Korea Polytechnics to hire record 120 professors in semiconductors, AI and more

Korea Polytechnics will hire 120 new professors to lead the development of advanced strategic industries — including semiconductors, AI and electrical engineering — as well as the upgrading of traditional industries. The open recruitment drive is the largest in the institution's history, and the hiring round also includes a record number of liberal arts faculty as the university moves to strengthen general education alongside technical training.

Korea Polytechnics announced Tuesday its second-half 2026 professor recruitment plan, under which it will select 120 faculty members across 19 fields, including mechanical engineering, automation, industrial facilities, electrical engineering, semiconductors, information and communications technology, and liberal arts. By field, electrical engineering accounts for the largest share at 22 positions, followed by liberal arts with 26, semiconductors with 10, industrial facilities with 9, mechanical engineering and automation with 8 each, and IT with 7.

The recruitment focuses on expanding faculty in cutting-edge fields such as semiconductors, AI and electrical engineering in line with the government's push to foster strategic industries, while also securing talent in traditional industries to help them navigate digital transformation and technological innovation.

Korea Polytechnics also plans to expand liberal arts education — covering communication, problem-solving, entrepreneurship and career planning, and psychological counseling — to reinforce what it calls education that "nurtures people beyond technology." Targeting graduates with the creative thinking, resilience and adaptability that the World Economic Forum has identified as core future competencies, the university will hire a record 26 liberal arts faculty members.

Applicants must meet the faculty qualification standards set out under the Higher Education Act and have at least three years of hands-on industry experience. The university also encourages applications from skilled technical experts with extensive field experience, including recipients of the title of Grand Master of Korea, professional engineers, master craftspeople, technical advisers and medalists at the WorldSkills Competition.

"Vocational education in the AI era must go beyond simply passing on technical skills and move toward a people-centered approach," said Lee Cheol-su, chairman of Korea Polytechnics. "This faculty recruitment will serve as a solid foundation for nurturing talent capable of creating future value that bridges technology and the humanities, and work and life."

Applications will be accepted from 10 a.m. Tuesday to 5 p.m. on Aug. 20, with final appointments scheduled for December. Details on recruitment fields and eligibility requirements are available on the Korea Polytechnics website and its dedicated recruitment portal.