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Director of Cybersecurity Programs

Categories: College of Science & Engineering

Position TitleDirector of Cybersecurity Programs

About the University

Western Washington University, with over 14,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 95,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 26 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

About the College

The College of Science and Engineering consists of eight academic departments: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineering and Design, Geology, Mathematics, and Physics and Astronomy. In addition to the academic departments, the college is home to Western’s Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education (SMATE) program. SMATE is dedicated to the recruitment and preparation of future K-12 teachers, and to improving the teaching and learning of science, mathematics, engineering, and computer science. Western has extensively invested in new facilities, instructional innovation, and the recruitment of world-class faculty for the sciences in recent years. Thus, students in the college are engaged in high-quality classroom, laboratory, and hands-on research experiences that foster deep foundational disciplinary knowledge as well as the tools to engage in the creation of new scientific knowledge. The overall mission of Western’s College of Science and Engineering is to promote lifelong learning through state-of-the-art programs that emphasize experiential learning and scholarship, to produce globally impactful discoveries, innovation, and student-engaged research, to provide equitable and inclusive pathways in STEM for students to achieve their career goals in the State of Washington and beyond, and to engage with the broader community by building and sustaining strong regional academic, industrial, and other community partnerships.

The College of Science and Engineering and the Computer Science Department support Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

About the Department

The Computer Science Department has 18 tenured or tenure-track faculty, 15 non-tenure track instructors, and serves approximately 500 majors or pre-majors. During any one quarter, upwards of 1000 students are taking one or more computer science classes. The department offers an ABET-accredited B.S. in computer science, an M.S. degree, B.S. degrees in Data Science and Cyber Security, as well as a CS Education B.A. degree. The department is currently seeking ABET accreditation for Data Science and Cyber Security. The department has a strong history of research collaboration with other disciplines across campus such as Anthropology, Linguistics, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Physics, among others, as well as collaborations with regional tech partners such as the Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL). Collaborations with the Washington Autonomous Vehicle Cluster (WAV-C), and with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), provide additional opportunities for faculty whose specialty is robotics. Faculty-mentored research projects are a hallmark of CS at WWU, which the department and college support in numerous ways, including by funding student and faculty travel to academic conferences to present their co-authored publications.

The Computer Science Department is committed to cultivating equitable and diverse learning and work environments to fulfill Western’s strategic goals of Advancing Inclusive Success, Increasing Washington Impact, and Enhancing Academic Excellence. The department’s on-going efforts include faculty involvement in workshops on inclusive pedagogy and educational research on student success, among others.

Work Life Balance: The department supports a balance between teaching and scholarship, and between life and work. Standards for tenure and promotion are designed with this commitment in mind. Faculty have reasonable yearly teaching loads, which enables them to pursue their scholarship interests via mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students. Above all, high quality engaged instruction is highly valued.

Department Growth: As part of the university’s commitment to cultivate expansion in critical disciplines, Kaiser Borsari Hall was recently built to increase capacity in Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering. The 20,000 square foot facility houses state-of-the-art teaching classrooms, new faculty offices, a showcase robotics lab, as well as student project spaces.

Student culture: The department has a long history and culture of student engagement in faculty-mentored research that is supported by the College. The extent and success of student research is evidenced by several alumni each year proceeding to PhD programs at top institutions. Our undergraduate and graduate students land careers at a wide range of destinations, from top tech companies to startups, to national labs.

Visit our department web page athttps://cs.wwu.edu/for more information.

About the Position

Applications are invited for a Director of Cybersecurity Programs. The position has flexibility for a non-tenure track or tenure-track faculty appointment at the Assistant or Associate Professor level, dependent on qualifications. Faculty hired as Associate Professor can have an expedited pathway to application for tenure. As a member of the Department of Computer Science, the position will have responsibility to oversee academic programs and activities in cybersecurity throughout the university, including on the Bellingham campus, as well as our Poulsbo and Kirkland satellite locations.

The Director maintains WWU’s nationally recognized cybersecurity programs, including the department’s membership in the Department of Defense Cyber Service Academy, and encourages the incorporation of cybersecurity topics and concepts into curriculum and activities across the university. The Director maintains ties with academic, government, and private sector partners to ensure the delivery of quality cybersecurity curriculum. The WWU Cybersecurity BS is the foundation for the WWU’s NSA recognized Center of Academic Excellence, including a demanding technical cybersecurity program. WWU also provides a Cybersecurity Minor, and a Cybersecurity Certificate. The job duties broadly are in support of the cybersecurity program, Center of Excellence, and teaching.

