Virginia Tech’s College of Architecture, Arts and Design invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor in Immersive Healthcare Experiences with an anticipated start date of August 10, 2027. We seek a nationally recognized scholar, designer, and educator whose work advances the design, development, and evaluation of immersive and human-centered experiences in healthcare and health systems.

This position is part of Virginia Tech’s Smart Healthcare Hub (based in Roanoke), and will contribute to the growth of interdisciplinary research, innovation and teaching at the intersection of immersive technologies, healthcare simulation, digital health, experience/experiential design, operations, and human-centered systems. The successful candidate will join a highly multidisciplinary and collaborative environment that values innovation, experience/experiential learning, translational research, and community engagement. This candidate will have their tenure home in any of the four schools within the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design--School of Architecture, School of Design, School of Performing Arts, or School of Visual Arts (based in Blacksburg)--as aligned with the candidate’s disciplinary expertise.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate expertise in immersive technologies and environments—including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), extended reality (XR), simulation, spatial computing, visualization, digital twins, interactive media, or experience/experiential design—with a focus on improving healthcare delivery, patient and clinician experiences, healthcare education, and/or operational performance. A successful candidate will have an active research, scholarship and/or performance portfolio that is focused on healthcare improvement. This individual will be expected to lead and/or be an active participant on different research and scholarly projects in this field.

Position Responsibilities

Research and Scholarly Activity
● Establish and sustain an independent and externally funded research program focused on immersive healthcare experiences, either as lead or collaborator.
● Conduct innovative research and/or creative scholarship related to immersive environments, healthcare operations, digital health, simulation, patient engagement, workforce training, human factors, clinical workflow design, or healthcare systems innovation.
● Collaborate across disciplines including healthcare, engineering, architecture, design, computer science, media arts, public health, and operations.
● Disseminate scholarly and creative work through peer-reviewed publications, exhibitions, performances, digital products, and national/international presentations.
● Build partnerships with healthcare systems, industry, community organizations, and research collaborators.

Teaching and Mentorship
● Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in immersive experience/experiential design, XR technologies, human-centered design, digital visualization and/or healthcare innovation or similar as aligned with the successful candidate’s interests.
● Develop interdisciplinary curricula that integrate immersive technologies with healthcare applications and experiential learning.
● Mentor undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students in research, creative inquiry, and applied innovation projects.

Service and Leadership
● Participate in departmental, college, and university service activities.
● Contribute to the strategic development of the Smart Healthcare Hub.
● Support interdisciplinary collaboration across academic and clinical units.
● Engage in professional service and leadership within relevant academic, healthcare, and technology communities.
The College of Architecture, Arts, and Design (AAD) at Virginia Tech brings together faculty from across the visual arts, performing arts, architecture, and design fields in an interdisciplinary environment grounded in experiential learning, creative exploration, and collaborative problem solving. With programs and facilities in Blacksburg and Northern Virginia, as well as global learning opportunities through the Steger Center for International Scholarship in Switzerland, AAD offers dynamic spaces for teaching, research, creative practice, and community engagement. Guided by the college’s strategic pillars of community, growth, wonder, and connection, AAD is committed to cultivating a respectful, student-focused, and service-oriented community where faculty and staff work together to advance creativity, discovery, and the public good.

● Master’s degree (MArch, MFA, or MDes) in a relevant field such as Architecture, Design, Digital Media, Experience/ Experiential Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or related discipline by the appointment start date.
● Evidence of scholarly, creative, or applied professional achievement.
● Demonstrated potential for excellence in teaching and student mentorship.
● Ability to collaborate effectively across disciplines and with external stakeholders.
● Strong communication and organizational skills.
● Commitment to inclusive excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, and student-centered learning.

● Doctoral degree in allied field such as Architecture, Design, Digital Media, Experience/ Experiential Design, or Human-Computer Interaction
● Experience developing or evaluating immersive healthcare experiences in clinical, educational, operational, or community settings.
● Expertise in one or more of the following:
o Experience/Experiential design
o VR/AR/MR/XR development
o Simulation-based education
o Human-centered design
o Digital twins
o Interactive storytelling
o Visualization and rendering
o Game engines such as Unity or Unreal Engine
o Motion capture or virtual production
o Service design
o AI-enabled immersive systems
● Experience securing external funding or participating in sponsored research.
● Evidence of interdisciplinary research or creative collaboration.
● Experience partnering with healthcare systems, simulation centers, or industry collaborators.

For full consideration, candidates are to submit the following:

• Cover letter addressing the position’s responsibilities and qualifications. 
• Curriculum vitae. 
• Portfolio depicting 10 projects maximum (pdf of 20 pages max or a pdf with weblinks)
• 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.
• Statement describing the candidate’s research and/or creative scholarship agenda. 
• Names and contact information for at least three professional references. 

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Regular

Salary range is $75,000-135,000 per year, as dictated by rank and discipline/field

40+

Monday, January 11, 2027

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

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance.  These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.