Assistant Professor, Ethics and Artificial Intelligence

Assistant Professor, Ethics and Artificial Intelligence

The George Mason University Department of Philosophy invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor joint appointment beginning August 2023. The position’s home will be Philosophy, with a partial appointment in the School of Computing. The area of specialization is in the ethics of technology, with a particular emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI) and society. We are seeking a transdisciplinary researcher who addresses the philosophical questions and ethical issues arising from AI and who will engage students, researchers, and the wider public in exploring the implications of developments in AI and computing for social and cultural change across diverse communities. The candidate must have a strong understanding of the technical dimensions of AI technology combined with engagement with the ethical, social and public policy domains pertaining to AI.

George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment.

Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will lead the way in centering ethical and social questions in the study of AI and computing and will have the opportunity to affiliate with the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy, the Center for Advancing Human-Machine Partnership, the Center for Humanities Research, Mason’s Institute for Digital Innovation (IDIA), and other relevant research institutes and centers on campus. They will sustain an outstanding program of research as appropriate to an R1 institution, engage in transdisciplinary collaboration, and teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students. We hope to hire someone to contribute to Mason’s mission to support the needs of a diverse student body at a minority-majority public university. The successful candidate will be expected to teach undergraduate courses on Ethics and AI, at both the introductory and upper-levels, and will have the opportunity to develop new courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels to serve students in both Philosophy and the School of Computing.

Required Qualifications:

• PhD

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD in Philosophy (PhD in fields closely related to Philosophy are welcome to apply)

About Us:

The College of Engineering and Computing at George Mason University is comprised of the Volgenau School of Engineering and the School of Computing. The College is a fast-growing force for innovation in research and education. Ranked nationally in the top 100 in both undergraduate and graduate education, the College boasts 10,000 students in 37 undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree programs, including several first-in-the-nation offerings. As part of a nationally ranked research university, its research teams expended more than $70 million in sponsored research awards last year and has projects with over $400 million in current and anticipated awards. Located in the heart of Northern Virginia’s technology corridor, Mason Engineering stands out for its research in many leading areas including artificial intelligence, data analytics engineering, cybersecurity engineering, biomedical imaging and devices, autonomous systems, 5G communications, systems architectures, computational biomedicine, community-based healthcare, advanced materials and manufacturing, sustainable infrastructure, and more. The College highly encourages multidisciplinary research and provides faculty with opportunities to work with other disciplines.

In conjunction with Amazon’s decision to establish a second headquarters in Northern Virginia, the Commonwealth of Virginia announced a multi-year plan to invest in the growth of degree programs in computing. George Mason University has committed to accelerate its plans to increase its capacity in engineering and computing. Some of the university’s exciting plans are the launch of the Institute for Digital InnovAtion, a university think tank and incubator to serve the digital economy, and the expansion of its Arlington Campus with a 360,000 square foot building­–Fuse at Mason Square. Fuse will become the nexus of Mason’s transdisciplinary research, entrepreneurship, and academic program efforts in digital innovation, and will unite the public and private sectors in a collaborative alliance to address the world’s grand challenges.

Statement on Diversity:

The Department of Philosophy at George Mason is a pluralistic program that offers courses, produces scholarly research, and engages in public philosophy that draws on diverse philosophical approaches and traditions, including continental, Anglo-American and applied philosophy, and with a focus on social, ethical and political thought. The program offers a Masters degree, a major, and multiple minors including in Philosophy of Law and Philosophy for Social Change. Our mission is to put philosophy to work to address key contemporary issues and enduring philosophical questions, to foster critically engaged citizens, and to enable students and faculty to engage with pressing matters of global and public concern. The department is host to the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy.

Special Instructions to Applicants

For full consideration, applicants must apply for position number F330AZ at https://jobs.gmu.edu/ by February 17, 2023; complete and submit the online application; and upload the following:

• CV;
• Cover letter addressing the applicant’s record of scholarship, teaching, and service as they align with the advertised position;
• One page statement addressing the applicant’s approach and contributions to diversity;
• Writing Sample;
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness in the form of a one-page teaching statement and sample syllabus; and
• List of three professional references with contact information.

George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.