Position open until filled.
Job Description:
The University of Arizona (UA) is assembling a team of transdisciplinary artists and scholars who can provide national leadership in computational media studies, an emerging research and teaching area in which computation supports the broad spectrum of arts, humanities, and social sciences. The faculty in this cluster will become the lead facilitators of a campus-wide initiative to: (a) synchronize the study and teaching of mass and popular media that are digitally produced and/or digitally distributed; (b) produce and engage computationally-based compositions by both students and faculty in a variety of media (e.g., film, video, music, games, literature, sculpture, illustration); and © coordinate the use of several valuable but underutilized media archives linked to the UA campus. The researchers in the Computational Media Cluster – four new people and more than a dozen existing faculty who will be close affiliates – will necessarily be transdisciplinary, that is, able to understand and appreciate projects that span the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences, engineering, and business, as well as to communicate that work to people outside the field, from other-field scientists to K-12 audiences.
The successful candidate hired into the Human-Computer Interaction (Computational Media Cluster) position will work at the intersection of human behavioral studies, design, and computation. Specific areas of technological expertise are open, but applicants should demonstrate the innovative application of computational approaches to their research and practice in HCI. We are especially interested in candidates with expertise in areas such as information visualization, web or game design, interactive systems, virtual/augmented reality platforms, and/or robotics.
A research profile that complements the iSchool’s emphasis on promoting healthy behaviors, access, social justice, and an informed citizenry will likely provide the best fit. For this reason, applicants whose work focuses on meeting the needs of underserved or underrepresented populations and communities, intervenes in problems tied to difference, inequality, and access, or studies how new technologies can work to bridge social divisions will be particularly welcome.
It is important to note that we are looking for someone who uses computational methods and programming skills to conduct their work, that is, someone who develops and applies computational models to their HCI research. We are especially interested in candidates researching and designing alternative computer interfaces that are completely out of box. Examples might include hardware, firmware, and software hacking for innovative uses, novel robots, ambient computing environments, affective computing, biometrics, embedded systems, and so on.
The cluster hire initiative in Computational Media is enabled by the University of Arizona’s Never Settle commitment to build cross-college collaborations that emphasize engagement, innovation, partnering, and programmatic synergy.
In addition to working productively with the Computational Media cluster at the UA, the successful candidate for this position will find creative connections with other new UA Campus clusters focused on Technological Enhancements in Language Learning, Big Data, Space Situational Awareness, and related areas. Online teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, transdisciplinary team-based project funding and management, and academic leadership (e.g., program supervision, administrative duties within an academic unit) are all anticipated for this position. A commitment to the University of Arizona’s important Land Grant Mission is expected of all hires, and a distinguished career in research output (publications and sponsored research), teaching, and service is expected for hiring at the Associate Professor rank.
The School of Information is an academic department and a professional school in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Arizona, the state’s only public land grant university. The School of Information aims to inspire interdisciplinary understanding, and the diverse interpretation, creation, and use of emerging knowledge and information environments for innovative research and instruction. The iSchool is a place for the interdisciplinary study of information, broadly conceived, and is focused on preparing diverse students for living, thinking, and working in the digital age. The iSchool offers six degree programs and four graduate certificates: PhD in Information, MS in Information, MA in Library and Information Science, a BA in Information Science and eSociety, a BS in Information Science and Technology, and a BA in Information Science and Arts.
The University of Arizona is located in beautiful Tucson, a vibrant multicultural city in the spectacular US Southwest. There is a thriving tech industry, including the UA’s three Tech Parks and incubator facilities for startups, as well as an established maker community with both on and off campus makerspaces.
Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; state and optional retirement plans; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!
Accepting a new position is a big life step. We want potential candidates and their families to be able to make informed decisions. Candidates who are considering relocation to the Tucson or Phoenix area, and have been offered an on-site interview, are encouraged to use the free services offered by Above & Beyond Relocation Services (ABRS).Ask your department contact to be introduced to ABRS prior to your visit.
The University of Arizona has been recognized on Forbes 2015 list of America’s Best Employers in the United States and has been awarded the 2015 Work-Life Seal of Distinction by the Alliance for Work-Life Progress! For more information about working at the University of Arizona, please click here.
To apply, access https://uacareers.com/
