Open Rank - Assistant or Associate Professor

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Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

The School of Data and Information Sciences (SDIS) was founded in 2026 by joining the School of Information and Library Science (1931) and the School of Data Science and Society (2022). SDIS brings together longstanding excellence in information and library science with leadership in data science, including computational and statistical methods and societal applications.

Home to a top ranked library and information science program, SDIS is recognized for strong teaching, research and service and is the home to the Carolina Health Informatics Program (CHIP) and the Center for Information, Technology and Public Life (CITAP). The school teaches and trains undergraduate and graduate students in information science and library science, data science, and health informatics, as well as offering certificates for adult learners.

SDIS conducts research and scholarship across the data and information life cycle, with an emphasis on human-centric, ethical and applied approaches. Committed to data, information and AI literacy for all Tar Heels, SDIS faculty are tackling our communities’ most pressing needs and our world’s most intractable challenges.

Position Summary

The Division of Information and Library Science (DILS) in UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Data and Information Sciences (SDIS) invites applications for an open rank 9 month tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professor position focused on the application of automated methods in cultural heritage and memory institutions broadly understood: libraries, archives, or museums, but also centers for data curation, research data management, or digital humanities. We seek a scholar-practitioner who can combine the craft work of design with the reflexive work of critique.

The successful candidate’s research will advance the understanding and use of automated methods while being deeply grounded in an understanding of cultural heritage and memory institutions and their values.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain an active research agenda focused on the critical technical application of automated methods in cultural heritage and memory institutions, including but not limited to topics such as: designing benchmarks that reflect the missions and values of these institutions, investigating the use of open and ethically trained generative models, modeling data for both human and automated use, or grounding agentic workflows in trusted metadata infrastructures.
• Teach courses on topics related to the ethical design and implementation of automated systems, contributing to the core curricular requirements of both undergraduate and graduate degree programs at DILS. These would include technical courses as well as courses that critically examine the relations between automated methods and cultural heritage and memory institutions.
• Mentor and advise graduate and undergraduate students, guiding them in applied research and interdisciplinary projects.
• Publish scholarly publications in high-quality, peer-reviewed venues and/or produce tools that prove their worth through wide adoption.
• Seek external funding to support innovative research.
• Engage in service activities within the division, the school, the university, and the broader academic community.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:

• A PhD (or equivalent degree) in information and library science, data science, computer science, or a closely related discipline.
• A promising record of research productivity in the application of automated and algorithmic methods in cultural heritage and memory institutions, as demonstrated by publications, presentations, or adopted tools.
• A commitment to excellence in teaching and mentoring, with experience or demonstrated potential to teach both undergraduate and graduate courses, including contributions to the core curriculum.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience:

• Experience with interdisciplinary research and collaboration, particularly with librarians, archivists, curators, or critical scholars of the sociotechnical implications of automated systems.
• Expertise in one or more specific areas of automated system design and evaluation.
• A passion for libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural heritage and memory institutions, and a vision for centering these institutions in the public discourse about automated systems.
• A strong interest in contributing to the division’s mission to train the next generation of leaders for cultural heritage and memory institutions.

Campus Security Authority Responsibilities:

This position is designated as a Campus Security Authority in accordance with the Clery Act. This position will be required to report Clery crimes to the Clery Compliance Manager and complete annual training about reporting responsibilities.

Special Instructions:

Visit https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/326743 to apply. Application materials must be submitted online and include a curriculum vitae/resume, cover letter, list of references, Teaching Philosophy/evaluations, and research statement.

For full consideration, applications should be received by Monday, November 16, 2026. Anticipated starting date is July 1, 2027.

Please provide the names of four (4) references from senior scholars.

Additional Information: For additional information about this position, please contact the chair of the search committee, Dr. Ryan Shaw at ryanshaw@unc.edu. Additional information about the School of Data and Information Sciences (SDIS) can be obtained at our website at https://sdis.unc.edu/.