Associate/ Full Professor in AI for Environmental Monitoring

Global ecosystems are being transformed in unprecedented ways by a number of factors, including the rising demand for water, energy, and critical minerals. Effectively monitoring, understanding, and acting on these impacts to the environment (e.g., land, air, and water) and inhabitants (e.g., public health, epigenetics, migration, politics) at scale will require leveraging an ever-expanding ecosystem of data using advanced computational techniques. Ethical and sustainable use of AI, in particular, is of high priority. The University of Utah, under the leadership of the One-U RAI, is building a new group to address a broad range of environmental challenges and opportunities created by AI by leveraging, integrating and enhancing existing strengths in earth and environmental science, biological science, social science, modeling and computation.

We seek candidates with demonstrated expertise in development and/or assessment of environmental monitoring. This may include data collection and analysis related to air, water, climate, and pollution at scales from molecular to ecosystem; as well as monitoring impacts of AI on the environment (data centers, energy usage, critical minerals, etc.). We are interested both in candidates with demonstrated expertise in advanced computational, ML, or AI methods and/or computational social sciences and in candidates studying environmental consequences of AI. We also value experience with ethical data practices (e.g., FAIR/CARE data stewardship) that make AI-ready archives broadly accessible.

Application areas include but are not limited to development of new computational methodologies, AI model bias and interpretability, use of community centered AI and/or issues of AI, collaborative and participatory AI, design of AI-based decision support systems, and data sovereignty in the field of environmental monitoring. Application areas may also include monitoring environmental impacts of AI use, including but not limited to eco-ethical considerations of AI deployment, natural resource use in AI deployment, AI driven land/environmental stewardship, and development of indigenous-led AI tools for environmental monitoring.

Qualified candidates may have research interests across the globe, and with an interest in developing a research program in Utah and the Intermountain West. A doctoral degree in environmental science, environmental studies, environmental engineering, biology, geography, urban planning, law, ethnic studies, science and technology studies (STS), communication, business, computational science, or related fields is required by July 1, 2026.

The One-U RAI housed within the Scientific Computing and Imaging (SCI) Institute at the University of Utah is growing and pursuing multiple new faculty hires over the next 5 years. These hires will expand the core research expertise in responsible and translational AI within three thematic areas: environment, healthcare and wellness, and teaching and learning. A major goal is to attract new partnerships across the University and beyond. Candidates whose research expertise integrates social and technical aspects are of particular interest.

This specific recruitment is for a tenured position at the Associate or Full Professor level to begin in Fall 2026. The successful candidate will have a research appointment with the SCI Institute at the University of Utah and their tenure home in one of the following participating colleges and departments: College of Architecture + Planning: Department of City and Metropolitan Planning; College of Business: Departments of Operations & Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis of Markets and Organizations (QAMO); John and Maria Price College of Engineering: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; College of Humanities: Divisions of Ethnic Studies and Gender Studies; College of Law; College of Science: School of Biological Sciences, Departments of Atmospheric Sciences and Geology & Geophysics; College of Social and Behavioral Science: Schools of Environment, Society & Sustainability and Public Affairs and Departments of Anthropology, Economics, and Sociology & Criminology. We seek a colleague with a commitment to excellence in teaching and demonstrated ability to obtain research funding and publish high-quality peer-reviewed research. We are especially interested in candidates who can contribute to our university's Strategy 2030 and the One-U RAI.

About the SCI Institute

The SCI Institute is a transdisciplinary, research-focused partnering entity at the University of Utah... [abbreviated for brevity, but include full if space]

Responsibilities:

• Developing and maintaining an ongoing program of scholarly research that involves computational modeling and visualization of data for application within environmental monitoring or environmental impact of AI development;
• Developing meaningful collaboration with faculty in SCI, one of the aforementioned home departments, and other academic departments and research centers...;
• Meeting the teaching requirements in the candidate's chosen academic department;
• Engaging as a member of the SCI Institute faculty;
• Training and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students;
• Developing and submitting research funding proposals to national agencies and foundations;
• Developing partnerships, and commercialization opportunities to drive excellence and innovation in AI-enhanced research;
• Conducting and publishing rigorous research topics aligned with environmental monitoring;
• Collaborating in transdisciplinary teams to evaluate and improve AI design, development, and use in environmental monitoring;
• Promoting responsible AI by incorporating responsible AI principles and applications;
• Developing and sharing AI data and tools;
• Securing funding, partnerships, and commercialization opportunities to drive excellence and innovation in AI-enhanced research;
• Sharing expertise in translational responsible AI through speaking engagements, including those hosted by the One-U RAI;
• Participation in monthly cluster-related team building and research activities;
• Participating in faculty governance at the department, college, and university levels.

Qualifications:

• A doctoral degree in environmental science, environmental studies, environmental engineering, biology, geography, urban planning, law, ethnic studies, STS, communication, business, computational science, or related fields is required by July 1, 2026.
• Record of or demonstrated interest in interdisciplinary research and collaboration.
• Experience in the application of AI in the relevant thematic area(s).
• Excellence in teaching and mentorship.
• Demonstrated ability to secure research funding and manage research projects.
• Demonstrated commitment to responsible and ethical AI practices.
• Expertise in evaluating the ethical implications of AI in the relevant thematic area(s).

The review of applications will begin on November 15, 2025.

Inquiries regarding the position may be directed to the Search Committee Chair, Akil Narayan (akil.narayan@utah.edu) and Simon Brewer (simon.brewer@ess.utah.edu).

Department: 00810 - Scient Comp & Imag Instit-Oper
City: Salt Lake City, UT
Track: Tenure Track
Close Date:
Open Until Filled: Yes
Requisition Number: PRN01409CF

To apply, visit https://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/190041