Post Doctoral Scholar - AI in Arts & Humanities - Dept. of Philosophy

Job Description

The Department of Philosophy, in collaboration with the AI in Arts and Humanities Program in the College of Arts and Sciences, is hiring a Post Doctoral Scholar for a two-year term appointment beginning August 2026 and ending August 2028.

The Post Doctoral Scholar will actively engage in research on AI and ethics and be responsible for teaching two courses annually in each year of the appointment. Additionally, the successful candidate will engage in curriculum development and provide other service to the AI, Ethics and Society certificate program and Ohio States AI Fluency initiative.

This position is one of three new post-doctoral appointments in the Arts and Humanities, each specifically tied to one of three new AI certificates: AI, Art and Creativity (in development); AI, Ethics and Society; and AI, Language and Mind. These roles work in tandem with the newly established Arts and Humanities AI Institute to support the OSU Provosts AI Fluency Initiative, preparing students and faculty to make informed decisions about the technological changes around AI.

The successful applicant will have demonstrated research expertise in the ethical evaluation of artificial intelligence systems. We construe this area broadly to include, among other possible topics, the following active areas of research: understanding and diagnosing algorithmic bias in AI systems; understanding what it would be to align AI systems with ethical norms; developing and evaluating proposals for the governance of powerful AI systems; the ethical issues raised by the impending prospect of powerful AI-driven military technologies; understanding and evaluating alleged risks to humans associated with AI systems becoming autonomous and significantly more powerful than humans; ethical issues flowing from the inscrutability of AI systems that make important decisions about persons lives; ethical issues related to the potential for deskilling of humans, and the loss of demand for human workers as AI comes to be able to do tasks currently done by humans; and ethical issues related to human loss of autonomy or political governance, if and where AI systems come to make important economic, policy, and implementation decisions.

Additionally, the successful candidate will be well-positioned to teaching existing courses with themes related to AI and ethics; help design new courses in the philosophy of AI and AI ethics; support the continuing development of our AI, Ethics, and Society certificate program; help to build connections between Philosophy and other departments related to both the design and teaching of AI ethics topics; and research on ethical issues in artificial intelligence.

Minimum Education Required

PhD in Philosophy or the equivalent training in Philosophy and AI ethics. ABDs are welcome to apply but must have PhD in hand by the start of this appointment.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to carry out relevant teaching and research responsibilities.
• Prior teaching experience.
• Applicants must be within three years of completing the Ph.D.

Desired Qualifications

• Training in AI ethics and demonstrated fluency in artificial intelligence.

Application Instructions

To apply for the fellowship, please prepare and submit the following materials:

1. Curriculum Vitae (CV), including:
   • Educational background
   • Teaching experience
   • Title(s) of theses or dissertations
   • Any publications or presentations
2. Cover letter describing your interest and experience in AI Ethics and Society, and how it will support Ohio States AI Fluency initiative and the AI in Arts and Humanities Program in the College of Arts and Sciences

Additional Job Information

The College of the Arts and Sciences Department of Philosophy is seeking a Post Doctoral Scholar. The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest college and the academic heart of the university. The College hosts 81 majors. With 38 departments, 20+ world-class research centers, and more than 2,000 faculty and staff members, students have the unique opportunity to study with the best artists, scholars, and scientists in their field.

The pay for this position is $61,008.00. Because scholars are expected to be fully integrated with the intellectual life of the university, they must plan to reside in the Columbus, OH area during the relevant academic years of this appointment.