Tenure-track Assistant Professor Position in AI for Science

The Computer Science Department at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the area of artificial intelligence (AI) for scientific discovery. Key scientific endeavors for society, ranging from clean energy production to drug discovery to the understanding of our universe, can benefit immensely from AI innovations. For instance, large-scale machine learning has the potential to significantly enhance scientific discovery by leveraging observational and experimental datasets and combining them with existing knowledge. Prospective candidates should have expertise in both core AI and its application to one or more natural science domains.

The UCLA Computer Science department is in the midst of an exciting faculty growth phase, having hired 11 Assistant Professors in the past two years in high-impact areas of research and education, and it is continuing to grow this year. The department has an active and highly collaborative group of AI faculty who have broad expertise across deep learning foundations, generative AI, probabilistic and causal reasoning, data mining and graph-based reasoning, and large-scale machine learning systems. They also have interdisciplinary collaborations in areas such as astronomy, chemistry, climate science, materials science, and medicine.

This search is sponsored by DataX, a campus-wide initiative to improve data science by strengthening our robust, diverse and cross-disciplinary community of evidence and data-driven scholars. DataX aims to enable, empower, enhance, and coordinate existing capabilities across campus. The Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost have sponsored this search in order to recruit exceptional scholars whose teaching, scholarship and service strengthens fundamental data science in the disciplines. Faculty hired through this search are expected to be active participants in the DataX community, so building inclusive data-centric research and education across the UCLA campus.

Applicants must have a demonstrated record of excellence in, or show exceptional promise for, high-quality research, teaching, and professional development. Our hiring priority is focused on the frontiers of Computer Science research, where a candidate's impact, originality, and promise for developing and maintaining a strong, extramurally supported research program has been demonstrated. We are interested in outstanding candidates who are committed to excellence in teaching and scholarship and to a diverse campus climate. Candidates must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent in Computer Science or a closely related discipline at the date of hire.

In addition, applicants must have a demonstrated record of interest in, and commitment to, the mentorship of and/or outreach to students from underrepresented and underserved populations. The successful candidate will be expected to advance their active mentoring activities and participate in programs that provide research and professional development opportunities for our diverse student body (such as our Center for Excellence in Engineering and Diversity, our Women in Engineering program, and our student organizations listed at https://samueli.ucla.edu/equity-diversity-and-inclusion/).

The posted UC salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and/or step at appointment. The salary range for this position is $115,000 - $130,000 , depending on rank and level of experience. "Off-scale salaries" and other components of pay, i.e., a salary that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions.
Application packages should be submitted online through https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF09903 and include the following documents: 1) curriculum vitae, 2) a cover letter, 3) statement of research interest, 4) statement of teaching interest, 5) reference check authorization form, 6) a statement of contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion with particular attention to mentoring achievements and future mentoring goals, and 7) Reference check authorization release form - Complete and upload the reference check authorization release form. We encourage candidates to send in their applications as soon as possible. Applications submitted by December 1, 2024 will receive full consideration; review will continue until the position is filled. Inquiries about the position and nominations of potential candidates should be directed to Professor Todd Millstein.

Los Angeles is a global city renowned for its dynamism, robust economy, rich cultural diversity and spectacular climate. UCLA has been ranked the No. 1 public university in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for eight straight years. UCLA Samueli is a tightly-knit community with more than 6,500 undergraduate and graduate students, nearly 200 full-time faculty members, and is in the midst of its largest growth since the school was founded in 1945. The school is consistently ranked in the top 10 among U.S. public engineering schools and its master's online program is ranked No. 1 overall by U.S. News & World Report. UCLA Samueli is known as the birthplace of the internet, and where countless other fields took some of their first steps - from artificial intelligence to reverse osmosis, from mobile communications to human prosthetics. UCLA Samueli is deeply committed to diversifying the ranks of its faculty, staff and students, and to providing an equitable and inclusive environment for all its members.

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, bullying and other demeaning behavior, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment as well as a commitment to addressing all forms of academic misconduct, UCLA conducts targeted employment reference checks for finalists to whom departments or other hiring units would like to extend formal offers of appointment into Academic Senate faculty positions. The targeted employment reference checks involve contacting the finalists' current and prior places of employment to ask whether there have been substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the University's Faculty Code of Conduct. To implement this process, UCLA requires all applicants for Academic Senate faculty positions to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled "Authorization to Release Information" into RECRUIT as part of their application. If the applicant does not include the signed authorization to release information with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete. As with any incomplete application, the application will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, only finalists (i.e., those to whom the department or other hiring unit would like to extend a formal offer) considered for Academic Senate faculty positions will be subject to targeted employment reference checks.

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Department: https://www.cs.ucla.edu

Ph.D. or equivalent in Computer Science or a closely related discipline at date of hire

Strong commitment both to research and teaching and an outstanding record of research

• 3-5 letters of reference required

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status.

For the University of California's Affirmative Action Policy, please visit https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/apm/apm-035.pdf.

For the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination.