Associate/Full Professor in Artificial Intelligence Cluster

 

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and its MATRIX AI Consortium invites applications for the position of Full Professor / Associate Professor, to be appointed as a University of Texas System (UT System) Research Excellence Regents' Professor. Successful candidates will be part of a strategic cluster hiring initiative focused on Artificial Intelligence, with an anticipated start date in the Fall of the 2025-26 academic year.

 

• Trustworthy AI/ML Algorithms
• Neuromorphic AI Accelerators/Chips
• Human-Centered
• AI AI Ethics
• Quantum Encryption for AI Confidentiality

UTSA is utilizing our Clustered & Connected Hiring Program (CCP), which is designed to recruit and hire some of the best and brightest minds of varying backgrounds and experiences in select fields to The University of Texas at San Antonio to join in efforts to address some of today’s most significant challenges.

 

The University of Texas System recently approved the creation of the Regents’ Research Excellence Program across its four Emerging Research Universities (ERUs), including UTSA. UT System has allocated $55 million across all four ERUs to fund the recruitment of research-active faculty to dramatically grow its national research prominence and federal funding opportunities. UTSA’s allocation from UT System translates to approximately 40 new faculty positions for new, mid- to senior-level faculty over the next several years who will add expertise in research areas that will enhance competitiveness, help solve societal needs, and advance the university’s capacity to meet UT System and state goals as outlined by the Texas Legislature.

 

The Regents Professors will be core members of the MATRIX Consortium, which is a central hub for 87 AI scientists, facilitating transdisciplinary research, fostering high-impact collaborations, and offering thought leadership and domain expertise to address the most challenging and complex problems in AI. Areas of interest include Trustworthy AI/ML Algorithms, Neuromorphic AI Accelerators, Human-centered AI, AI Ethics, all of which advance the research thrusts in the MATRIX. MATRIX strives for scientific excellence in developing holistic solutions for human well-being.  The team has a successful track record in large collaborative grants that generated multiple centers, such as the NSF AI Partner Institute, two NSF EFRI BRAIDs, AFOSR COE in neuro-inspired AI, along with centers and large collaborative projects in AI for healthcare. UTSA is also home to multiple large DOD initiatives in the national security and cybersecurity domains, such as the NSCC and CyManII. There will also be opportunities to collaborate with several of these large initiatives.

 

Position Summary

 

Highlighted position(s):

 

1. Trustworthy AI/ML Algorithms: Associate or Full Professor (Joint Appointment with Departments of CS/ECE).  Advances in machine learning alongside computer vision, natural language processing, and knowledge reasoning are germane to advancing and sustaining the applied domains of AI. Given the human-centered nature of these applications, AI/ML techniques need to be robust against adversarial threats and manipulations (of data and models) and must include security and privacy guarantees, depending on the context in which they operate. There is significant research interest and activity, ranging from robust, secure, and explainable AI/ML systems that are resilient against malicious threats and manipulations, offer end-user privacy, and generate trustworthy outcomes. 
2. Neuromorphic AI Accelerators/Chips: Associate or Full Professor (Joint Appointment with Departments of ECE/NDRB/BME) The future of sustainable AI depends on the ability to design and deploy models and systems that can be executed on resource constrained devices. MATRIX is interested in recruiting a researcher that tackles these problems using neuromorphic approaches. Areas of interest are neuro-inspired AI accelerators, mixed-signal accelerators, digital accelerators, analog processors, memristor circuits and architectures, and other emerging device-based neuro-inspired architectures.
3. Human-Centered AI: Associate or Full Professor (Joint appointments within Departments of BME/SA+P/NDRB/Medical school) Human-centered AI is a key to developing AI that augments human wellbeing and performance. This area includes AI applications to solving biomedical problems, AI-driven robotics, real-time decision-making systems for clinical care, brain-machine pairings, effective computing, trust, control, and transparency in human-AI partnerships, and human-centered designs that are biologically inspired.
4. AI Ethics: Associate or Full Professor (Joint Appointment with Departments of Philosophy and new college) AI technologies such as generative models are highly capable but also come with ethical challenges such as 1) biases in datasets, algorithms, and applications; (2) issues related to identifiability and privacy; (3) impacts on disadvantaged or marginalized groups; (4) health disparities; (5) political abuse of AI systems and technology, and (6) potential adverse social, individual, and community consequences of research, development, and widespread use. We are interested in transdisciplinary applicants that can tackle present and emerging AI ethical problems and that can effectively and actively collaborate with other members of the MATRIX AI consortium.
5. Quantum Encryption for AI Confidentiality: Associate or Full Professor (CS/ECE and Joint Appointment with Math Department) Generative AI technologies such as large language models (LLMs) are increasingly operationalized across various industries but face unprecedented adversarial threats, including 1) the risk of backdooring thru model knowledge editing, 2) model inversion attack that compromise privacy 3) exploitation of models for malicious purposes such as malware creation 4) the need for robust defenses of model parameters, such as AI Quantum Encryption.

 

 

Required qualifications:

The required qualifications of the successful candidates are a doctorate degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Neuroscience, Philosophy, and/or related fields, with appropriate research and teaching record for appointment at the rank for each position (for those seeking appointments with tenure, this is contingent upon Board of Regents’ approval). Moreover, the successful candidate(s) must demonstrate their ability to work with and be sensitive to the educational needs of urban populations and support the University’s commitment to thrive as a Hispanic Serving Institution and a model for student success. The most competitive candidates will also have experience in large-scale research engagements.

 

Preferred qualifications:

Ideal candidates are those who demonstrate a strong commitment to collaboration across multiple disciplines in research, teaching, service, and open-source initiatives.

 

Responsibilities include research (individual and collaborative), teaching at the graduate and undergraduate levels, and program development. Candidates for the endowed professor/associate professor should be creating research products, expected but are not limited to communicating the research project results in diverse academic outlets; contributing to open-source scientific software, curated datasets; and developing thought leadership pieces with academic, government, and industry partners.

 

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA)

 

The University of Texas at San Antonio is a Tier One research university and a Hispanic Serving Institution specializing in digital economy, human health, fundamental futures, and social-economic transformation. With more than 35,000 students, it is the largest university in the San Antonio region. UTSA advances knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement, and public service, and with an intentional focus on career readiness, the university produces more graduates for the workforce than any other institution in the region. It is a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property — for Texas, the nation, and the world. In August 2024, the UT System Board of Regents authorized the UT System to begin integrating UTSA and the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio into one unified institution, establishing a world-class university that integrates academic, research, and clinical excellence to build a profoundly impactful university of the future. Driven by a vision for growth and impact, this merger will expand the capacity to offer robust undergraduate and graduate programs, attract top-tier faculty and staff, develop innovative initiatives, and elevate transdisciplinary research to address the evolving needs of the region.

 

UTSA has been recognized as a Top Employer in Texas by Forbes Magazine. Learn more about UTSA online, on UTSA Today, or on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.

 

There are three affiliated colleges and six connected departments/schools. Visit the following websites for more information:

 

Colleges

 

Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design (KCEID): klesse.utsa.edu College of Sciences (COS): sciences.utsa.edu College of Liberal and Fine Arts (COLFA): colfa.utsa.edu Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: https://klesse.utsa.edu/electrical-computer/ Department of Computer Science: https://sciences.utsa.edu/computer-science/ Department of Philosophy and Classics: https://colfa.utsa.edu/philosophy-classics/   School of Data Science (SDS): https://sds.utsa.edu/ Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering: https://klesse.utsa.edu/bmce/ Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology (NDRB): https://sciences.utsa.edu/ndrb/ Application Process

 

Application Instructions provide applicants with a list of required documents and compliance-related statements. Italicized items are mandatory for all recruitments.

 

To apply applicants must upload the following in a single PDF document:

 

A current curriculum vitae Complete contact information for at least three professional references A research statement (2-page limit) A teaching statement (1-page limit) A statement highlighting potential areas for transdisciplinary collaboration (2-page limit) All applications received by December 1, 2024 will be given full consideration. Applications received after that date will be accepted and reviewed until the position is filled. Applicants selected for interviews must show proof that they will be eligible and qualified to work in the United States by the time of hire. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Tenure is contingent upon Board of Regents’ approval. UTSA is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer.  

 

Questions and nominations for any position should be sent to the Director of MATRIX AI Consortium, Dhireesha Kudithipudi, Search Committee Chair, at ai@utsa.edu.

 

APPLY HERE: https://zahr-prd-candidate-ada.utshare.utsystem.edu/psc/ZAHRPRDADA/EMPLOYEE/UTZ_CG/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&SiteId=21&FOCUS=Applicant&JobOpeningId=12584&PostingSeq=1&PortalActualURL=https%3a%2f%2fzahr-prd-candidate-ada.utshare.utsystem.edu%2fpsc%2fZAHRPRDADA%2fEMPLOYEE%2fUTZ_CG%2fc%2fHRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL%3fPage%3dHRS_APP_JBPST_FL%26Action%3dU%26SiteId%3d21%26FOCUS%3dApplicant%26JobOpeningId%3d12584%26PostingSeq%3d1&PortalRegistryName=EMPLOYEE&PortalServletURI=https%3a%2f%2fzahr-prd-candidate-ada.utshare.utsystem.edu%2fpsp%2fZAHRPRDADA%2f&PortalURI=https%3a%2f%2fzahr-prd-candidate-ada.utshare.utsystem.edu%2fpsc%2fZAHRPRDADA%2f&PortalHostNode=HRMS&NoCrumbs=yes&PortalKeyStruct=yes

 

Cluster Hiring Interview Process

 

UTSA aims to bring transdisciplinary and collaborative groups of faculty researchers to the university through its CCP program. As such, the on-campus interview for these positions will be conducted as a collaborative group interview, during which all on-campus candidates for a position will meet with UTSA faculty and staff simultaneously. This collaborative process allows candidates to discuss potential research collaborations with fellow candidates and current UTSA faculty. Additionally, each candidate will be given the chance to present their job talk and engage the faculty, staff, and students from their discipline’s home department.