What are the responsibilities and job description for the ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR position at University of Hawaii?
Description
Title: Assistant or Associate Professor in Safe and Trustworthy AI Systems
Hiring Unit: College of Natural Sciences, Information & Computer Sciences Department
Position: 0084029
Location: Manoa Campus
Date Posted: October 27, 2026
Closing Date: Review of applications will begin on December 1, 2026 and continue until the position is filled.
Salary Information: Commensurate with qualifications and experience
Monthly Type: 9-Month
Tenure Track: Tenure
Full-Time/Part-Time: Full-Time
Temporary/Permanent: Permanent
The Department of Information and Computer Sciences (ICS) at the University of Hawai?i at Manoa invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professor position in Safe and Trustworthy AI Systems, beginning in the 2027-2028 academic year.
This position is part of a three-position cluster focused on Human-First AI that also includes two Assistant Professor positions, one in AI Computing and one in Agentic AI and Autonomous Systems. Each position is a separate search. Candidates who wish to be considered for more than one position must submit a separate application for each.
The cluster hire aims to advance research in AI agents, AI computing systems, and AI safety. The candidate will contribute to the department’s growing AI curriculum, the proposed BS in Computer Science Artificial Intelligence Track, and the Professional MCS in AI/Data Science. This position will be connected to the new University of Hawai?i AI Institute currently under development. The Institute’s mission is to advance human-first AI through research, education, and service that strengthen the capabilities and well-being of Hawai?i’s people, with human judgment and decision-making, responsible stewardship, and community-defined priorities guiding its work.
Research Focus
We seek candidates who advance the foundations, methods, and computing systems needed for safe, trustworthy, resilient, and human-first AI. Areas of interest include AI safety and alignment; security and privacy of AI models, privacy-preserving AI systems; verification, validation, and monitoring; dependable embedded and edge AI; resilient cyber-physical and intelligent sensing systems; and human-centered evaluation and responsible deployment. Contributions may address ethical, legal, and societal implications of AI and malicious attacks, failures, uncertainty, or resource constraints through AI methods, enabling computing systems, or their integration.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Teach and develop undergraduate and graduate courses in the candidate’s area of expertise and related areas of artificial intelligence, as well as other courses in information and computer sciences
- Establish or sustain an extramurally funded research program; publish high-quality scholarly work
- Supervise graduate research
- Mentor and advise undergraduate
- Participate in capstone mentoring; develop interdisciplinary and external collaborations
- Provide department, college, and university service; and
- Perform other scholarly duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Computer Science or a closely related field by the start date.
- Evidence of high-quality research through peer-reviewed publications in conferences or journals relevant to the position sought.
- Commitment to excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching, mentoring, and advising.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate with diverse groups of students, faculty, and external partners.
- For Assistant Professor appointments: strong potential to establish an independent research program and obtain extramural funding.
- For Associate Professor consideration: an established independent research program, sustained scholarly contributions and extramural funding, and a record of effective teaching, student mentoring, and service appropriate to the rank.
Desirable Qualifications
- Experience developing or evaluating AI methods or computing systems relevant to this position, including efficient AI computing, agents that plan and use tools, or systems operating under safety, security, reliability, privacy, or resource constraints.
- Experience translating research into usable tools, models, software, platforms, benchmarks, or evaluation methods, with attention to accessibility, meaningful human control, and impacts on users and communities.
- Experience with interdisciplinary or applied research involving government, industry, or nonprofit partners.
- Experience mentoring students from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines through research, internships, or collaborative projects.
About the University
The University of Hawai?i at Manoa is the flagship campus of the UH system and the only R1 university in the state. It is dedicated to teaching, research, and service in a multicultural and inclusive environment.
Appointment Conditions
Pending position clearance. This is an Assistant or Associate Professor search; rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience and subject to applicable University appointment requirements. Review of applications will begin on December 1, 2026 and continue until the position is filled.
How to Apply
Apply through the posting for this position and submit the following materials with your application:
- A cover letter identifying this position and explaining how you satisfy the relevant minimum and desirable qualifications. Candidates applying to multiple searches may also indicate their interest in the other positions.
- A curriculum vitae with a publication list.
- Names and contact information for three individuals willing to provide professional reference letters.
- A statement of research interests, accomplishments, and future research plans.
- A statement describing your experience and approach to teaching and mentoring, including any experience mentoring projects with industry or other external partners.
Candidates whose expertise spans more than one area are encouraged to apply to each relevant position and indicate that interest in their cover letter. Applications will be evaluated separately against the qualifications of each position. Where permitted, interviews and campus visits may be coordinated across searches. Application materials will not be returned.
Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Inquiries: Guylaine Poisson, guylaine@hawaii.edu (Department Chair)
EEO, Clery Act, ADA
The University of Hawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Institution and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment, including on the basis of veteran and disability status. For more information, visit: https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/policies/
Employment is contingent on satisfying employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986; reference checks of previous employers; and for certain positions, criminal history record checks.
In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, annual campus crime statistics for the University of Hawai'i may be viewed at: https://www.hawaii.edu/titleix/help/campus-security/, or a paper copy may be obtained upon request from the respective UH Campus Security or Administrative Services Office.
Accommodation Request: The University of Hawai'i complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the EEO coordinator directly. Determination on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. For further information, please refer to the following link: https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/accommodation-request/