This position is designated as a tenure-track Academic Program Director at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, or as a non-tenure track (NTT) faculty also with Academic Program Director duties, with responsibilities as described below. In addition to the standard nine-month appointment and salary, the Directorship will include an additional month of compensation in order to complete the work responsibilities of the position. The initial period of appointment to the role of Director will be four years, with opportunity for reappointment.

The position has an anticipated start date between January and September 2026.

Academic Program Management:

+ Coordinate the execution of existing curriculum in Cybersecurity, and take a leadership role in the evaluation and modification of curriculum, as well as the design of new programs as needed.

+ Ensure curriculum is mapped and aligned with requirements from the CAE program, NICE, ABET, and ACM.

+ Manage and monitor the assessment program for cybersecurity in support of CAE, ABET, and university accreditation needs.

+ Identify and coordinate the scheduling and staffing of courses for cybersecurity in Poulsbo and Kirkland in coordination with CS department leadership

Student Advising and Support:

+ Review and approve degree and certificate applications.

+ Review and approve exceptions, modifications, and substitutions for students in the programs.

+ Meet with and advise students.

+ Support active and engaged cybersecurity clubs and competition teams.

+ Identify and promote internship and other student opportunities.

Pipeline Development:

+ Coordinate and maintain articulation agreements with partner colleges.

+ Participate in recruitment efforts with partner colleges, high schools, and other opportunities with the goal of increasing enrollment at all locations.

+ Prepare and submit proposals, and manage grants and other opportunities for scholarships, such as Scholarship for Service (NSF), Cyber Service Academy (Cyber Command), etc.

External Relations:

+ Encourage and support the development and delivery of cybersecurity curriculum efforts in programs throughout the university.

+ Coordinate, convene, and meet with an external advisory board for Cybersecurity on a semi-annual basis. Maintain relationships with members of the board between meetings.

+ Coordinate with external employers and partners to create and manage year-long senior projects.

+ Participate in community outreach activities, to include opportunities for K-12, the general public, and employers.

+ Create and lead events and resources for WWU and surrounding community to promote and inform about cybersecurity.

+ Maintain relationships, directly and through the Foundation, with key government and private sector partners including the NSA, DHS, Cyber Command, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Naval Base Kitsap, Cloud Security Alliance, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, etc.

+ Supervise the CAE/CISS websites and other communication platforms.

+ Identify, prepare, submit, and manage grants for research and capacity building with various government and industry sources.

+ Develop and coordinate research consortiums with other Universities and Colleges both inside and external to the CAE program.

Teaching:

+ Teaching three courses per academic year, with primary teaching responsibilities onsite at the Bellingham campus.

+ Advise senior projects.

Research - for tenure-track hire only:

+ Develop a research program that involves undergraduate and/or graduate M.S. students.

+ Advise and supervise undergraduate and graduate students on research projects culminating in peer-reviewed publications.

Required Qualifications

+ For tenure-track appointment, an earned Ph.D. (by time of application) in Cybersecurity or related field is required. For non-tenure track appointment, an earned MS, PhD, or ABD (by time of application in Cybersecurity or a related field, is required.

+ Experience, knowledge and research in Cybersecurity

+ Experience in teaching at the University Level

+ Experience or interest in outreach and professional speaking.

+ Experience or interest in writing and managing grants.

+ Experience or interest in developing a vision for the evolution of cybersecurity curriculum in response to changes in the discipline.

+ For appointment at the Associate Professor level (tenure-track), a research record and demonstrated evidence of successful teaching commensurate with standards for promotion to those ranks in the department.

Preferred Qualifications

+ Experiences with developing and maintaining an NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD).

+ Experience in managing and maintaining an ABET accredited degree.

+ National or International reputation in cybersecurity education with participation in academic service at a national level.

+ Industry Experience in Cybersecurity

Conditions of Employment

Must be able and willing to travel to the Poulsbo and Kirkland locations as needed, potentially as often as once weekly, in addition to being primarily based out of Bellingham.

