Professor of Information Technology, Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence job at Victoria University

Position Summary

The Professor of Information Technology, with specialisation in Software Engineering or Artificial Intelligence, will provide strategic academic leadership in teaching, research, innovation, industry engagement, and postgraduate supervision within the Faculty of Science and Technology. The position requires an internationally recognised scholar with strong expertise in contemporary computing disciplines, particularly software systems development, intelligent systems, machine learning, data science, generative artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, or related digital technologies. The successful candidate will contribute to the advancement of competency-based and industry-responsive education, strengthen research output and innovation ecosystems, attract external funding, and support the University’s vision of becoming a leading digital-age university in Africa.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Academic Leadership

• Provide academic and intellectual leadership in Information Technology, Software Engineering, or Artificial Intelligence.
• Lead curriculum development and periodic review of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
• Promote competency-based, project-based, and industry-integrated learning approaches.
• Develop innovative teaching and assessment strategies aligned with digital transformation trends.
• Mentor junior academic staff in teaching excellence, research, publication, and career development.
• Support accreditation, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance activities.

Teaching and Learning

• Teach undergraduate and postgraduate courses in areas such as:
  • Software Engineering
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Machine Learning
  • Data Science
  • Cloud Computing
  • Cybersecurity
  • Mobile and Web Application Development
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Systems Analysis and Design
• Supervise undergraduate projects, master’s dissertations, and doctoral research.
• Integrate emerging technologies and digital tools into teaching and learning.
• Develop high-quality learning resources, laboratory exercises, and online learning materials.

Research and Innovation

• Conduct high-impact research leading to publications in internationally recognised peer-reviewed journals.
• Establish and lead research clusters in Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, or related computing fields.
• Secure research grants, consultancy projects, and collaborative partnerships.
• Promote interdisciplinary and applied research addressing African and global challenges.
• Lead innovation initiatives, incubation programmes, hackathons, and technology transfer activities.
• Build partnerships with technology companies, research institutes, government agencies, and international collaborators.

Industry and Community Engagement

• Strengthen university-industry collaboration in digital technologies and innovation.
• Provide technical and policy advisory services to government, industry, and civil society.
• Promote entrepreneurship, start-up development, and digital innovation ecosystems.
• Support student employability through internships, industrial placements, and professional networking.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Participate actively in Faculty, Senate, and University committees.
• Contribute to strategic planning, programme growth, and institutional development.
• Support student recruitment, retention, and academic advising.
• Contribute to institutional visibility and internationalisation initiatives.

PERSON SPECIFICATIONS

Academic Qualifications

• Earned PhD in Information Technology, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, or a closely related discipline from a recognised university.
• Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in relevant computing disciplines.
• Professional certifications in relevant areas will be an added advantage.

Experience

• At least 10 years of university teaching, research, and academic leadership experience.
• Evidence of successful supervision of postgraduate students at master’s and doctoral levels.
• Strong record of scholarly publications in reputable indexed journals.
• Demonstrated experience in attracting research funding and managing funded projects.
• Experience in curriculum development and quality assurance in higher education.
• Evidence of collaboration with industry or technology ecosystems.

Research and Scholarly Expectations

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Generative AI and Large Language Models
• Data Science and Big Data Analytics

The candidate should demonstrate expertise in one or more of the following areas:

• Software Engineering and Agile Systems Development
• Internet of Things and Smart Systems
• Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics
• Cloud and Distributed Computing
• Blockchain and Financial Technologies
• Human-Centred Computing
• Educational Technologies and Learning Analytics

Key Competencies

• Strong leadership and strategic thinking skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• High level of digital literacy and technological adaptability.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Commitment to innovation, ethical conduct, and academic excellence.
• Ability to work collaboratively in multicultural and interdisciplinary environments.

Key Performance Indicators

• Quality and quantity of scholarly publications.
• Research grant acquisition and project delivery.
• Postgraduate supervision completion rates.
• Curriculum innovation and programme development.
• Industry partnerships and community engagement.
• Student satisfaction and graduate employability.
• Contribution to institutional ranking and visibility.

• Provide academic and intellectual leadership in Information Technology, Software Engineering, or Artificial Intelligence.
• Lead curriculum development and periodic review of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
• Promote competency-based, project-based, and industry-integrated learning approaches.
• Develop innovative teaching and assessment strategies aligned with digital transformation trends.
• Mentor junior academic staff in teaching excellence, research, publication, and career development.
• Support accreditation, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance activities.
• Teach undergraduate and postgraduate courses in areas such as: Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Mobile and Web Application Development, Human-Computer Interaction, Systems Analysis and Design.
• Supervise undergraduate projects, master’s dissertations, and doctoral research.
• Integrate emerging technologies and digital tools into teaching and learning.
• Develop high-quality learning resources, laboratory exercises, and online learning materials.
• Conduct high-impact research leading to publications in internationally recognised peer-reviewed journals.
• Establish and lead research clusters in Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, or related computing fields.
• Secure research grants, consultancy projects, and collaborative partnerships.
• Promote interdisciplinary and applied research addressing African and global challenges.
• Lead innovation initiatives, incubation programmes, hackathons, and technology transfer activities.
• Build partnerships with technology companies, research institutes, government agencies, and international collaborators.
• Strengthen university-industry collaboration in digital technologies and innovation.
• Provide technical and policy advisory services to government, industry, and civil society.
• Promote entrepreneurship, start-up development, and digital innovation ecosystems.
• Support student employability through internships, industrial placements, and professional networking.
• Participate actively in Faculty, Senate, and University committees.
• Contribute to strategic planning, programme growth, and institutional development.
• Support student recruitment, retention, and academic advising.
• Contribute to institutional visibility and internationalisation initiatives.

• Strong leadership and strategic thinking skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• High level of digital literacy and technological adaptability.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Commitment to innovation, ethical conduct, and academic excellence.
• Ability to work collaboratively in multicultural and interdisciplinary environments.

• Earned PhD in Information Technology, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, or a closely related discipline from a recognised university.
• Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in relevant computing disciplines.
• Professional certifications in relevant areas will be an added advantage.
• At least 10 years of university teaching, research, and academic leadership experience.
• Evidence of successful supervision of postgraduate students at master’s and doctoral levels.
• Strong record of scholarly publications in reputable indexed journals.
• Demonstrated experience in attracting research funding and managing funded projects.
• Experience in curriculum development and quality assurance in higher education.
• Evidence of collaboration with industry or technology ecosystems.
• Expertise in one or more of the following areas: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Generative AI and Large Language Models, Data Science and Big Data Analytics, Software Engineering and Agile Systems Development, Internet of Things and Smart Systems, Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics, Cloud and Distributed Computing, Blockchain and Financial Technologies, Human-Centred Computing, Educational Technologies and Learning Analytics.