Open Positions
- Assistant or Associate Professor, Smart City Infrastructure College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Senior Observatory Scientist, Arecibo Office of Research
- Research Assistant Professor, Human Factors College of Sciences
- Professor and Dean, College of Optics and Photonics College of Optics and Photonics
- Clinician Educator, Assistant, Associate or Professor of Medicine College of Medicine
- Associate or Professor, Kinesiology College of Health Professions & Sciences
“My research goal is to develop computational models and visualizations that analyze the massive amount of data and reduce information overload.”
Dr. Fei Liu
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Joined UCF in 2015 after her postdoctoral fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University
Faculty Cluster Initiative
The strength of this initiative comes from faculty depth, the ability to translate depth across disciplines and the collaboration among deans, directors, chairs and faculty members in every college across campus.
- Cyber Security and Privacy
- Disability, Aging and Technology
- Energy Conversion and Propulsion
- Genomics and Bioinformatics
- Learning Sciences
- Prosthetic Interfaces
- Renewable Energy Systems
- Sustainable Coastal Systems
- Violence Against Women
Why Join UCF?
Cutting-Edge Academics
About UCF
UCF is a thriving pre-eminent research university located in metropolitan Orlando, benefitting from a diverse faculty and staff who create a welcoming environment and opportunities to grow, learn and succeed. With more than 66,000 students, UCF is the largest university by enrollment in Florida and one of the largest in the nation. It has more than 11,000 employees and an operating budget of $1.7 billion. The Washington Post last year showcased how UCF is in “the vanguard of an insurgency that aims to demolish the popular belief that exclusivity is a virtue in higher education” because of our mission of meeting our region’s demand and providing access to high-quality education.
In Fall 2016, UCF’s freshman class had an average SAT two-score of 1262 and average 4.02 high school grade point average. The Burnett Honors College enrolled nearly 1,700 students and the number of incoming National Merit Scholars ranked UCF among the top 40 colleges and universities. Additionally, UCF is one of 49 public universities with the Carnegie Foundation’s highest designation in two categories: community engagement and very high research activity.
UCF’s 13 Colleges
Arts & Humanities
From literature to philosophy to digital media, our faculty members hone their creative skills and enjoy an environment for artistic expression of every kind. We empower faculty to explore their creative interests in everything from music, performing arts, history, women’s studies and more. With 17 departments, as well as new facilities such as our Performing Arts Center, the college embodies forward-thinking teaching and research in arts and humanities.
Burnett Honors College
Students enjoy the intimacy of a small liberal arts college along with the benefits of a large metropolitan research university. Here, faculty teach in interdisciplinary groups and smaller classes, allowing for more discussion and greater interaction. The college is open to students of all disciplines, and admission is competitive. Our Fall 2016 freshman class boasted an average SAT two-score of 1408 and an average high school grade point average of 4.4.
Business Administration
The college is one of the nation’s largest accredited schools of business and home to the DeVos Sport Business Management program, the Kenneth G. Dixon School of Accounting, the Dr. P. Phillips School of Real Estate and the Institute for Economic Competitiveness. The college is involved in helping entrepreneurs and small businesses succeed, and encourages faculty to take part in numerous opportunities to enhance their teaching and research beyond the classroom.
Community Innovation & Education
Through diverse programs and established partnerships, the college is uniquely positioned to develop innovative solutions to complex social issues. Students have opportunities to collaborate with faculty experts across academic areas and engage in community-based experiences throughout Central Florida and beyond. The college focuses on the pillars of thriving, modern cities, such as civic engagement and governing, safety and justice, and health and well-being – all of which are grounded in transformative education.
Engineering & Computer Science
Innovative research, close industry partnerships and a great location make the college highly competitive. UCF is one stop on the Florida High Tech Corridor and a neighbor to industry leaders such as Siemens, Lockheed Martin and Harris, providing faculty members with new research and engagement resources and students with unprecedented internship and job opportunities. The college also is home to new maker labs and three-time national champion cyber defense student team.
Graduate Studies
The college provides leadership and vision for graduate education at UCF. Working with faculty across campus, the college looks at innovative interdisciplinary programs and courses, such as modeling and simulation, conservation biology and nanotechnology. The college helps pair students with unique research opportunities, hosts interdisciplinary speaker series, coordinates internships and organizes graduate community events, including job fairs, orientations and research programs.
Health Professions & Sciences
Home to nationally recognized programs focused on health and wellness, the college offers accredited programs in athletic coaching, athletic training, communication sciences and disorders, physical therapy and social work. Through course work, field experience and interprofessional education, students develop high-demand skills in health care and cultural competency for work with diverse populations.
Medicine
History-making. A national model for medical education. These are just a few of the things people are saying about the college. The Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences is nationally known for its innovative research on everything from Alzheimer’s disease to cancer and heart disease. Our modern southeastern Orlando complex is the heart of Lake Nona’s Medical City, also home to Nemours Children’s Hospital and a new VA Medical Center, as well as the future home for UCF’s recently approved teaching hospital, set to open in 2020.
Nursing
As an active member of Central Florida’s health care community, the college utilizes state-of-the-art technology and community-oriented programs to develop future health care professionals. Clinical excellence and community service are hallmarks of the college, as well as a commitment to increasing access to education through innovative and flexible programs. Faculty research ranges from gerontology, simulation and technology, acute care and physiology and health care self-management.
Optics & Photonics
Comprised of three major research centers – the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL), the Florida Photonics Center of Excellence and the Townes Laser Institute – the college is internationally known for its research and industry partnerships. Here, expert faculty conduct groundbreaking research and advance the science and technology of lights, lasers, fiber optics, imaging systems and smart sensors.
