Assistant, Associate or Full Professor – Extended Reality, Artificial Intelligence and Design (Oakland)

About the Opportunity

About the Opportunity

The College of Arts, Media and Design (CAMD) at Northeastern University invites applications for open-rank tenured or tenure-track positions at the Assistant, Associate and Full Professor levels in the Design of Extended Reality (XR) experiences and AI systems, to be located at the Oakland campus in the San Francisco Bay Area.

We are seeking interdisciplinary candidates with a record of excellence in critically engaged research and/or creative practice that contributes to the rapidly developing field of Extended Reality, in such areas as embodied intelligence, co-creative systems, immersive realities for human-virtual beings teaming, ethical and safety implications of XR and AI, opensource AI, and/or immersive experience design. A program or demonstrated potential for externally funded research and/or industry partnerships is required. Areas of application may encompass games, virtual performances, community impact, brain health, physical health, rural health, rehabilitation, virtual reality therapy platforms, virtual art therapy, wearable devices including exoskeletons, robotics, advanced manufacturing and design, and collaborative design practices. We are particularly interested in candidates qualified for joint appointment between the College of Arts, Media and Design and the Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Khoury College of Computer Sciences, or College of Engineering. 

The College of Arts, Media and Design values accomplished designers and researchers with interests in creating powerful experiences for people through the design of artifacts, environments, and services, and advancing the field of design research and scholarship. We follow integrative and holistic approaches to design, grounded in cultural practices and behavioral arts, and embrace creative research questions of how technologically mediated action is lived, felt and valued. Our diversified faculty and student work explores perspectives on human experience as a process of making sense of the world, participating in culture, and engaging with community.

The Oakland campus is at the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area which hosts vibrant XR and AI creative communities, research labs and companies, and offers many opportunities for collaboration. The campus itself is fully equipped with an XR lab, usability lab and high-end computers lab.

To learn more about Northeastern University’s Extended Reality initiatives and labs, visit: https://xr.northeastern.edu/

Responsibilities 

The successful candidate will teach and contribute to the development of a variety of courses in our undergraduate and graduate degree programs at the Oakland Campus, including courses in our XR programs; mentor students at all levels (including PhD); develop new curricula connected to research; maintain a strong program of interdisciplinary research, collaboration and industry partnerships that will inform and advance current trends in the field; and participate in service and outreach on the Oakland campus.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will have a PhD degree or other terminal degree (such as an MFA) in Design, XR, Game Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, Neuroscience, Engineering or a related field by the employment start date. Candidates will be expected to gain visibility through peer-reviewed academic research publications and/or juried creative works, and to conduct research that attracts external funding.

The College is seeking to give excellent candidates across all demographics of society the opportunity, resources, and support to establish innovative and impactful research careers. This includes candidates at the earliest stages of their careers as well as those who are more established. For selected candidates, there may be an option of a 1- to 2-year CAMD funded, mentored post-doc Fellow position, to allow candidates to ramp up their research programs before starting on the tenure track.

Academic rank at the Associate Professor and Full Professor levels will be commensurate with experience and qualifications reflecting a record of demonstrated teaching and scholarly excellence and external funding. For Associate level appointments, 6 years of related experience is required by the employment start date. For Full level appointments, 10 years of related experience is required by the employment start date.

Additional Information

Applicants should submit a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, a research statement, a link to a portfolio of research (including creative work), and contact information for at least three references. In the cover letter, please discuss your research/creative interests and activities and how they fit into the interdisciplinary scope of this position, your teaching and mentorship experience and interests, and how you can support our commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for faculty, staff, and students.

Candidates may later be invited to provide sample syllabi and evidence of teaching effectiveness, and a diversity statement. Complete applications received on or before December 6, 2024 will be guaranteed full consideration. Additional applications will be considered until the position is filled. Questions may be directed to the chairs of the search committee, Prof. Dr. Nathalie Mathé at n.math@northeastern.edu and Prof. Dr. Bob De Schutter at b.deschutter@northeastern.edu.

All applicants have the right to accessibility support and accommodations. To request accessibility support and accommodations, please contact Jamie Dutton, j.dutton@northeastern.edu, Manager of HR Administration for the College of Arts Media and Design.

The College of Arts, Media and Design (CAMD) is a collaborative community within the university that acts as a catalyst for research, inspiration, and discovery. It brings together a unique combination of disciplines, including Architecture, Art+Design, Communication Studies, Journalism, Media and Screen Studies, Music, and Theatre. CAMD is also home to the Center for the Arts, the newly launched Center for Design and the Center for Communication, Media Innovation, and Social Change and the CAMD Media Studios Organization (MSO).

Northeastern University is an equal opportunity employer, seeking to recruit and support a broadly diverse community of faculty and staff. Northeastern values and celebrates diversity in all its forms and strives to foster an inclusive culture built on respect that affirms inter-group relations and builds cohesion. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. To learn more about Northeastern University’s commitment and support of diversity and inclusion, please see www.northeastern.edu/diversity.

About Northeastern

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experience-driven lifelong learning. Our world-renowned experiential approach empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create impact far beyond the confines of discipline, degree, and campus.

Our locations—in Boston; Charlotte, North Carolina; London; Portland, Maine; Oakland; Seattle; Silicon Valley; Toronto; Vancouver; and the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahant—are nodes in our growing global university system. Through this network, we expand opportunities for flexible, student-centered learning and collaborative, solutions-focused research.

Northeastern’s comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate programs— in a variety of on-campus and online formats—lead to degrees through the doctorate in nine colleges and schools. Among these, we offer more than 195 multi-discipline majors and degrees designed to prepare students for purposeful lives and careers. 

The expected hiring range for Assistant Professor is USD $97,800 to $165,600 based upon the position’s scope and responsibilities. The expected hiring range for Associate Professor is USD $110,200 to $213,500 based upon the position’s scope and responsibilities.  The expected hiring range for Professor is USD $110,900 to USD $268,200 based upon the position’s scope and responsibilities.

Position Type

Academic

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.  

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.  

Northeastern University is an equal opportunity employer, seeking to recruit and support a broadly diverse community of faculty and staff.  Northeastern values and celebrates diversity in all its forms and strives to foster an inclusive culture built on respect that affirms inter-group relations and builds cohesion. 

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other  characteristic protected by applicable law.

To learn more about Northeastern University’s commitment and support of diversity and inclusion, please see www.northeastern.edu/diversity.