About the role
The University of South Florida invites applications for the ReliaQuest Endowed Professorship in AI and Cybersecurity, a senior tenured appointment at the associate professor or professor level with an anticipated start in fall 2027. This is an opportunity for an accomplished scholar to build a nationally visible program at the intersection of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity and to help shape a university-wide and regional agenda connecting research, talent development, industry, government, and national security.
Why Tampa Bay, and why now: Tampa Bay offers an unusual concentration of university, industry, government, and military partners working at the convergence of AI, cybersecurity, and national security. CyberBay brings these sectors together to position the region as a national hub; its inaugural 2025 conference drew more than 800 participants, including attendees from outside Florida. The region is also home to MacDill Air Force Base, U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, and many mission partners. This concentration of expertise and organizations positions the successful candidate to develop durable research programs, workforce initiatives, translational partnerships, and public impact.
About the Bellini College and USF: The Bellini College opened in 2025, supported by Arnie and Lauren Bellini’s $40 million gift, bringing together faculty, students and programs from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. It serves more than 3,000 students and includes 46 tenure-track and 24 teaching faculty members, with undergraduate and graduate programs spanning AI, cybersecurity and computing. Its hub-and-spoke model connects faculty and programs across USF to develop interdisciplinary research and education. Bellini College faculty currently lead $12.8 million in active externally funded research from federal, state, and industry sources. Research infrastructure includes the shared GAIVI GPU cluster, cloud computing options through Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure, and USF’s AWS-supported Secure Research Environment incorporating GovCloud for defense and national security research, complemented by university research computing and technical support.
Cyber Florida at USF, which works closely with Bellini College, provides additional opportunities for research funding and collaboration through its statewide mission to support cybersecurity research and development and its partnerships with government, industry, and defense organizations. The College houses the USF Institute for Artificial Intelligence + X, the Rapid7 Cyber Threat Intelligence Lab, and the Center for Innovation, Technology, and Aging.
USF is a member of the Association of American Universities and reported $531 million in research expenditures for fiscal year 2025
The opportunity. The successful candidate will be expected to sustain a nationally recognized, externally funded research program; lead ambitious collaborative initiatives; advance innovation; strengthen and expand the cohort of early-career researchers; contribute to undergraduate and graduate education; and translate scholarship into impact through partnerships with industry, government, and community organizations. Through the stature and resources of the endowed position, the appointee will be well positioned to convene talent across USF and the region, shape new research and educational directions, mentor the next generation of scholars and leaders, and catalyze programs and partnerships with lasting impact for the Bellini College, USF, and the Tampa Bay region.
Application materials: Applicants must submit a single PDF containing: (1) a cover letter describing their interest in the position and the opportunity they would pursue at USF; (2) a curriculum vitae; (3) a statement of research accomplishments and future agenda, including plans for collaboration and external funding; (4) a statement of teaching and mentoring; and (5) the names and contact information of at least three references.
Review timeline. For full consideration, applications should be received by 12/15/26. Review will continue until the position is filled. Questions and confidential inquiries may be directed to the search chair Dr. Larry Hall at lohall@usf.edu.
Qualifications: Applicants must hold a doctorate in computer science, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, computer engineering or a closely related field and have a record that meets USF’s requirements for appointment with tenure at the proposed rank. Candidates should demonstrate a distinguished scholarly record, sustained success in securing competitive external funding, evidence of research leadership and collaboration, and a record of teaching and mentoring appropriate for a tenure-track appointment at the associate professor or professor level. Evidence of developing collaborations across disciplines or with external partners is particularly relevant.
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with its highest overall ranking in university history, as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in the highest tier, placing it as one of the top 16 medical schools in the nation and inside the top 10 among public universities. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $750 million in research funding in 2025 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of nearly $10 billion for the state of Florida. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.