Rosen College of Hospitality Management
Strategically located near Orlando’s International Drive, Rosen College is in the heart of one of the world’s largest and most popular tourism destinations. And it is the perfect lab for hospitality faculty. The college enjoys multiple partnerships with nearby industries and diverse faculty from around the world. Many faculty have served in executive roles in restaurants, hotels, theme parks and other attractions, and have planned major conventions and events.
Sciences
The college is UCF’s largest with 10 departments and schools, as well the National Center for Forensic Science and the Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government. Faculty members have won many national and international awards for research and teaching, are fellows of the American Academy of Sciences, serve as presidents of national scientific societies and act as advisors to international, national and state agencies. Areas of excellence range from anthropology and communication to planetary sciences and political science.
Undergraduate Studies
UCF’s newest college offers innovative learning and research in interdisciplinary studies. The college administers the National Science Foundation-funded EXCEL program to increase student success in freshman and sophomore science and mathematics courses and the McNair Scholars Program designed to prepare first-generation students for doctoral studies. The college also facilitates experiential learning, undergraduate research, advising for pre-health and pre-law students and academic services.
Why Join UCF?
Research in Action
At UCF, We’re Dedicated to Faculty Success.
One of UCF’s priorities is strengthening its faculty by adding world-class researchers and scholars, and ensuring the success of each member in the classroom, the research lab and beyond.
From teaching technologies and professional development to research mentoring and work-life balance, UCF faculty are supported across campus through a variety of offices and centers aimed to help them achieve more.
Faculty Excellence
Faculty Excellence leads university-wide initiatives and programs that strengthen faculty support, encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and inspire faculty excellence to advance research, teaching and scholarship. Services include:
- Evaluation and promotion
- Academic leadership programs and coaching
- Faculty career-life balance
- Awards
- Leave programs
Office of Research & Commercialization
The Office of Research & Commercialization fosters the creation of intellectual capital that can solve today’s pressing problems, improve the quality of life and provide an engine for economic growth. UCF assists faculty in securing funding for their research, award management and, if desired, technology transfer. Services include:
- Proposal development
- Budget preparation
- Institutional Review Board
- Venture accelerator
- UCF Business Incubation Program
Karen L. Smith Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning
The center provides development opportunities for faculty members at all career stages. It helps faculty find resources whether they are considering a new technique in class, conducting research or incorporating technology into their presentations. Services and activities include:
- Development conferences and workshops
- Support for educational research
- Adjunct and graduate assistant training
- New faculty orientation
- Course innovation projects
UCF Libraries
UCF Libraries provide many services for faculty, including course materials, online textbooks, streaming videos, building collections and citation management. UCF has four library locations:
- The John C. Hitt Library
- Rosen Library on our hospitality management campus
- Health Sciences Library at the College of Medicine
- Curriculum Materials Center (PreK-12 materials and resources for future educators)
Center for Distributed Learning
The center provides faculty members with information and support for teaching online. It offers best practices, assistance from instructional designers and tools for interaction and assessment. Services include:
- Course development and production
- Online teacher training
- Data analysis
- Research design
Faculty Excellence Center for Success of Women Faculty
Housed within Faculty Excellence, the center promotes research and offers resources for career-family balance and living and working in Central Florida, in addition to a successful women seminar series, one-on-one mentoring and more. Activities include:
- UCF Faculty Parents Network
- Active mentoring
- Workshops and book club
- Support organizations
“Being around people who are different from us makes us more creative, more diligent and harder-working … “
Diversity Makes Us Smarter
UCF was recently named as a 2016 Diversity Champion by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. Diversity Champions are known for visionary leadership, developing successful strategies and programs, establishing models of excellence and setting the standard for thousands of campus communities. This honor is given to less than 10 institutions in the nation.
Faculty Statistics
doctoral degrees
on tenure-track
Why Join UCF?
Industry Partnerships
About Orlando, Florida
Located in Orlando, one of “… the next big boom towns in the U.S.” according to Forbes magazine, UCF is also in a state with more research parks than theme parks.
Orlando — A Great Place to Work and Live
Orlando has seen rapid growth and economic expansion in recent years and is a center for the life sciences, medical innovation and technological developments. That’s why Orlando ranked No. 3 on Forbes’ 2016 best cities for future job growth and the 2017 No. 2 fastest-growing city in the U.S. And why Fast Company magazine has included Orlando in its list of “Best Cities for Innovation.” Plus the sunshine and warm climate create a perfect environment to live, work and explore.
An Educated Workforce
Each year, UCF graduates 15,000 students. Many stay and enter the workforce armed with an education that translates into greater economic earning power. UCF has 200,000 alumni stay in Florida to work in business, sales or hospitality, or in research areas like nanotechnology, engineering, biomedical sciences or pharmaceuticals. Others go out of state, adding to the growing national reputation of UCF and Orlando.
UCF also helps and works side-by-side with the community on joint projects – from teaching underprivileged children to read to protecting the environment, and from developing health care solutions to finding alternative energy solutions.
Central Florida Perks
Cultural venues such as the Orlando Museum of Art, the Dr. Philips Center for the Performing Arts and the Morse Museum
More than 100 theme parks, including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld
Kennedy Space Center and beautiful beaches a short drive away
Hundreds of lakes and rivers for kayaking, canoeing, water skilling and more
Home to the NBA’s Orlando Magic and one of the newest teams in MLS – Orlando City Soccer Club
Why Join UCF?