All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, includingProof of Rubeola Measles Immunity (https://policy.wwu.edu/POL-U1300.01-Requiring-Proof-Of-Rubeola-Measles-Immunity) within 60-days of hire. Please reach out [email protected] you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations.

Salary

The starting salary range for the 9-month assistant professor appointment, tenure-track is generally between $100,000-$110,000, with placement within the position’s salary range being based on qualifications and professional experience. The entire salary range for this rank is $100,000 - $110,000.

The starting salary range for the 9-month associate professor appointment, tenure-track is generally between $105,000-$115,000. The entire salary range for this rank is $105,000 - $120,000.

For both assistant and associate professor appointments, there is a 10% salary increase accompanying tenure.

The starting salary range for the 9-month non-tenure track (NTT) professor appointment is between $100,000-$110,000, with placement within the position’s salary range being based on qualifications and professional experience. The entire salary range for this rank is $100,000 - $110,000.

For the above salary ranges, the upper end of the salary range is typically being achieved through collectively bargained salary adjustments.

In addition to the standard academic year 9-month salary, one month of summer salary is provided to support the responsibilities associated with the Directorship. The summer month will be paid at the same rate as the academic year monthly salary.

Appointment into either an NTT-position, or into a tenure-track assistant or associate professor position, will be determined based on qualifications and discussions among the candidate, department leadership, and administration.

Relocation assistance (https://policy.wwu.edu/POL-U5410.08-Providing-Relocation-Compensation) may be available per University guidelines. Salary and Start-up funds are to be determined upon being offered the position.

Benefits InformationBenefits Overview for Faculty Positions (https://hr.wwu.edu/files/2022-06/Benefits-Faculty.pdf)

Bargaining Unit

United Faculty of Western Washington

Application Instructions

Interested candidates must apply online. For application information and instructions, go to the WWU Employment website.

A complete application should include:

+ Application Letter (max 3 pages): a letter of application that addresses how you meet the required and preferred qualifications for the position, and your ability and commitment to fulfill the responsibilities of the position.

+ Service and Engagement Statement (max 2 pages): in a separate statement please describe activities such as mentoring, outreach, and other service efforts that support student success and promote equity and access, which impact students, faculty, staff and/or your field, and a description of how you will demonstrate a commitment in these areas in teaching, research, and/or service at WWU.

+ Teaching Statement (max 2 pages): in a separate statement, address how you support student success and foster inclusive, accessible learning environments. Explain your teaching experience and/or interests, and plans for teaching introductory and advanced courses up through and including graduate M.S. courses. Please include a summary of teaching evaluations, if applicable.

+ Research Statement (to be considered for tenure-track appointment as Assistant or Associate Professor) (max 4 pages, not including references): in a separate statement, please detail your research interests, current and future projects, and plans for recruiting and involving both undergraduate and graduate students.

+ Vita: A full curriculum vitae.

+ References: the names and contact information for at least three professional references. Please do not send letters of recommendation; these will only be required for semi-finalists, and will be requested from the provided references via Western’s PageUp electronic application system.

+ Undergraduate & Graduate Transcripts: unofficial copies of transcripts are acceptable for initial application review.

Closing Date Notes

For priority consideration, applications should be received by November 14, 2025. Screening interviews are anticipated to be conducted via Zoom 1-2 weeks after the priority deadline.  Finalist interviews will be conducted on campus as soon as 2 weeks after the Zoom interviews. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Inquiries about the position may be addressed to the search committee and Department chair, Prof. Filip Jagodzinski, [email protected].

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class (https://policy.wwu.edu/POL-U1600.02-Prohibiting-Discrimination-Based-on-A-Protected-Class-Interim) and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex (https://policy.wwu.edu/POL-U1600.04-Prohibiting-Discrimination-Based-on-Sex-Interim) . Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); [email protected]

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services (https://hr.wwu.edu/workplace-accommodation) , 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs at [email protected]. The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (https://studentaffairs.wwu.edu/annual-security-and-fire-safety-report) .

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires and rehires, which includes a sexual misconduct background check (https://hr.wwu.edu/sexual-misconduct-background-checks) .

Job no: 502747

Advertised: Oct 14 2025 08:00 Pacific Daylight Time

Applications close: