peer-reviewed publications, performances/installations, releases, software/hardware artifacts, and grant-seeking.

Facilities & Technical Operations: Contribute to the supervision and maintenance of music-technology facilities (studios and labs), including equipment specification, lifecycle planning, calibration, and student technical training aligned with best practices in safety and accessibility.

Student Mentorship & Advising: Advise majors/minors; supervise undergraduate research and internships; mentor students toward career-centered outcomes in engineering technology for music.

Recruitment & Outreach: Support recruitment and portfolio/audition processes; engage in outreach with schools, industry partners, and professional societies (e.g., AES).

Service & Collaboration: Serve on School/College/University committees; collaborate across AAD—particularly with Architecture and Design colleagues on projects in acoustics, auralization, and spatial audio—and with campus partners such as ICAT.

About the School of Performing Arts
The School of Performing Arts (SOPA) joins the School of Architecture, School of Design, and the School of Visual Arts in comprising the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design (AAD), which launched in July 2022. SOPA offers programs in music, theatre, and cinema at the graduate and undergraduate level. Programs are delivered in Virginia Tech’s Creativity and Innovation District, which concentrates 11 performance spaces within a three-block area on the Blacksburg campus. Performance venues range from the 1,300-seat Moss Arts Center to a 101-seat experimental theatre. For more information about the music program and School of Performing Arts, visit sopa.vt.edu.

Required Qualifications

Terminal degree by start date: Ph.D. in Music Technology or a related field (e.g., Electrical/Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Acoustics), or D.M.A., M.F.A, or other terminal degree with demonstrated expertise in music engineering technology.

Active research and/or creative practice that aligns with music engineering technology.

Commitment to academic excellence and the ability to work effectively with learners from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.

Preferred Qualifications

Excellence in teaching foundational and advanced topics in music technology with an engineering emphasis.

Experience in curriculum and program development related to music technology.

Certified proficiency with professional toolchains and languages.

Experience with incorporating AI and/or Machine Learning into music applications.

Experience with acoustics and spatial audio.

Experience overseeing studios/labs and coordinating student technical crews for concerts/recitals, with an emphasis on systems maintenance, safety, and best practices.

Experience collaborating across arts-and-engineering contexts.

Materials Submission

For full consideration, interested applicants are to submit:

• Cover letter addressing qualifications and a vision for an engineering-forward, AI-infused music-technology curriculum within the framework of a comprehensive music program.
• Curriculum vitae.
• Teaching statement (maximum 2 pages) and optional supporting evidence (syllabi, sample assignments, student work).
• Research/creative statement (maximum 2 pages).
• Names and contact information for three references.
• A one-page personal statement of teaching philosophy including the candidate's ideas for supporting an educational environment consistent with the Virginia Tech Principles of Community.

Overtime Status

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

Salary range is $70,000 - $90,000 per year

Hours per week

40 +

Review Date

January 5, 2026 - Review of submissions will commence on this date and continue until position is filled

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.